Rui Castro

Rui Castro
Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
Targeting the adipose tissue to treat fatty liver: role of TGR5
Project leader

Jesús M. Bañales
Asociación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Biodonostia (IISB), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
Co-leader

Adipose tissue (AT) dysfunction is considered a central driver of obesity-associated nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In addition, transmembrane G-protein-coupled bile acid receptor 5 (TGR5) plays a key role in AT, controlling whole body glucose and energy homeostasis, while our team showed that bile acids act as signaling molecules during NAFLD, through miRNA targeting. The goal of this project is to investigate whether activation of AT TGR5 by bile acid-derivatives communicates metabolic effects to the liver through modulation of exosomal miRNA expression. Given the recently, poorly explored notion that adipocytes may regulate whole-body metabolism through the release of miRNA-containing exosomes, and because TGR5 agonists are currently undergoing clinical testing for NAFLD, this project is expected to yield important therapeutic implications and elucidate signaling circuits integrating tangible targets for the prevention, management and/or treatment of obesity and NAFLD.

Dr. Castro received his PhD in Pharmacy (Biochemistry) from Universidade de Lisboa (UL) in 2006, in collaboration with the Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, MN, USA. He is Head of the Liver Disease Diagnostics & Therapeutics Group at the Research Institute for Medicines and Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy, UL, Portugal. He is Educational Committee member at both EASL and UEG.

https://www.cienciavitae.pt/portal/3C1C-A6C2-71ED

The research being developed by Dr. Castro combines his solid background in the modulation of liver cell function by bile acids with his most recent discoveries in the microRNA field, to answer fundamental questions on the pathogenesis, diagnostic, and therapeutic targeting of liver diseases. In particular, the role of microRNAs and extracellular vesicles in inter-organ communication in the setting of obesity and metabolic disease; as well as its exploration for the diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and prevention of liver disease, constitutes a key research objective.

The Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa)
Liver Disease Diagnostics & Therapeutics Group
Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa
Av. Prof. Gama Pinto
1649-003 Lisboa
Portugal

https://imed.ulisboa.pt/labs/liver-disease-diagnostics-and-therapeutics/