Project

The adaptive hypoxia system of the prolyl hydroxylases (PHD) in the pathophysiology of Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)

Code
3G013015
Duration
01 January 2015 → 31 December 2020
Funding
Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO)
Promotor
Research disciplines
  • Medical and health sciences
    • Laboratory medicine
    • Palliative care and end-of-life care
    • Regenerative medicine
    • Other basic sciences
    • Laboratory medicine
    • Palliative care and end-of-life care
    • Regenerative medicine
    • Other clinical sciences
    • Other health sciences
    • Nursing
    • Other paramedical sciences
    • Laboratory medicine
    • Palliative care and end-of-life care
    • Regenerative medicine
    • Other translational sciences
    • Other medical and health sciences
Keywords
prolyl hydroxylases (PHD) Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) hypoxia
 
Project description

Non-Alcoholic SteatoHepatitis (NASH) is characterized by liver inflammation with concurrent fat accumulation and is a frequent and rising cause of chronic liver diseases. Up till now, no efficient medical treatments are available. Previous experimental studies show that anti-angiogenetic approaches in NASH might be beneficial. More recently, a new paradigm has arised in which not the amount of blood vessels is important, but the vessel ‘quality’ is targeted. Prolyl hydroxylases (PHD) are the key oxygen sensors of our cells and PHD deficiency results in vessel normalization, restorage of endothelial cell dysfunction and less hypoxia in tumours. First, we would like to characterize the hepatic and intestinal expression of the different PHD isoforms in human NASH and in two validated NASH mouse models. We have already preliminary data showing differential PHD expression in human NASH livers, but this will be further characterized. Secondly, we will examine the effects of PHD inhibition by dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG, a pan-PHD inhibitor) in experimental NASH. Thirdly, we will evaluate vessel-normalizing strategies in experimental NASH models by using selective endothelial PHD knock-out and PHD overexpression animals. Besides the hepatic effects of PHDs, the impact on the splanchnic vascular bed, and more in detail the splanchnic vasodilation and hyperdynamic circulation associated with cirrhosis, will be studied before and after endothelial normalization.