UCD Conway Focus Spring 2015

Page 1

/ 0 " 3

Issue 24,23 3 Spring 2015

4 " Lowering diabetes risk in obesity 1 !

% high saturated-fat Eating food is

5 and, contributing to the rise in 6

obesity as a consequence, this increases the risk (67 -! !

of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. New ! 8 ! research published in the scientific 5 that journal Diabetes shows replacing $ '

saturated fatty acids with monounsatu ! 7 diet rated fatty acids

within a high-fat 1

9 can reduce inflammation in fat tissue and 4

: (9 4 :- increase insulin sensitivity.

% ! 5 6

$

UCD researchers led by Conway Fellow,

Professor Helen Roche, Associate

Professor of Nutrigenomics UCD School of Public

in ! " Health, Physiotherapy & Population Science and UCD Institute of Food # & Health, $

" types compared how different of % fats & " controlled the release of IL-1β, a powerful $ immune system protein. " % This protein the development of ' (" ) triggers "

insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. *+ , Obese individuals have levels of IL-1β higher - circulating in their system, which is thought .

" $

" " " from % . tissue. to originate adipose or fatty

" % /" # " -+ + % " +% "

" " Before IL-1β is released, primed

" cells are to

team have produce pro-IL-1β. The research " shown that replacing saturated fats with

% monounsaturated fats in a high fat diet

reduced pro-IL-1β priming in adipose . the " " " tissue. This had a knock-on reduc effect of ing the extent inflammation adipose "

of in tissue. and increasing insulin sensitivity.

% *01., “We have demonstrated for " the first time % ' that dietary monounsaturated fatty acids " can lower IL-1β mediated insulin resistance and " adipose dysfunction despite obesityâ€?, " said Dr Orla Finucane, postdoctoral " group 01.% and first researcher in the Roche author of the article. - 23 " " This study involved mice a high-fat feeding diet either with saturated fatty enriched " " acids or monounsaturated The $% 4 fatty acids.

" team used metabolic and genetic " analysis

to determine the extent of inflammation " and insulin To translate their tolerance. " "

findings from animal to humans, they then

% reanalysed data from human studies with

0 " detailed dietary fat data to discriminate

" " " " between fat quantity and composition. $ "

" " "

Director’s Message ) /

Welcome!

senior Recently, a number of Conway

8 8 and early1 career researchers have been recognised contributions

for outstanding ; and excellence in research. Most notably, Professor Cormac received the 2014 " Taylor Nature mid-career award " for mentoring in science Professor Des Higgins was $ while appointed a Fellow of the International " (" Society for Computational Biology. A " $ research paper by Des Higgins that set the

% . " B ' ' =3 ;- 23 ;- " A " %

international standard for DNA sequence analysis featured in Nature’s Top 10 most 4 " C

of all highly cited research publications " time.

$ "

Professor Helen Roche says, % “The findings of this study are exciting as we have shown ' (" at a molecular level how monounsaturated " fatty acids interact with immune cells within " " adipose tissue to reduce the risk of type 2 " diabetes developing. / 5 " ' '

The molecular pathways involved

" include a " metabolic " sensor called AMP-activated protein % kinase (AMPK) that also regulates inflammation. Type 2 diabetes is routinely & with 6. treated a drug that targets AMPK called However, ("

" Metformin. there have been recent " " ! " adverse concerns suggesting potential associated with cardiovascular side effects " this drug. On the basis of this research, 5 " %7 we propose that targeting AMPK through means would be both cost effective dietary " to and beneficial the " patientâ€?. 8 + % + & 9 : 0 : : . . 1 1 + + : . Reference : : ' (" fatty ;% acid + enriched ' % 23 3 22< Monounsaturated high/ fat-diets ==*>,?@A >@ impede adipose NLRP3 inflammasome mediated IL-1β

secretion and insulin resistance despite obesity. Finucane et al. Diabetes (e-pub ahead of print) January 27, 2015, doi:10.2337/db14-1098

Development Award (TIDA) programme. Researchers also won in four categories of " Awards. / the 2014 Irish Laboratory 0

23 3%

< Irish Cardiac Dr Chris Watson won the / " Society Brian Maurer Young Investigator " " Dr " was joint " award while Orla Galvin

Started

winner of the Get Technology

of " Venture Programme run "

as part % the Science Foundation Ireland /

I congratulate these individuals while acknowledging those who have been 0 " all successful in recent competitive funding " " awards and publications. of these " All achievements to the talent are

testament " + and calibre of scientists that are the cornerstone of this Institute.

4 -+ $ " " "

B 4 : -+ + 0 "

Enterprise Ireland Technology Innovation

" Walter " Kolch Professor "

% Director

<2:4 <7' ' ' 1 '0 / D;+-D E '0 /; 0+ D ; ; +&


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
UCD Conway Focus Spring 2015 by UCD Conway Institute - Issuu