Dottorato in Scienze Farmaceutiche e Biomolecolari

Contacts

Supervisor

Curriculum vitae

Phd thesis

Effects of PPARγ stimulation on neuronal cells

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ, a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, is a pharmacological target of particular interest: PPARγ stimulation enhances sensitivity of peripheral tissues to insulin and two synthetic PPARγ agonists, rosiglitazone and pioglitazone, are currently approved by both FDA and EMEA for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes. A growing body of evidence indicates that PPARγ stimulation might exert further effects. PPARγ is expressed in several neuronal cell types and its stimulation provides beneficial effects in several models of neurological disorders but the mechanisms underlying these effects remain to be fully elucidated.

In this project we are studying the effects exerted by the pharmacological modulation of PPARγ on neuronal cells. In particular we are investigating whether PPARγ stimulation prevents loss of differentiated SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells exposed to cytotoxic insults. Moreover, as several evidences, including our preliminary data, indicate that PPARγ stimulation promotes neuronal differentiation we are studying how PPARγ stimulation might promote events associated with the formation and maintenance of a proper neuronal connectivity within neuronal networks.

The expected results on the pharmacological modulation of PPARγ in neuronal cells will contribute to understand the role of PPARγ signalling in regulating neuronal function and damage.