Researchers from the Biomedical Research Institute of Girona Dr. Josep Trueta (IDIBGI) and CIBEROBN have identified the significance of a new non-coding RNA molecule called linc-GALNTL6-4 in the development and function of the cells that make up the majority of body fat, known as adipose cells (adipocytes). The new study, published in the journal Molecular Metabolism, reveals that this RNA is directly linked to the proper functioning of adipocytes, and overweight or obese individuals may have deficiencies in its production.
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are molecules that play crucial roles in body cells. Although less known than other types of non-coding RNAs, such as microRNAs (whose discovery recently earned the Nobel Prize in Medicine for scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun), lncRNAs are fundamental in regulating cellular processes, determining their growth, survival, and activity.
In this study, the IDIBGI team observed that linc-GALNTL6-4 expression decreases in obese individuals due to the local inflammation generated in fat deposits by this condition. This affects the normal functioning of adipocytes, which are responsible for energy storage in the body.
“When the levels of this RNA are restored through, for example, weight loss, the normal function of these hallmark cells is recovered. The results show that these molecules play a crucial role in regulating human fat metabolism and the inflammation associated with overweight and obesity,” says Dr. Francisco José Ortega, a senior researcher in the Nutrition, Eumetabolism, and Health group at IDIBGI and CIBEROBN, and the study's corresponding author. The paper’s first author is Dr. Aina Lluch, a researcher in the same research group.
The study highlights the importance of basic research in the search for innovative solutions to health problems related to overweight and obesity, focusing on understanding the biology of fat cells and their behavior in health and disease.
This work, led by the Nutrition, Eumetabolism, and Health research group headed by Dr. José Manuel Fernández-Real, involved collaboration with national and international research centers, including the Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, the Andalusian Center for Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine (CABIMER), the Minerva Institute in Helsinki, Finland, and the University Hospital of Regensburg in Germany, among others.
Reference article: Lluch A, Latorre J, Oliveras-Cañellas N, Fernández-Sánchez A, Moreno-Navarrete JM, Castells-Nobau A, Comas F, Buxò M, Rodríguez-Hermosa JI, Ballester M, Espadas I, Martín-Montalvo A, Zhang B, Zhou Y, Burkhardt R, Höring M, Liebisch G, Castellanos-Rubio A, Santin I, Kar A, Laakso M, Pajukanta P, Olkkonen VM, Fernández-Real JM, Ortega FJ. A novel long non-coding RNA connects obesity to impaired adipocyte function. Mol Metab. 2024 Oct 1;90:102040. doi: 10.1016/j.molmet.2024.102040. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39362599.
About IDIBGI
The Biomedical Research Institute of Girona Dr. Josep Trueta (IDIBGI) conducts translational research to improve health and patient care. IDIBGI is organized into 24 research groups distributed across five scientific areas (Cardiovascular and Respiratory, Metabolism and Inflammation, Neurosciences, Oncohematology, and Mental Health), encompassing over 400 professionals, including healthcare workers and basic researchers, in the Girona region. IDIBGI is a private foundation within the public sector of the Government of Catalonia, and its board includes representatives from the Departments of Health and Research, the Catalan Institute of Health (ICS) Girona, the Health Assistance Institute (IAS), the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) Girona, and the University of Girona. IDIBGI is a CERCA center (Catalonia Research Centers).
