Professor Giovanna Bermano g.bermano@rgu.ac.uk
Professor
Professor Giovanna Bermano g.bermano@rgu.ac.uk
Professor
Dr Sarah Walsh s.walsh@rgu.ac.uk
Research Fellow
Professor Cherry Wainwright c.wainwright@rgu.ac.uk
Professor
Heart Failure (HF) is a long-term complication of cardiovascular (high blood pressure and heart attack) and cardiovascular-related (obesity and metabolic syndrome) disorders and of drug-induced cardiotoxicity. HF is characterised by thickening (hypertrophy) and stiffening (fibrosis) of the walls of the heart, leading to reduced cardiac function and increased morbidity. Agroceutical Products Ltd (APL) produces sustainable quantities of the naturally derived alkaloid galanthamine from daffodils, which is a key active pharmaceutical used for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Daffodils contain an abundance of other alkaloid compounds, some of which (e.g. narciclasine and haemanthamine) APL can extract alongside galanthamine. There is emerging evidence that some of these alkaloids may target cellular events in the heart cell (cardiomyocyte) to interrupt the HF-associated structural changes, and thus have the potential for development as novel therapeutics in the prevention of HF. This project will involve testing three alkaloids extracted from daffodils in cell-based cardiomyocyte models that mimic the different stimuli for cardiac hypertrophy (high glucose, oxidative stress and doxorubicin), to determine their potential as anti-hypertrophic/anti-fibrotic molecules, and by measuring multiple cellular signalling pathways we will gain insight into cellular mechanism of action. This will provide essential “proof of concept” data that will identify the most efficacious compounds, inform the refinement of extraction methods to isolate different alkaloids, and potentially identify what structure-activity relationships may exist between alkaloids. This will inform APL as to which alkaloids have the potential to bring added value to their current production stream which will, in turn maximise the commercial potential for their products.
Status | Project Complete |
---|---|
Funder(s) | Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre |
Value | £39,958.00 |
Project Dates | Feb 1, 2021 - Jul 31, 2022 |
Partner Organisations | Agroceutical Products Limited |
sFRPs as a novel modulator of diastolic heart failure Oct 1, 2017 - Dec 31, 2021
Following a heart attack, or because of persistently high blood pressure the heart is damaged and has to work harder to circulate blood around the body. This condition is known as heart failure. In the UK alone, 500,000 people have heart failure re...
Read More about sFRPs as a novel modulator of diastolic heart failure.
A human Glutathione Peroxidase 4 3 untranslated region knock-in mouse model to study susceptibility to colon cancer in obesity Apr 1, 2017 - Dec 31, 2021
Colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence is rising steadily and in parallel with increasing prevalence of obesity in Scotland. Recent data indicate that the highest incidence rates are in the North East. The increasing prevalence of obes...
Read More about A human Glutathione Peroxidase 4 3 untranslated region knock-in mouse model to study susceptibility to colon cancer in obesity.
Defining the emerging roles of GPR55 Oct 1, 2019 - Feb 4, 2023
The G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily play crucial roles in cell communication. Given their involvement in neurological disorders, inflammatory and metabolic diseases, diabetes and cardiac dysfunction they represent the largest and most s...
Read More about Defining the emerging roles of GPR55.
Extracting added value from the Seaweed Industry - a search for novel anti-obesity agents Oct 1, 2018 - Dec 31, 2022
Seaweed farming is a growing industry in the UK, with the majority of the biomass being used for the extraction of high yield products such as aliginates, or for use as biofuels.
However, a significant amount of the biomass remains u...
Read More about Extracting added value from the Seaweed Industry - a search for novel anti-obesity agents.
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