Research

Our research line focuses on the alterations in lipid metabolism associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In this regard, there is clinical evidence for the association between phospholipids (PL) membranes composition and liver disease. Besides, alterations in mitochondrial dynamics, defined as the processes of mitochondrial fusion and fission, have been observed in NAFLD. The main proteins involved in mitochondrial fusion are Mitofusins (Mfn1 and Mfn2). In this sense, a deficiency in Mfn2, a protein that tethers endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to mitochondria, causes a reduction in PL synthesis, leading to ER stress and non-alcoholic fatty steatohepatitis (NASH) in the liver. Our aim is to demonstrate that mitochondrial fusion proteins are involved in intracellular phospholipid homeostasis, and in turn, to search for a novel therapeutic target for chronic diseases associated with NAFLD.