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Researchers of NANBIOSIS U3 find activators of a possible therapeutic target for the treatment of patients with diabetes and insulin resistance

Researchers of  NANBIOSIS U3: Synthesis of Peptides Unit participate in the identification of activators of of the mitochondrial protein Mitofusin 2, a possible therapeutic target for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes in collaboration with CIBER of Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases (CIBERDEM) and the CIBER of Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN).

Those researchers are led by Fernando Albericio (Scientific Director of Unit 3 of NANBIOSIS) at the University of Barcelona and Antonio Zorzano en el IRB Barcelona  have identified activators of the mitochondrial protein Mitofusin 2 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. This protein is expressed at abnormally low levels in the tissues of patients with diabetes. “Thanks to the studies of phenotypic screening and validation studies in human cells, it has been possible to demonstrate the role of the protein Mitofusin 2 in the development of many of the alterations associated with diabetes”, explain those responsible for the work.

These studies have been possible thanks to the work of biologists and chemists from different CIBER areas and with experience in synthetic chemistry, molecular screening and functional analysis.

Article of reference:

Identification of New Activators of Mitochondrial Fusion Reveals a Link between Mitochondrial Morphology and Pyrimidine Metabolism. Miret-Casals L, Sebastián D, Brea J, Rico-Leo EM, Palacín M, Fernández-Salguero PM, Loza MI, Albericio F, Zorzano A. Cell Chem Biol. 2017 Dec 23. pii: S2451-9456(17)30428-2. doi: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2017.12.001.

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ISO 9001:2008 certification of Quality Management System to NANBIOSIS U20

The Area of Functional Validation & Preclinical Research of CIBBIM-Nanomedicine has recently obtained the ISO 9001:2008 certification of Quality Management System.

Functional Validation & Preclinical Research (FVPR), led by Dr. Ibane Abasolo, Scientific Coordinator of Unit 20 of NANBIOSIS “In Vivo experimental Platform“,  was created in 2007 as part of the  CIBBIM-Nanomedicine’s technological offer. The objective of FVPR is to provide services to the different research groups of the mother institutions (VHIR and CIBER), as well as to external companies or groups, to evaluate the effectiveness and toxicity of new therapeutic agents or targets, whether they are nanotechnology-based or not. To this end, it has an  “in vivo Experimentation Platform with three differentiated sections (i) Experimental Animal Models, (ii) Molecular Imaging, and (iii) Preclinical Histology) and an “in vitro Experimentation Platform.”

The certification audit was carried out in May 2017 by the certification company TÜV Rheinland and the compliance with the standard was reviewed and that a Quality Management System based on continuous improvement was implemented. The certificate has been issued after the certification process already had been reviewed and approved by the head of the certification body. Now, FVPR is already implementing the transition from this ISO9001:2008 to ISO9001:2015, which will be audited in June of this year.

The ISO 9001 Standard is the most widespread Quality Management tool worldwide, with over one million certificates in 175 countries. The main objective of the standard is to increase customer satisfaction through continuous improvement processes. It is designed so that the organizations that apply it can guarantee their ability to offer services that meet the requirements of their customers. This international standard promotes the adoption of a process-based approach when the effectiveness of a quality management system is developed, implemented and improved, based in turn on the PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) continuous improvement cycle.

The main benefits derived from ISO 9001 certification for organizations are: systematization of operations, improvement of internal organization, generation of a higher level of confidence in the internal and external environment, increased competitiveness, guarantee of compliance with legislation and regulations related to products and services, among others

For further information

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Improving biomaterials imaging for nanotechnology: rapid methods for protein localization at ultrastructural level

New publication of Tony Villaverde, Scientific Director of Unit 1 of NANBIOSIS acepted by Biotechnology Journal: The preparation of biological samples for electron microscopy is material- and time-consuming because it is often based on long protocols that also may produce artifacts. Protein labeling for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is such an example, taking several days. However, for protein-based nanotechnology, high resolution imaging techniques are unique and crucial tools for studying the spatial distribution of these molecules, either alone or as components of biomaterials. In this paper, we tested 2 new short methods of immunolocalization for TEM, and compared them with a standard protocol in qualitative and quantitative approaches by using four protein-based nanoparticles. We reported a significant increase of labeling per area of nanoparticle in both new methodologies (H=19.811; p<0.001) with all the model antigens tested: GFP (H=22.115; p<0.001), MMP-2 (H=19.579; p<0.001), MMP-9 (H=7.567; p<0.023), and IFN-γ(H=62.110; p<0.001). We also found that the most suitable protocol for labeling depends on the nanoparticle’s tendency to aggregate. Moreover, the shorter methods reduce artifacts, time (by 30 %), residues and reagents hindering, losing, or altering antigens, and obtaining a significant increase of protein localization (of about 200 %). Overall, this study makes a step forward in the development of optimized protocols for thehigh resolution imaging techniques  high resolution imaging techniques within new biomaterials.

 

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