Thesis supervisor: Attila Oláh
Location of studies (in Hungarian): Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen Abbreviation of location of studies: DEÉI
Description of the research topic:
Acne is one of the most common human diseases. While not a directly life-threatening condition, it can severely impair quality of life of patients. Thus, the development of novel anti-acne drugs with a favorable side effect profile is one of the important research directions of today’s experimental dermatology. This would obviously be impossible without systematically mapping the signaling pathways that regulate the biological activity of human sebaceous glands. In recent years, our research group has played a significant role in the exploration of such regulators, namely the so-called endocannabinoid system, and the transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels that may also function as ionotropic cannabinoid receptors. We found that the dominantly Ca2+-permeable TRPV1, -2, -3 and -4 channels are expressed on human sebocytes and fundamentally influence the production of sebaceous lipids, as well as the expression and release of several important pro-inflammatory cytokines, making TRP channels promising pharmacological targets in the treatment of acne.
According to our unpublished RNA-Seq data, besides the already identified ones, human sebocytes express several additional TRP channels (e.g., TRPM2, TRPM4, TRPM7, etc.) as well. Thus, the aim of the current project is (i) to investigate possible changes in the expression and/or activity of hitherto uninvestigated elements of the TRP channel superfamily in the skin of healthy individuals as well as of patients suffering from acne, and (ii) to explore the effects of the modulation of these channels by using various complementary in vitro and ex vivo model
systems. Our expected results can thus contribute to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of acne, as well as to the development of new therapeutic solutions.
Required language skills: English intermediate level Number of students who can be accepted: 1
Deadline for application: 2024-05-15
2024. IV. 17. ODT ülés Az ODT következő ülésére 2024. június 14-én, pénteken 10.00 órakor kerül sor a Semmelweis Egyetem Szenátusi termében (Bp. Üllői út 26. I. emelet).
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