We present the group led by Dr Ahmad Agil, from the University of Granada. The name of the group is “Antidiabetes and its complications” and it focuses its research on the control of obesity.
Who we are
We are a research group that has been studying the evaluation of new strategies in the treatment of obesity and its complications. Our main challenge is the application of bioactive agents and others in the field of medicine, especially obesity in those situations that involve an increase in oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, endoplasmic reticulum stress and associated meta-inflammation.
Group research line: “Thermogenic tissues as a promising therapeutic target for obesity and its complications: the role of melatonin/agonists or others”
Relevant projects
1.- Reference: B-CTS-102-UGR20. Title: “Modulation of mitochondrial dynamics and endoplasmic reticulum stress of brown and renal adipose tissue in response to the anti-obesity effect of melatonin in obese and diabetic rats”. Ent. Funded: FEDER-Andalucía-UGR 2014-2020 Participating Entity: UGR and Hospital Carlos III (Madrid) Duration: 07/01/2021- 06/31/2023 Amount: 25,000 Number of participating researchers: 3 2.- Reference: SAF 2016-79794-R. Title: “Molecular mechanisms involved in the activation or recruitment of beige adipocytes and organular functionality in adipose tissue and kidney in response to melatonin in vitro and in vivo”. Financial Ent.: Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Spain). Participating Ent. .: UGR and Carlos III Hospital (Madrid) Duration: 01/01/2017-12/31/2020 Amount: 80,000 Number of participating researchers: 4 3.- Reference: Project SAF3013-45752. Title: Molecular mechanisms of the anti-obesity effect of melatonin in the obese and diabetic Zücker rat. Ent. Funding: Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. convocation 2013. Entity. Participants: UGR and Hospital Carlos III (Madrid). Duration: 01/01/2014-12/31/2016. Amount: €52,000.0. Number of researchers: 4
Contributions of the group to the field of obesity research
We have shown that melatonin antiobesogen that melatonin activates beige and brown adipose tissue (2013 & 2018), findings that are pioneers in the area of obesity and the use of melatonin as an antiobesogen drug, confirmed and extended by other groups in the absence of extrapolate our studies, with the pharmacological doses corresponding to the human being. We have also observed that melatonin recovers the damage caused by obesity and diabetes, such as hepatic steatosis (2015) and diabetic nephropathy (2020 and 2021), modulating organellar stress (mitochondria [2015, 2020]) and endoplasmic reticulum stress (2021). ), restoring its functions in addition to acting by preventing the progressive damage of the disease.
Latest published works
-Navarro-Alarcon M, Ali FAZ, Albrakati A, Salagre D, Campoy C, Elmahallawy EK. Melatonin Enhances the Mitochondrial Functionality of Brown Adipose Tissue in Obese-Diabetic Rats. Antioxidants. 2021. 17; 10(9):1482. Nº citas: 1. (IF: 6.648; 11/144, d1_Q1): Food Science & Technology. SCI JCR 2020. doi: 10.3390/antiox10091482.
-Navarro-Alarcón M, Gil-Hernández F, Sánchez-González C, Llopis J, Villalón-Mir M, Olmedo P, Alarcón-Guijo P, Salagre D, Gaona L, Paredes M, Agil A. (AC; 11/11). Melatonin Improves Levels of Zn and Cu in the Muscle of Diabetic Obese Rats. Pharmaceutics. 2021. 13 (10), 1535. Nº citas: 0. (IF: 6.734; 28/275, Q1): Pharmacology & Pharmacy. SCI JCR 2020. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13101535.
-Aouichat S, Navarro-Alarcon M, Alarcón-Guijo P, Salagre D, Ncir M, Zourgui L, Agil A. (AC; 7/7). Melatonin Improves Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress–mediated IRE1α Pathway in Zücker Diabetic Fatty Rat. Pharmaceuticals. 2021. 14(3), 232. Nº citas: 3; 3/año. (IF: 5.863; 38/276, Q1): Pharmacology & Pharmacy. SCI JCR 2020. doi:10.3390/ph14030232.
-Agil A (AC; 1/7), Chayah M, Visiedo L, Navarro-Alarcón M, Rodríguez-Ferrer JM, Reiter JR, Fernández-Vázquez G. Melatonin improves the mitochondrial dynamics and functions in the kidney of Zuker diabetic fatty rats. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2020.10;9 (9): E2916: 1-24. Nº citas: 7; 7/año. (IF: 4.252; 39/167, Q1). Medicine, General & Internal. SCI JCR 2019. doi: 10.3390/jcm9092916.
-Fernández-Vázquez G, Reiter RJ, Agil A. (AC; 3/3). Melatonin increases brown adipose tissue mass and functionality in Zücker diabetic fatty rats: implications for obesity control. Journal of Pineal Research. 2018. 64(4):e12472.1-10. Nº citas: 52; 18/año. (IF: 15.221; 3/83, d1). Endocrinology & Metabolism. SCI JCR 2018. doi: 10.1111/jpi.12472.
-Agil A (AC; 1/7), El-Hammadi M, Jiménez-Aranda A, Tassi M, Abdo W, Fernández-Vázquez G, Reiter RJ. Melatonin Reduces Hepatic Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Diabetic Obese Rats. J Pineal Res. 2015. 59(1):70-9. Nº citas: 58; 10/año. (IF: 9.314; 5/133, d1). Endocrinology & Metabolism. SCI JCR 2015. doi: 10.1111/jpi.12241.
-Jiménez-Aranda A, Fernández-Vázquez G, Campos D, Tassi M, Velasco-Perez L, Tan DX, Reiter RJ, Agil A. (AC; 8/8). Melatonin induces browning of inguinal white adipose tissue in Zücker diabetic fatty rats. J Pineal Res.2013. 55(4):416-23. Nº citas: 115; 14.5/año. (IF: 7.812; 4/124, d1). Endocrinology & Metabolism. SCI JCR 2013. doi: 10.1111/jpi.12089.
