Biology unit
Biology unit : in vitro, ex vivo & in vivo metabolic diseases models
Our biology unit offers integrated preclinical capacities covering in vitro and in vivo biology for the characterization and development of drugs targeting metabolic diseases, metabolic-related neurodegenerative disorders, as well as medicinal foods.
Metabrain’s biology unit offers predictive pathophysiologic in vivo models with biochemical, molecular and cell biology methods dedicated to metabolic profiling. The wide range of biological approaches enable complete compound characterization.
We can assist our partners with “à la carte” experiments, custom-studies and long-term collaborations. Our partners benefit from our drug discovery expertise, through study designs at industry standards. Most of our work is performed on compounds at preclinical stages and our specialist biological profiling models can also complement clinical studies.
In vitro biology
Exploring the effects of compounds on diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia is our speciality. We have a number of original tools developed in-house for in vitro functional assays in cell lines (INS-1, H2K, intestinal cells, …), primary cultures (pancreatic islets of Langerhans, hepatocytes, adipocytes, …), explants and isolated organs (Pancreas, Liver, …). These cultures can be studied under pathophysiological conditions (environmental stress, gene knock-down, …).
The biological profiling assays delivered enable top-quality compound efficacy & selectivity assessment, in multiparametric assays, which can be automated in order to perform medium throughput screening. We can follow markers such as:
- ß cell mass
- Glucose & Lactates
- Triglycerides & Cholesterol
- Free Fatty Acids
- ASAT & ALAT
- Activity of enzymes and phosphoproteins
- Cytokines and signal transduction cascades
Our cell and molecular biology platform offers tools such as
- Immunofluorescence
- 2D-protein analysis
- RT-QPCR
- Gene cloning & site-directed mutagenesis
- DNase fingerprinting, promoter studies
In vivo biology
Our in vivo studies in healthy, diabetic & obese rodents can follow a wide-range of metabolic biomarkers, glucose & lipid metabolism, endocrine secretions, including:
- Clamp-based approaches
- Glucose Tolerance Tests (IVGTT, IPGTT, OGTT)
- Insuline Tolerance Test (ITT)
- Calorimetry
- Fat & Bone mass determination in live animals by Dexa Scan
- Microdialysis
We have extensive experience with all diabetic models, including
- The GK rat, belonging the original colony
- Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced models
- ZDF rat
- Perfused Pancreas & Liver
Our facilities can also host 16 mini-pigs.
We can monitor the pharmacokinetics (PK) of the studied compounds in parallel to pharamcological studies.
The pharmacological study procedures resemble closely to those carried-out in clinical trials, meaning we can contribute to the development of compounds at both preclinical and clinical stages.