A study identifies a key mechanism in the way that the liver processes the acute and fat, which has direct implications in diseases such as diabetes, obesity and metabolic liver disease. Understanding the role of this mechanism, which exercises as a key “sensor” during the transition from aid to food, and doing it from a physiologic point of view, could open new therapeutic pathways to improve the control of glucose and body capacity to adapt to changes between aid and food. This is especially relevant in diseases such as those described above, since the horse loses precisely this capacity. The study promoted by the IRB CatSud, formerly IISPV) and led by researchers from the area of Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases (CIBERDEM), has been published in the scientific journal Science Advances with the title SUCNR1 coordinates metabolic flux, mitochondrial function, and nutrient-dependent adaptation in hepatocytes. Researchers from various areas of the Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red) (CIBER) of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), have participated in the study.
The Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases (DIAMET) research group at IRB CatSud is responsible for the study that provides relevant knowledge to advance in the prevention and treatment of high-impact metabolic disorders in public health in the long term. The research team has focused on succinate, which apart from serving to obtain energy, also acts as a signal in other cells through a receptor called SUCNR1. This receptor is especially abundant in a specific area of the hygro and increases during the development of this organ, which suggests an important role in liver function.
In addition, the research staff has discovered that both the levels of succino and the expression of the SUCNR1 receptor in the liver varied depending on whether the organism is in aid or fed. To better understand their role, the researchers involved studied mice that lack this receptor in the main cells of the hygda (the hepatocytes). In the absence of this receptor, the liver “is active in excess” and ends up producing more glucose than necessary in conditions of aid. This is accompanied by a lower capacity of the organism to adapt correctly to the changes that derive from the nutritional state, that is, in aid or after eating. At the cellular level, the lack of this receptor alters the way in which the water cells use glucose to produce energy, which causes the dependence of other nutrients and alters their functionality. Consequently, in response to the intake, an incomplete recovery of the energy reserves of the cells is observed.
Together, these results identify the SUCNR1 regulator as essential in the metabolic adaptation of the water, connecting energy signals with the capacity of cells to adjust to nutritional changes.
The study involved the participation of other research centres and universities, such as the Centro Singular de Investigación en Medicina Molecular y Enfermedades Crónicas (CIMUS), Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, the Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Barcelona (IRB Barcelona), the Universitat de Barcelona (UB), the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), the Institut de Recerca Sant Pau, the Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), the University of Bern and the Bern University Hospital. Also have participated reseachers of the CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN) and CIBER de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD).
Bibliographic reference
Marsal-Beltran, A., Salmerón-Pelado, L., Ribas-Latre, A., Repollés-de-Dalmau, M., Rodríguez-Peña, M. M., Núñez-Roa, C., Badia, J., Madeira, A., Novoa, E., Beltrà, M., Plata-Gómez, A. B., Capellades, J., Escolà-Gil, J. C., Zorzano, A., Yanes, Ó., Efeyan, A., Nogueiras, R., Gracia-Sancho, J., Vendrell, J., Ceperuelo-Mallafré, V., … Fernández-Veledo, S. (2026). SUCNR1 coordinates metabolic flux, mitochondrial function, and nutrient-dependent adaptation in hepatocytes. Science advances, 12(24), eaec8873. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aec8873
A research study based on the analysis of genetic data from hundreds of thousands of people has identified previously hidden genetic links between Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and several cardiometabolic diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol. These findings, published in the prestigious scientific journal Molecular Psychiatry, help explain why people with autism have a higher risk of developing physical health problems throughout their lives.
D’esquerra a dreta, Elisabet Vilella, Maria Guardiola-Ripoll i Gerard Muntané
The study was carried out by researchers from the Hospital Universitari Institut Pere Mata (HUIPM) and the Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Catalunya Sud (IRB CatSud, formerly IISPV), in collaboration with the University of Oslo, and with the participation of the Rovira i Virgili University (URV).
The results show that some of the same genetic factors that influence autism are also involved in metabolic disorders, such as weight gain and diabetes, and in the same direction. This suggests that there are shared biological mechanisms linking mental health and physical health. However, when cardiovascular health factors such as blood pressure are analysed, the relationship is more complex. In these cases, the same genetic factors may have opposite effects, suggesting that different and still poorly understood mechanisms are involved.
Researchers have also identified more than one hundred regions of the genome involved in these connections, opening up new ways to better understand how the brain and the body interact.
“More and more evidence shows that mental health and physical health cannot be understood separately, and this type of study brings us closer to more personalised medicine that takes into account all the factors influencing people’s health,” says Gerard Muntané, first author of the article.
Experts highlight that these results could help, in the future, to detect physical health risks in people with autism earlier and to design more effective prevention strategies.
Article reference
Muntané, G., Shadrin, A., Guardiola-Ripoll, M., O’Connell, K. S., Frei, O., Naerland, T., Vilella, E., & Andreassen, O. A. (2026). Genetic overlap and shared risk loci between autism spectrum disorder and cardiometabolic traits. Molecular Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-026-03563-x
Next Saturday, November 22, the Institute will hold the event ‘La recerca en salut surt al carrer’, which includes an escape room, medical tests, CPR workshops, and a demonstration of how an ambulance works.
The Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV) will organize the fun event ‘La recerca en salut surt al carrer’ on Saturday morning, November 22, in the center of Tarragona. This initiative is part of the celebrations for the Institute’s 20th anniversary. It was already held in Reus last October and was very well received, with more than 500 people taking part in the activities. Now, IISPV brings the event to Tarragona, specifically to Plaça Corsini and the Mercat Central. Activities will include an escape room about the Institute, non-invasive medical tests, CPR workshops with mannequins, and a demonstration of how an ambulance works. All activities are free, but participants must register in advance on the IISPV website to join the escape room.
The event is organized in collaboration with the Tarragona City Council, Tarragona Markets, and the Servei d’Emergències Mèdiques (SEM) of the Generalitat. Its goal is to help citizens learn more about the work of this biomedical research institute, which has been operating in southern Catalonia for 20 years. The activities planned are:
Escape room ‘Investiga… I ajuda’ns!’
Four groups of five people will help IISPV stop an attack that aims to sabotage the work of its researchers. Each group will face different challenges to protect the four research areas of IISPV: metabolism and nutrition, oncology, mental health and neurosciences, and infection, immunity and environment. The activity lasts about 45 minutes and requires prior registration. It will take place at Tarragona Espai Comerç”, and the meeting point is the entrance to the Central Market on Cristòfor Colom Street. Time slots are: 10:30, 11:30 and 12:30.
Medical tests ‘Aquí et cuidem!’
Throughout the morning, the interior of Tarragona’s Central Market will host several non-invasive medical tests, available to anyone interested:
Workshops ‘Anima’t i reanima!’
All morning long, Plaça Corsini will host the ‘Anima’t i reanima!’ workshops, led by professionals from IISPV and SEM. Using mannequins, participants will learn how to identify a cardiac arrest and how to perform CPR. They will also get to see how an ambulance works, with one on display in the square.
The Solidarity Walk ‘Let’s Take a Step Against Diabetes’ aims to raise awareness among the population about the importance of adopting healthy lifestyle habits and to support biomedical research carried out in the region. All the funds raised will go to the Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases Research Group (DIAMET) at IISPV, which focuses on finding new knowledge and strategies to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diabetes and other metabolic diseases.
“The Perafort Town Council reaffirms its commitment to health, solidarity, and medical research through this initiative—values we consider essential for the well-being of our citizens. The funds are allocated to the IISPV to support research and scientific progress in this field,” said the mayor of Perafort, Joan Martí Pla i Pla. The Perafort Town Council thanks all the individuals and organizations involved and invites everyone to join this solidarity cause. Taking a step against diabetes is taking a step for everyone’s health.
There are different types of diabetes, but the most common are type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes affects about 0.2% of the population in Spain, and around 10% of diagnosed cases are in young people and children. Type 2 diabetes affects between 6% and 14% of the population. This percentage depends on the age group considered, but the older the person, the higher the incidence.
The director of the IISPV, Joan Vendrell, explains that “diabetes is not visible, but it can be controlled with information and a healthy lifestyle. In this sense, events like the walk are very valuable, as they help raise awareness about the disease and its impact, and also promote the work we do. Moreover, they are an opportunity for people to contribute to the development of the various research projects underway at the Institute.”
With a registration fee of €5, participants will receive a commemorative T-shirt, enjoy breakfast and drinks in Els Garidells, and take part in a raffle of products offered by the event’s sponsors after the walk. Registration is open until November 21st, 2025, through the following link: https://serveis.iispv.cat/events/desena-caminada-contra-la-diabetis