Partner search from Juglas Medicinas Centres – Riga, LATVIA Activity code and topic of LSH-2004-2.1.1-7: Adipose tissue and liver dysfunction in the metabolic syndrome - INTEGRATED PROJECT. Metabolic syndrome is one of the major challenges faced by our day’s medicine. It is characterized by high levels of fasting insulin, triglycerides, glucose, high blood pressure, and obesity. These factors are known to increase the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Insulin resistance has been identified as an important risk factor for the development of metabolic syndrome. To tackle metabolic syndrome new methods of treatment are very important. Drugs, which help to work out metabolic syndrome as a complex, are not available. As it is known that dolichol loss from the organism leads to cellular dysfunction and its usage renew the cellular function at different levels. Dolichols are polyprenols (C80-C100) containing 17 to 21 isoprene units, in which the terminal unit is saturated. The active form of polyprenol is polyprenol phosphate. Polyprenols increases the membrane elasticity and modulates the surface curvature of the membranes by the formation of fluid microdomains and the long polyprenols facilitate the formation of transmembrane, ions-conductive pores, which later facilitates insulin to seep through these pores into the cells and decrease the insulin resistance. No enzyme pathway for dolichol degradation was discovered which affirm the theory of orphan receptors involvement. Immunological studies also shows some differences in ethnic groups in the cellular immune response, as basic mechanism to liver diseases, increase of adipose tissue and insulin resistance. Let's note, that natural dolichol like substances have immunomodulatory effects. We can postulate that Polyprenol is a new perspective compound, having an immunomodulatory and hepatoprotective functions, which needs future investigation. Our plan of investigation will be at three levels: 1) At cellular level, i.e. to use polyprenol on cell culture in laboratory. We will use hepatocytes and endothelial cells. 2) On experimental animals, i.e. to use polyprenol on experimental animals with metabolic syndrome. 3) In clinics, i.e. to treat patients with metabolic syndrome by polyprenol. Here we would like to combine the patients with HCV and metabolic syndrome. 4) To make more efficient production of polyprenol from its natural resources and modification of it into polyprenol phosphate. Contact: Dr. J.Rubens.MD Juglas Medicinas Centres Address: Juglas str. 2, Riga, LV-1024.Latvia Phone: +371-9-331310 Fax: +371-7-521397 E-mail: [email protected] - [email protected] .