Malin Levin

Professor

Institute of

Medicine

Telephone

+46 708-41 62 64

Mail

Malin.Levin@wlab.gu.se

Visiting address

Wallenberglab, Bruna stråket 16, SU/S

41345 Göteborg

Postal address

Wallenberglab, Bruna stråket 16, SU/S

41345 Göteborg

About Malin Levin

Malin Levin is an Associate Professor with an overall research interest in lipid accumulation and storage in the heart. In specifics, her group is interested in elucidating the function of lipid droplet-associated proteins in the heart and their relevance for intracellular lipid accumulation, mitochondrial function and impact on outcome of myocardial ischemia.

Main research

Pathological conditions, e.g. obesity, diabetes and myocardial ischemia, are associated with increased lipid accumulation in the heart. Elevated levels of myocardial lipids are associated with cellular and tissue dysfunction, and are believed to contribute to reduced heart function. Intracellular lipids are stored in lipid droplets, with a core of neutral lipids and a complex surface containing membrane lipids and associated proteins. Lipid droplet-associated proteins contribute to the regulation of lipid droplet size and stability and mediate coupling between lipid droplets and mitochondria. Stable lipid droplet storage and efficient coupling to mitochondria most likely protect the cell from toxic lipid metabolites causing cellular dysfunction.

Our lab studies the myocardial metabolic derangements in the ischemic heart and we aim to identify key regulators of importance for improving heart function after a myocardial infarction. We use human myocardial biopsies to investigate if chronic ischemia in the human heart is associated with increased lipid accumulation and alterations in expression of genes linked to lipid metabolism and other pathways implicated in cellular dysfunction.

Through our screens on human tissue material, we have the opportunity to identify new molecular regulators, and seek targeting strategies to suppress or activate their function using genetically engineered mice to elucidate how these molecules may affect cardiac function and outcome after ischemia in the heart.

Group members

Linda Andersson, PhD
Ismena Mardani, PhD student
Azra Miljanovic, research associate
Mathieu Cinato, postdoc

Key Publications

Mardani I, Tomas Dalen K, Drevinge C, Miljanovic A, Ståhlman M, Klevstig M, Scharin Täng M, Fogelstrand P, Levin M, Ekstrand M, Nair S, Redfors B, Omerovic E, Andersson L, Kimmel AR, Borén J, Levin MC. Plin2-deficiency reduces lipophagy and results in increased lipid accumulation in the heart. Sci Rep. 2019 May 6;9(1):6909. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-43335-y.
Andersson L, Drevinge C, Mardani I, Dalen KT, Ståhlman M, Klevstig M, Lundqvist A, Haugen F, Adiels M, Fogelstrand P, Asin-Cayuela J, Hultén LM, Levin M, Ehrenborg E, Lee YK, Kimmel AR, Borén J, Levin MC. Deficiency in perilipin 5 reduces mitochondrial function and membrane depolarization in mouse hearts. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2017 Oct;91(Pt A):9-13.
Drevinge C, Dalen KT, Nastase Mannila M, Scharin Täng M, Ståhlman M, Klevstig M, Lundqvist A, Wramstedt A, Haugen F, Fogelstrand P, Adiels M, Asin-Cayuela J, Ekestam C, Gådin JR, Lee YK, Nebb H, Svedlund S, Romeo S, Redfors B, Omerovic E, Levin M, Valen G, Gan LM, Eriksson P, Andersson L, Ehrenborg E, Kimmel A, Borén J, Levin MC. Perilipin 5 Is Protective in the Ischemic Heart. Int J Cardiol. 15;219:446-54 (2016).
Klevstig M, Ståhlman M, Lundqvist A, Scharin Täng M, Fogelstrand P, Adiels M, Andersson L, Kolesnick R, Jeppsson A, Borén J, Levin MC. Targeting acid sphingomyelinase reduces cardiac ceramide accumulation in the post-ischemic heart. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 28;93:69-72 (2016).
Andersson L, Scharin Täng M, Lundqvist A, Lindbom M, Mardani I, Fogelstrand P, Shahrouki P, Redfors B, Omerovic E, Levin M, Borén J, Levin MC. Rip2 modifies VEGF-induced signalling and vascular permeability in myocardial ischaemia. Cardiovasc Res. 1;107(4):478-86 (2015).