Researchers at Karolinska Institutet could have discovered a brand new strategy to deal with weight problems and associated problems by concentrating on the cells’ powerhouses, the mitochondria. A research printed in Nature Metabolism reveals {that a} particular class of medicine that block mitochondrial perform can reverse diet-induced weight problems, fatty liver and diabetes in mice.
Mitochondria are important for human well being, as they course of the vitamins within the meals we eat and harvest the vitality wanted for numerous processes within the cell. They’re central regulators of metabolism, which could be very dynamic and may be rerouted and reprogrammed in keeping with totally different wants or in response to illness.
Elevated fats metabolism
Professor Nils-Göran Larsson’s analysis group at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden has lately developed extremely particular drug candidates that block mitochondrial perform, and thus mobile vitality manufacturing, to deal with most cancers. Now the researchers have proven that these medicine even have a useful impact on metabolism in mice.
4 weeks of therapy led to an surprising improve in fats metabolism, leading to a drastic weight reduction, a discount in fats accumulation within the liver and restored glucose tolerance.”
Taolin Yuan, postdoctoral researcher on the Division of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet
The therapy was given orally to male overweight mice who had been fed a high-fat weight-reduction plan. The stunning impact means that blocking the cells’ vitality manufacturing can reverse weight problems and diabetes.
Collaboration with a biotech firm
“It is thrilling that we now have recognized a brand new potential technique for treating frequent illnesses like weight problems and kind 2 diabetes,” says Professor Nils-Göran Larsson. “We now purpose to additional examine the mechanisms that may clarify the medicine’ impact. We have now additionally initiated a collaboration with a biotech firm to see if this may be additional developed right into a therapy for people. Nonetheless, it is going to be a few years earlier than we all know if it really works,” he concludes.
The research was financed by the Novo Nordisk Basis, the Swedish Diabetes Basis, the Swedish Analysis Council, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Basis, ALF funding, the Swedish Most cancers Society and the Swedish Mind Basis. Nils-Göran Larsson is a scientific founder and holds inventory in Pretzel Therapeutics Inc. Three of the coauthors are staff of Lead Discovery Heart and are listed as co-inventors on a patent software regarding mitochondrial RNA polymerase inhibitors for the therapy of most cancers.
Supply:
Journal reference:
Jiang, S., et al. (2024). Inhibition of mammalian mtDNA transcription acts paradoxically to reverse diet-induced hepatosteatosis and weight problems. Nature Metabolism. doi.org/10.1038/s42255-024-01038-3.
