Obesity
Obesity, a leading disease around the world. Most of the adults in US suffering with obesity related chronic diseases. The estimated cost of obesity is about $150 billion each year.
However, some obese patients follow diets for controlling their overweight. Now, a research team from University of Texas developing an anti-obesity drug, nicotinamide-N-methyltransferase (NNMT), that reduces body weight and blood cholesterol without lowering food intake in obese mice.
Stanley Watowich, one of the study’s senior author, said, when fat cells grow larger they start to overexpress a protein that slows down fat cell metabolism, making it harder for these cells to burn accumulating fat. Also, develops fat tissues that are responsible for obesity related chronic diseases, including type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
With this problem, researchers discovered a molecule that blocks metabolic brake from operating in obese white fat cells. By blocking this metabolic brake, they increase the metabolism within white fat cells.
In test trials on mice, researchers found that the NNMT received mice lost more than 7% of body weight and white fat tissue mass. Moreover, blood cholesterol lowered to normal levels.
Compared with the placebo group, the cell size of the drug received mice decreased by 30 percent. While, the placebo-treated mice continued to accumulate white fat and gain weight. During the study period, mice in both groups showing that the fat loss is not because of appetite suppression.
Researchers said, the fat cell brake provides an innovative fat specific mechanism to increase cell metabolism and reduce the size of white fat deposits, thereby treating a root cause of obesity and related metabolic diseases.
With these results, researchers plan to implement new features in this technology and more effective approach to combating metabolic diseases. So, patients follow this health benefit and maintain your health properly.
