A group of researchers from the National Cancer Research Center (CNIO) has identified that the protein MCJ, present in the mitochondria (the organelles of the cell where energy is produced), is “clue“for brown fat loss, turning it into heata mechanism that protects against both obesity and metabolic diseases related to it.
In depth
Scientists have discovered that eliminating this protein in obese mice results in greater heat production and more weight lossas well as reducing obesity through fat transplantation without this protein.
“It has been thought for a long time that obesity could be prevented by getting this fat to use more energy by generating heat. So the first thing is to understand its operation. Discovering new mechanisms of heat production in brown fat is one of the most interesting targets in the study of obesity,” said the head of the Interaction between Metabolic Diseases Group at the CNIO. Guadalupe Sabiowho led the study together with Cintia Folgueira, from the CNIO and the National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC).
More details
The researchers have pointed out in the magazine ‘Nature Communications‘that adipose tissue is a “complex organ which acts as a regulator of the metabolism of the entire body”, which is why they believe that modulating its function can serve to “combat“obesity.
The study has focused on brown adipose tissue due to its responsibility in generating heat.which in the last decade has been shown that its activation protects against obesity and metabolic diseases.
Likewise, they have observed that animals without MCJ in brown fat “are protected against the health problems caused by obesity, such as diabetes or increased lipids in the blood”, which is why they have stated that this protein may be a new therapeutic target for correct pathologies associated with obesity itself.
To take into account
“Bliss protection It is due to the activation of a signaling pathway essential for adaptation to the stress caused by obesity. This pathway causes an increase in the consumption of fats, sugars and proteins, known as catabolism, to produce heat in brown fat. It is a mechanism that also happens in people with very active brown fat,” explained the CNIO researcher. Beatriz Cicuéndezfirst author of the article.
The team will center now to develop a therapy to block this protein in patients with obesity, for which they will first investigate whether MCJ protein has vital functions in other tissues.
“We are trying see if these changes in fat affect tumor growth or cachexia — loss of muscle and fat — that also sometimes appears related to cancer“Sabio added.
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