South Korean researchers have discovered a new method to treat incurable metabolic diseases by reshaping adipocytes, known as fatty cells. This breakthrough could reduce appetite, increase energy expenditure, and lead to weight loss.
On July 1, a team led by Suh Jae-myoung and Lim Dae-sik, professors at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, announced the development of a technique to transform adipocytes into stem cells. This method aims to decrease weight and improve metabolic health, addressing metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
Adipocytes store calories as fat and secrete hormones. When these functions are impaired, the body’s metabolic system can be disrupted, leading to diabetes and obesity. Although controlling adipocyte activity could offer treatments for these diseases, the precise molecular regulation of these functions has remained unknown.
To understand adipocyte regulation, the researchers focused on the Hippo signaling pathway, which influences organ size. This pathway includes the YAP and TAZ proteins, whose activity varies with food intake and is linked to adipose tissue size. The team found that these proteins are crucial in producing leptin, a hormone that controls energy expenditure and appetite.
Using genetically engineered mice, the team inactivated the LATS 1 and 2 genes involved in YAP/TAZ activation to observe changes in adipocytes. Continuous activation of YAP/TAZ proteins transformed adipocytes into a stem cell-like state, reducing their size and weight.
The study found that reducing adipocyte size has a hormonal effect that curbs appetite, contrasting with weight loss methods that rely on increasing calorie consumption through exercise. As adipose tissue size decreased, leptin expression increased significantly, contributing to weight loss. Leptin was discovered over 30 years ago and regulates energy expenditure in the metabolic system, but its regulation mechanisms were previously unknown.
The researchers believe that activating YAP/TAZ proteins in adipocytes could pave the way for new treatments for obesity and metabolic diseases. Their findings were published on May 29 in the international journal Nature Metabolism.
Reference
Nature Metabolism(2024), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-024-01045-4
