New Discovery May Unravel the
Holy Grail of Obesity
New Protein Identified Which Can Possibly
Unlock The Treatment For Obesity
Researchers have unlocked another door in the
complex search for a drug that could treat the
growing scourge of obesity.
Researchers at the McGill University Health Centre
and Britain's Sheffield University announced last
week, they've made the first identification of
a new protein on fat cells that signals fat tissue
to store more fat. "Now we can say we have
not only the key, but the lock on the door that
can actually control how much fat gets stored,"
said McGill's Dr. Katherine Cianflone.
By identifying molecules that affect fat production,
researchers believe they would be able to affect
weight gain and provide relief to millions of
obese people around the world.
The hope is to find a way to interrupt or slow
down the C5L2 receptor's signal to the asylation
stimulating protein (ASP) hormone to prevent fat
storage.
More than 300 genes associated with weight have
been discovered in the past decade, with help
from the human genome project. However, this is
the strongest one associated with fat storage,
she said.
The discovery was made six months ago after four
years of research into the receptor gene. The
findings were published recently in the U.S.-based
Journal of Biological Chemistry.
A patent application has been submitted for the
receptor that could eventually be used as the
basis for an anti-obesity drug. Talks are set
to begin with several large American and Canadian
pharmaceutical companies, said Cianflone.
Obesity has became a problem in North American
in all age groups, raising the risk for heart
disease, diabetes and cardiovascular problems.
But Cianflone warned a drug won't completely
replace exercise and diet to regulate weight.
Dr. David Lau, president of Obesity Canada which
is a non-profit agency of health-care professionals,
said the discovery opens the door to better understanding
of the role of fat cells but won't provide a miracle
cure. "Certainly, it's an important discovery
along the way to unravel the Holy Grail, if you
will," said Lau, who's also a professor of
medicine at the University of Calgary and a fat
cell researcher. "We're years away from the
magic pill and I think it's important to understand
that there are no quick fixes when it comes to
a chronic problem such as overweight and obesity,
which doesn't develop overnight."
Dr. Diane Finegood, scientific director of the
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes,
agreed.
Finegood said research such as this is an important
step forward in understanding how to regulate
body weight, aside from diet and exercise. "There
is no silver bullet for this problem."
Simply telling people to eat less and exercise
more is harmful because some people's gene profile
makes it more difficult for them to change their
behaviour, Finegood added.
"It's really unfair to say obesity is all
about people who eat too much and don't exercise
enough because each of us makes our choices around
food and physical activity based on a whole complex
web of factors both social and biological factors."
Journal of Biological Chemistry July 2003
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