Researchers at Harvard University report that they were able to identify two chemical components that could replace the "bad" fat cells in the human body with useful fat burning cells. In other words, scientists are one step closer to developing more effective ways of treating human obesity, and perhaps even creating yet mythical obesity pills that would allow people to control their weight.
Scientists say that not all fats are equally beneficial. While white adipose cells store energy in the form of lipids and contribute to the development of obesity, cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes, less common brown adipose cells retain energy in iron-rich mitochondria and are responsible for reducing triglycerides and insulin resistance (body resistance to insulin). However, new research also shows that brown fat cells help burn off “bad” white fat cells.
Professor Chad Cowan and his colleagues at Harvard University say they have developed a method for identifying specific chemical compounds that push the original fat cells to produce "good" brown fat cells and reduce the production of "bad" white fat cells. Scientists report that using their method, they were able to identify two such chemical compounds, which, in turn, could be used in the case of man.
Other drugs (including Viagra) have the ability to transform white fat cells into brown ones. But the effect of such drugs is only temporary. However, the new method shows a stable and long-term nature of cell transformation, which, in turn, opens up great potential in the long-term "healing property".
But scientists admit that the adaptation of these two useful chemical compounds in the sphere of practical use is not such a simple task. In addition to the fact that the new method of cell transformation will require long medical clinical trials, another problem appears to scientists: both chemical compounds act on the same molecule, which, in turn, is responsible for the inflammatory reactions in the body. The problem is that with long-term use of these chemical compounds without proper modification, the effectiveness of the immune system can be reduced.
A team of scientists led by Cowan achieved such results by cataloging only about one thousand compounds. Scientists are currently testing two compounds in laboratory mice to determine their effects on metabolism and the immune system. The researchers are also planning to turn to pharmaceutical companies to give scientists access to their databases containing information on more than one million possible suitable chemical compounds, among which, perhaps, there are suitable candidates who do not have negative properties, as, in turn, the first two.
The article is based on materials .
Comments
Post a Comment