Microprotein increases appetite in mice: Scientists discovered more than 3,800 small proteins involved in metabolism and found that one microprotein, Gm8773, increases feeding activity in mice–providing a potential new approach to encourage weight gain in people with cancer and other diseases
Obesity and metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, are extremely common in the United States. Tiny proteins called microproteins have long been overlooked in research, but new evidence demonstrates that they have an important role in metabolism. Salk scientists have discovered that both brown and white fat is filled with thousands of previously unknown microproteins, and […]
Exercise during pregnancy reduces the risk of Type-2 Diabetes in offspring
A new study has demonstrated that maternal exercise during pregnancy improves the metabolic health of offspring, even when the mother is obese or on a high-fat diet. Physical exercise by the mother induces the placenta to secrete the key protein SOD3, resulting in a lowered risk of diabetes for the offspring. The findings in the […]
Researchers identify potential new treatment for metabolic syndrome
Metabolic syndrome increases a person’s risk for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, and includes conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure and high blood sugar. In a recent mouse-model study, published in Cell Metabolism, researchers at University Hospitals (UH), Harrington Discovery Institute at UH, and Case Western Reserve University have furthered their progress to develop […]
Development of fatty liver disease under a healthy diet
A new study identifies two genes, previously reported to be involved in cancer, as regulators of the metabolic state of the liver. Alterations in these genes influence the likelihood of developing fatty liver disease. The epidemic of obesity worldwide has increased the risk of accumulating fat in the liver, a preamble to liver inflammation and […]
SRC-2 is at the center of survival adaptations to food shortages
When fasting or facing a food shortage, the body engages metabolic and behavioral adaptations to survive. How the brain coordinates and regulates these responses has not been clear, but researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and collaborating institutions have discovered that a molecule known as steroid receptor coactivator-2 (SRC-2) is crucial to coordinate the biological […]
Blood-Based Biomarkers Prove Mettle in Liver Disease Diagnosis
Multiple noninvasive blood biomarkers for metabolic liver disease met accuracy assessments for diagnosing metabolic liver disease in the first step of an advanced qualification system to better utilize these noninvasive tools, a researcher said. Top-line analyses of the Non-Invasive Biomarkers of Metabolic Liver Disease (NIMBLE) Stage 1 initiative found high sensitivity and specificity for the […]