"Brown Fat” May Be Key in Treating Obesity

By manipulating levels of the protein BMP-7, researchers were able to generate a larger store of "brown” fat cells that burn calories--a pathway that could be used in the search for new therapies to combat obesity and a range of metabolic diseases.

Investigators from Harvard Medical School (Cambridge, MA, USA) injected mice with the protein reportedly developed more of the brown fat tissue and gained less weight. They stated that there are two kinds of fat: brown and white. Brown fat is more prevalent in infants and has a key role to play in metabolism. Moreover, it is generated by the same precursor cells that generate muscle. In a separate study, researchers identified a "master regulator” protein--PRDM16--that forces the cells to develop along different paths.

"I think we now have very convincing evidence that PRDM16 can turn cells into brown fat cells, with the possibility of combating obesity,” stated Dr. Bruce Spiegelman, from Dana Farber Cancer Institute (Boston, MA, USA).

Related Links:
Harvard Medical School
Dana Farber Cancer Institute