Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
Keystone
Newly identified cells in abdominal fat inhibit the formation of new fat cells. This discovery could be valuable for the treatment of obesity, as a Swiss research team wrote in a study published in the journal Cell Metabolism.
The cell population in abdominal fat identified by the researchers led by Bart Deplancke from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) produces a protein called IGFBP2, which inhibits the formation of fat cells, according to the study published on Thursday.
Understanding how adipose tissue forms and how it functions is crucial for dealing with obesity and associated metabolic diseases, EPFL wrote in a press release on the study. However, adipose tissue behaves differently depending on where it is located in the body.
The so-called omental adipose tissue, which hangs from the stomach like an apron and covers certain organs such as the stomach and intestines, has a limited capacity to form new fat cells. According to the EPFL researchers, when it expands, it does so mainly by enlarging existing cells.
In order to understand more precisely why this is the case, the researchers sequenced the genes of cells from different fat storage areas. They isolated different subpopulations and tested their ability to transform into new fat cells. The cells came from over 30 donors.
By analysing these cells at a genetic level, they were able to find out more precisely how the cells work. They discovered a cell population in omental adipose tissue in which a large amount of the protein IGFBP2 is produced. This protein is known to inhibit the formation of new fat cells.
“The knowledge that abdominal fat has an inbuilt mechanism to limit fat cell formation could lead to new treatments that modulate this natural process,” study author Pernille Rainer was quoted as saying in the EPFL press release.
Adapted from German by DeepL/kc
This news story has been written and carefully fact-checked by an external editorial team. At SWI swissinfo.ch we select the most relevant news for an international audience and use automatic translation tools such as DeepL to translate it into English. Providing you with automatically translated news gives us the time to write more in-depth articles.
If you want to know more about how we work, have a look here, and if you have feedback on this news story please write to english@swissinfo.ch.
External Content
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Almost finished… We need to confirm your email address. To complete the subscription process, please click the link in the email we just sent you.
Popular Stories
More
Alpine Environment
My grandmother has lived in the same Swiss village for 100 years
Bodycams: essential for good law enforcement, or a privacy risk?
Did you ever come across bodycams in your place of residence and if so, how do you think the use of bodycams alter the relationship between the public and (transport) police?
What can be done to protect biodiversity in your country?
Swiss voters are set to decide on a people’s initiative calling for better protection of ecosystems in the country. Have your say on the September 22 vote.
Nestle Chair says CEO change was prompted by growth concerns
This content was published on
The abrupt replacement of Nestle SA’s chief executive officer was prompted by worries over the food and beverage company’s growth outlook, Nestlé Chair Paul Bulcke told Swiss newspaper Le Temps.
Four out of five donor hearts for Swiss children come from abroad
This content was published on
Four out of five donor hearts which are transplanted into Swiss children come from outside the Alpine country, according to the director of Swisstransplant.
Climber dies on the Matterhorn in southern Switzerland
This content was published on
A climber died on Thursday after falling with a partner while descending the Matterhorn, near Zermatt, in southern Switzerland. The other mountaineer suffered minor injuries.
This content was published on
The Dalai Lama has arrived in Switzerland for a short visit. Hundreds of Tibetans welcomed him at an airport hotel in Opfikon, near Zurich, on Friday.
Sudan: Swiss among mediators calling for continuous flow of aid
This content was published on
The seven parties, including Switzerland, who led ten days of talks on Sudan in the Geneva region, are calling for the new flow of aid to “continue and accelerate”.
Coo d’état: Basel struggles to enforce pigeon-feeding ban
This content was published on
Police in the Swiss canton of Basel City have issued only eight fines since the ban on pigeon feeding came into force in July 2020.
Nestlé CEO Schneider was ousted, paving way for veteran Freixe, sources say
This content was published on
Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider was ousted in a sudden move by the world’s biggest foodmaker as a result of the group’s underperformance.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.