They identify key protein to “burn” fat and protect against obesity

Spanish researchers have identified a protein that is key to “burn” Fat and intervenes in the mechanism that protects the body against obesity and against metabolic diseases related to it.

That protein (“MCJ”) is key in the mechanism “Burns” who have revealed scientists from the National Center for Oncological Research (CNIO) and the National Cardiovascular Research Center (CNIC), so the authors responsible for the work have pointed out that it can be a promising Diana To combat obesity.

The work, whose conclusions publishes Nature Communications, has been led by researcher Guadalupe Sabio (of the CNIO) and Cintia Folgueira (of the CNIO and the CNIC).

Obesity, which affects 650 million people in the world, influences the development of heart disease and increases the risk of cancer, has recalled the CNIO in a note.

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The researchers have discovered one of the ways in which the agency burns type fat “brown”either “Brown fat”and makes it heat, a mechanism that protects against obesity and against metabolic diseases related to it.

The now identified mechanism is controlled by the protein called “MCJ”present in the mitochondria (the organelles of the cell where energy occurs), and the researchers have proven that when that protein is eliminated in mice with obesity, the animals produce more heat and lose weight.

The researchers have also managed to reduce the weight of mice with obesity by transplanting fat without that protein.

Obesity appears well by a Excessive food intakeor for an inadequate total energy expenditure, the CNIO has pointed out, and has detailed that the adipose tissue – the body fat -, in addition to storing energy, has a crucial role in the management of that energy by the organism.

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Adipose tissue

Adipose tissue is a complex organ that acts as a metabolism regulator of the whole body, and therefore it is likely that modulating its function will be a way to combat obesity, the researchers have indicated in Nature Communications.

There are two types of adipose tissue: white and brown; White especially stores energy, while brown fat is responsible for heat generation or thermogenesis, the process that maintains body temperature and is activated in response to cold or other stimuli.

Several studies have shown in recent years to activate brown fat protect against obesity and metabolic diseases.

For a long time – it has been specified wise – it is thought that obesity could be prevented getting this fat to spend more energy by generating heat. So the first thing is to understand its operation ”, and has pointed out in that sense that discovering new heat production mechanisms in brown fat is one of the most interesting targets in the study of obesity.

Research now seeks to develop a therapy to block this protein in patients with obesity, but for this they must first investigate whether MCJ protein has vital functions in other tissues.

(With EFE information)

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