A protein that controls when genes are switched on or off plays a key role in specific areas of the brain to regulate metabolism, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found.
The research potentially could lead to new therapies to treat obesity and diabetes, since the transcription factor involved – spliced X-box binding protein 1 (Xbp1s) – appears to influence the body’s sensitivity to insulin and leptin signaling. Insulin and leptin are hormones central to the body’s regulation of food intake and sugar disposal, and obesity and diabetes are conditions under which the body develops resistance to their actions.
“This study identifies critical molecular mechanisms that link the brain and peripheral endocrine tissues and that ultimately contribute to the regulation of body weight and glucose metabolism,” said Dr. Kevin Williams, assistant professor of Internal Medicine and co-author of the study with Dr. Tiemin Liu, a postdoctoral research fellow in Internal Medicine.
Read the full, original story: A possible future therapy for obesity and diabetes via manipulation of key protein in the brain
