Scientists Discover Potential Treatment for Obesity and Related Diseases
Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have made a breakthrough in the treatment of obesity and other related diseases. By administering medication directly to the liver using a nanogel carrier, they were able to reverse diet-induced disease in obese mice. This method could provide a more efficient and targeted approach for treating conditions such as fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol in the future.
The research team, led by biomedical engineer and chemist S. Thai Thayumanavan, recognized the need to deliver the medication selectively to the liver to avoid complications. They used a synthetic thyroid hormone drug called a thyromimetic, which helps balance the liver’s metabolism. However, taking this drug systemically reduces its effectiveness and leads to side effects.
To overcome this challenge, the team developed nanogels with negatively charged surfaces that could be specifically directed to liver cells called hepatocytes. These nanogels, known as anionic nanogels (ANGs), were filled with axitirome, a thyromimetic drug, and administered to obese mice that had been fed a high-fat, high-sugar, and high-cholesterol diet.
The results were astonishing. The treated mice not only lost the weight they had gained but also experienced a drop in cholesterol levels and a reduction in harmful liver inflammation. The researchers discovered that the nanogels stimulated the reverse cholesterol transport pathway, leading to improved cholesterol levels.
Further analysis revealed that the nanogels facilitated the release of axitirome within the hepatocytes. The drug then bound to a protein that regulates gene expression, leading to weight loss and other beneficial effects. Importantly, this approach did not cause widespread changes in thyroid hormone levels, suggesting the potential for using thyromimetics to treat obesity and related metabolic conditions in humans.
While the research is still in the early stages, the findings provide hope for the development of a new treatment for obesity. S. Thai Thayumanavan, who co-founded a startup called Cyta Therapeutics based on the nanogel technologies developed in his lab, remains optimistic about the future. He acknowledges that further work is needed to translate these findings from mice to humans but believes that this approach could eventually become a drug.
The study, published in the scientific journal PNAS Nexus, highlights the potential of nanogel-based delivery platforms in revolutionizing the treatment of various diseases. With obesity and related cardiometabolic disorders affecting millions of people worldwide, this research brings us one step closer to finding effective solutions.