Scientists in China have found a new potential drug target for weight loss. Blocking a protein called CD44 has been shown to protect against obesity in mice on a high-fat diet, specifically by suppressing the formation of white fat cells. Semaglutide medications like Ozempic were originally approved to treat type 2 diabetes, but was noticed as a nice bonus, since it functions as an appetite suppressor.
Other versions of semaglutide drugs, like Wegovy, were to specifically treat obesity. Unfortunately they seem to have their share of side effects, including and increased risk of a . But a new mechanism could lead to a new weight loss drug that complements semaglutide treatments.
The focus was the CD44 protein, which has been linked to a and tumor metastasis. Researchers at Nantong University in China suspected it had another role too. “We previously reported that CD44 deficiency suppresses neuroinflammation,” said Dr.
Cheng Sun, lead investigator of the study. “Given the critical role inflammation plays in the progression of obesity and its related complications, including hyperglycemia and insulin resistance, we hypothesized that CD44 might have a significant role in these processes. Therefore, we investigated the potential link between CD44 and metabolic disorders.
” To do so, the scientists engineered mice to lack the gene that produces CD44, and fed them a high-fat diet for two months – covering their teenage-equivalent years and into young adulthood. And sure eno.
