Research results have shown that peptides involved in regulating our body’s homeostasis are effective in treating obesity and diabetes.
Professor Ki-Woo Kim of the Oral Biology Department at Yonsei University Dental School and his research team, student Seul-Ki Kim, revealed that the mitochondria-derived peptide SHLP2 has anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects by suppressing appetite and lowering blood sugar levels.
Although the incidence of metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes is increasing, it is pointed out that the treatments currently used clinically have side effects such as dizziness, abdominal pain, and vomiting, and have limitations in completely resolving the disease.
The research team focused on mitochondria, a cellular organelle, to develop a treatment that reduces the side effects of currently available metabolic disease treatments and improves their safety.
Mitochondria are responsible for producing energy in the body, and they self-produce peptides involved in homeostasis regulation to maintain the state of cells in the body at a certain level.
As a result of analyzing peptides produced by mitochondria, the research team discovered SHLP2, which shows an excellent function in controlling metabolic diseases. When it was injected into the abdomen of mice suffering from metabolic diseases, blood sugar returned to normal levels and an anti-obesity effect was observed.
Additionally, it was confirmed that mice injected with SHLP2 directly into the brain had increased insulin sensitivity, lost weight, and lowered blood sugar levels. The same effect was seen in mice that consumed a high-fat diet that causes metabolic diseases.
In addition, the research team found that SHLP2 especially activates the hypothalamus among brain regions. SHLP2 was found to maintain blood sugar at a certain level and increase anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects by binding to a chemokine receptor whose function was not well known in the hypothalamus.
Professor Kim Ki-woo said, “We expect that the results of this study, which revealed the anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects of SHLP2, will be helpful in developing treatments for metabolic diseases.”
The research results were published in the latest issue of the international academic journal ‘Nature Communications (IF 16.6)’.
Daeik Kwon Medical reporter dkwon@hankookilbo.com
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2023-09-15 12:00:56
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