Researchers design an innovative strategy to fight obesity through gene therapy

Date:
May 30, 2023
Source:
University of Barcelona
Summary:
A scientific team has designed a strategy to fight obesity and
diabetes in mice through ex vivo gene therapy which consists of
implanting cells that have been manipulated and transformed in
order to treat a disease.

This is the first study to apply the ex vivo gene therapy technique
to generate and implant cells that express the CPT1AM protein,
an enzyme that plays a decisive role in many metabolic diseases
such as obesity.


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FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A scientific team from the University of Barcelona and the CIBERobn
has designed a strategy to fight obesity and diabetes in mice through
ex vivo gene therapy which consists of implanting cells that have been manipulated and transformed in order to treat a disease. This is the
first study to apply the ex vivo gene therapy technique to generate and
implant cells that express the CPT1AM protein, an enzyme that plays a
decisive role in many metabolic diseases such as obesity.

The study, published in the journal Metabolic Engineering, is led by
Professor Laura Herrero, from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences
and the Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB),
and from the Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition Networking
Biomedical Research Centre (CIBERobn).

Cell therapy describes the process of introducing new cells into a tissue
in order to fight a disease. Cell therapies are currently focused on
addressing hereditary diseases -- with and without the help of gene
therapy -- or degenerative diseases.

"In this new therapy, animal models have been implanted subcutaneously
stem cells derived from adipose tissue, differentiated into adipocytes,
so that they can express an active form of the CPT1AM protein, an enzyme located in the mitochondria that is key in lipid oxidation and is related
to metabolic diseases," says Laura Herrero, a member of the UB Department
of Biochemistry and Physiology.

"As a result, in obese mice, it has been possible to reduce weight,
fatty liver (hepatic steatosis), cholesterol and glucose levels. In
conclusion, the implantation of adipocytes expressing the mitochondrial
enzyme CPT1AM helps to reduce obesity and glucose intolerance in mice."
As the cell transformation process takes place outside the body of the organism, this type of therapy is much easier to carry out and allows
for greater control of the altered cells.

Obesity and cell therapy Obesity and associated metabolic disorders
represent a worldwide health and social problem, which is why new
therapeutic approaches are urgently needed.

Adipose tissue plays a key role in regulating energy balance, and adipose- derived mesenchymal stem cells -- cells with the ability for self-renewal
- - have gained interest in cell therapy.

"Specifically, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A) is the enzyme
that controls mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation. Our aim was to generate adipocytes that could express a constitutively active form of CPT1A --
CPT1AM -- capable of burning excess fat and improving the obese metabolic phenotype of mice after implantation." The results of the new study
support the future clinical use of this ex vivo gene therapy approach as
a new strategy to reduce obesity and cholesterol rates in the population.

This preclinical study could open the doors to future therapeutic
strategies to address the treatment of obesity, which today represents
a global health problem.

"To approximate the therapy in humans, we need to optimize several
processes such as the quality and viability of stem cells from adipose
tissue isolated from people with obesity, the percentage of infection
with lentivirus, and the number of cells used for transplantation,"
concludes researcher Laura Herrero.

* RELATED_TOPICS
o Health_&_Medicine
# Gene_Therapy # Obesity # Stem_Cells #
Diet_and_Weight_Loss # Diseases_and_Conditions #
Immune_System # Fitness # Personalized_Medicine
* RELATED_TERMS
o Gene_therapy o BRCA1 o Obesity o Embryonic_stem_cell
o Stem_cell o Personalized_medicine o Vector_(biology)
o Adult_stem_cell

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Barcelona. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. M Carmen Soler-Va'zquez, Mari'a del Mar Romero, Marijana Todorcevic,
Katia Delgado, Carles Calatayud, Aleyda Benitez -Amaro,
Maria Teresa La Chica Lhoe"st, Paula Mera, Sebastia'n Zagmutt,
Marianela Basti'as-Pe'rez, Kevin Ibeas, Nu'ria Casals, Joan Carles
Escola`-Gil, Vicenta Llorente- Corte's, Antonella Consiglio, Dolors
Serra, Laura Herrero. Implantation of CPT1AM-expressing adipocytes
reduces obesity and glucose intolerance in mice. Metabolic
Engineering, 2023; 77: 256 DOI: 10.1016/ j.ymben.2023.04.010 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230530125435.htm

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