Fat cells

Scientists have made an important discovery around how brown fat can hamper tumor growth through glucose metabolism

Medical

Cold-activated brown fat soaks up glucose to starve tumors of fuel

Scientists investigating the way a certain type of fat behaves in response to cold have made a discovery that could have ramifications for cancer treatment, showing how tumor cells can be starved of a vital fuel source they need to thrive.

An enzyme has emerged as a potential new drug target to prevent fat buildup in the body

Medical

Enzyme depletion suppresses appetite to stop weight gain in obese mice

Scientists at Hong Kong Baptist University have identified an enzyme that is a key regulator of satiety and appetite, and shown how inhibiting its activity can protect against weight-gain in mouse models of obesity.

A new study suggests that weight training can be an effective way to shed pounds when combined with a healthy diet

Health & Wellbeing

Weight training burns fat as well as aerobic exercise, on the right diet

A team at Australia's Edith Cowan University have shown that when combined with the right diet, resistance training such as body-weight exercises or lifting dumbbells, can have similar effects to aerobic exercise when it comes to burning fat.

A new hypothesis proposes fatty molecules in the blood stream invade the brain through a leaky blood brain barrier and this processes triggers Alzheimer's disease

Science

New hypothesis argues leaky blood-brain barrier triggers Alzheimer's

A new article has proposed a novel hypothesis for the cause of Alzheimer’s, arguing the disease is caused by a damaged blood-brain barrier allowing fatty molecules to invade the brain and trigger a cascade of events resulting in cognitive decline.

A three-dimensional image of the interior of a diseased mouse liver cell shows alterations brought on by obesity

Medical

Repairing cell structures altered by obesity restores metabolic function

Harvard scientists studying the molecular structure of cells under obesity-related stress have spotted alterations in the architecture that can be patched up, with "striking" results that restore them to healthy metabolic function.

Scientists have gained a new understanding of the way inflammation in fat cells drives obesity

Medical

Tweaks to immune checkpoint proteins apply brakes to obesity

Scientists have found that modifying so-called "checkpoint proteins" in the immune system can regulate inflammation in fat tissue, with the result being significant reductions in obesity and diabetes in pre-clinical models.

A new understanding of the way inflammation takes hold in fat cells could help prevent some of the deleterious consequences of obesity

Medical

Targeting "energy crisis" in fat cells could combat effects of obesity

Better understanding the relationship between obesity and complications like type 2 diabetes can offer new ways to prevent adverse health effects faced by obese subjects, and a new study has found a new target likened to an "energy crisis" in fat cells.

Scientists have studied the chemical components of everyday plastics such as drink bottles, and found that many contribute to fat cell development in mice

Medical

Chemicals in plastics may be a driver of weight gain, study finds

Scientists at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have found that chemicals in plastic could be helping drive rising rates of obesity around the world, by entering the human body and interfering with our metabolism.

Scientists have developed an injectable hydrogel that converts white fat into a more favorable brown, inducing weight loss in obese mice

Medical

Hydrogel injected into fat stores fights obesity from within

Next-generation therapies that fight obesity could come in many forms, but one example from Nanyang Technological University that uses a unique combination of light and metabolic function to break down fat has some unique advantages.

Targeting certain components of fat cells could drive rapid weight loss, new research suggests

Medical

Targeting an enzyme in fat cells drives rapid weight loss in obese mice

A new study has shown how targeting an enzyme within fat cells can alter sensitivity to leptin – a hormone that plays a key role in appetite regulation – and in turn drive rapid weight loss in obese mice, while also improving overall metabolic health.

A new understanding of mitochondria dysfunction in mice has uncovered a potential new treatment target for obesity

Medical

Mitochondria discovery reveals a plant extract that could combat obesity

A new study has shed light on a molecular process underpinning impaired metabolism and endurance in skeletal muscle associated with obesity, and reveals how a growth factor found in a South American plant can alleviate these deleterious effects.

Scientists have uncovered new details around how a compound called celastrol, found in the roots of the Thunder god vine and Regel's threewingnut, can fight obesity in mice

Medical

Obesity breakthrough safely mimics weight-loss effects of plant compound

Recent studies have shown how the compound celastrol can tackle obesity in mice, but with harmful side effects. A new understanding of how the compound works on a cellular level could allow these effects to be avoided.