• HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
Friday, October 3, 2025
BIOENGINEER.ORG
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
No Result
View All Result
Bioengineer.org
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS Science News

Improving control of age-related obesity

Bioengineer by Bioengineer
May 4, 2017
in Science News
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram
IMAGE

Credit: Photo: Delphine Duteil

The function and distribution of adipose tissue in the body change during the course of life. Beige fat cells, a special type of adipocytes, have the capability to use energy reserves – fatty deposits – by generating heat in a process known as thermogenesis. With increasing age, beige adipocytes take on the morphology of white adipocytes. Thermogenic activity ceases and with it the cells' ability to burn fat. As a result, the risk of obesity increases. A team working with Freiburg researchers Prof. Dr. Roland Schüle and Dr. Delphine Duteil has now proven that the epigenetic enzyme lysine specific demethylase 1 (Lsd1) plays a key role in this transformation. They are presenting their results in the science journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

The number of beige adipocytes decreases when Lsd1 levels fall in aging adipose tissue. The group nevertheless was able to maintain Lsd1 production specifically in fat cells, and thereby reducing age-related transformation of beige to white adipose tissue. In an experiment with mice, the amount of beige adipocytes in older animals was maintained at nearly the level corresponding to that of younger mice. Conversely, the research team also showed that loss of Lsd1 in younger animals led to premature transformation of the fat cells. To observe this, the researchers marked the beige adipocytes with a fluorescent protein and reproduced their transformation to white adipose tissue.

Beige fat cells can be generated using cold treatment, for example. These then use fatty acids to produce warmth. Body weight gain is limited as a result. The researchers demonstrated that Lsd1 is not only essential for the development of beige adipocytes, but also for the maintenance of beige fat cells. Therefore, an elevated Lsd1 level is indispensable for the efficient burning of calories.

The analyses showed furthermore that Lsd1 maintains beige adipocytes by means of the target gene Pparα. This gene is interesting from a therapeutic standpoint, because selective and effective drugs can activate or suppress it with relative ease. In their experiments, the team proved that pharmacological activation of Pparα is sufficient to hinder the premature loss of beige fat cells in mice with low levels of Lsd1. The animals were therefore protected from metabolic disorders that are caused by Lsd1 loss.

Roland Schüle and Delphine Duteil carry out their research at the Department of Urology and Clinical Research Center at the Freiburg University Medical Center. Schüle is a member of the cluster of excellence the BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies of the University of Freiburg.

###

Original publication: Delphine Duteil, Milica Tosic, Dominica Willmann, Anastasia Georgiadi, Toufike Kanouni, and Roland Schüle (2016). Lsd1 prevents age-programmed loss of beige adipocytes. PNAS. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1702641114

Read about Roland Schüle's research in "uni'wissen": http://www.pr2.uni-freiburg.de/publikationen/uniwissen/uniwissen-2014-1-en/#/8

Caption: Lsd1 placed on white adipocytes (red) prevents the aging of beige adipose tissue (yellow). Photo: Delphine Duteil

Contact:
Prof. Dr. Roland Schüle
Department of Urology and Clinical Research Center
Freiburg University Medical Center
BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies
Tel.: 0761/270-63100
E-Mail: [email protected]

Dr. Delphine Duteil
Clinical Research Center
Freiburg University Medical Center
Tel.: 0761/270-63390
E-Mail: [email protected]

Media Contact

Dr. Roland Schüle
[email protected]
49-761-270-63100

Startseite

############

Story Source: Materials provided by Scienmag

Share12Tweet8Share2ShareShareShare2

Related Posts

LEMD3 Shapes 3D Chromatin to Preserve Vascular Identity

October 3, 2025
Keck Medicine of USC Enhances Access to Premier Healthcare Services in Pasadena

Keck Medicine of USC Enhances Access to Premier Healthcare Services in Pasadena

October 3, 2025

Exploring AI’s Role in Investment Funds: A Review

October 3, 2025

Pancreatic Tumor Microenvironment: Challenges and Opportunities

October 3, 2025
Please login to join discussion

POPULAR NEWS

  • New Study Reveals the Science Behind Exercise and Weight Loss

    New Study Reveals the Science Behind Exercise and Weight Loss

    92 shares
    Share 37 Tweet 23
  • New Study Indicates Children’s Risk of Long COVID Could Double Following a Second Infection – The Lancet Infectious Diseases

    87 shares
    Share 35 Tweet 22
  • Physicists Develop Visible Time Crystal for the First Time

    75 shares
    Share 30 Tweet 19
  • New Insights Suggest ALS May Be an Autoimmune Disease

    65 shares
    Share 26 Tweet 16

About

We bring you the latest biotechnology news from best research centers and universities around the world. Check our website.

Follow us

Recent News

LEMD3 Shapes 3D Chromatin to Preserve Vascular Identity

Keck Medicine of USC Enhances Access to Premier Healthcare Services in Pasadena

Exploring AI’s Role in Investment Funds: A Review

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 61 other subscribers
  • Contact Us

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Homepages
    • Home Page 1
    • Home Page 2
  • News
  • National
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.