• HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
Sunday, August 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 Biology

Researchers discover new pathway for improving metabolic health

Bioengineer by Bioengineer
May 8, 2019
in Biology
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram

Blocking protein-digesting enzyme tricks mice into releasing more beneficial hormones

Rockville, Md. (May 8, 2019)–Blocking the action of an enzyme involved in protein digestion may improve metabolic health, according to a new study published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology–Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology. The paper was chosen as an APSselect article for May.

Trypsin–an enzyme that bonds to proteins–is the primary enzyme responsible for digesting protein in the digestive tract. Drugs (called serine protease inhibitors) that prevent enzymes such as trypsin from working have been found to reduce weight gain, high blood sugar and high cholesterol in rats. However, the process in which serine protease inhibitors improve metabolic health is not well understood.

Researchers from Janssen R&D in Pennsylvania looked at the effects of varied dosages of camostat, a serine protease inhibitor used to treat pancreatitis in Japan, on overweight mice. They found that one week of drug treatment reduced the amount of food the animals ate and led to weight loss. In addition, blood sugar levels and liver function improved when compared to animals that were simply given the same reduced amount of food. This suggested that in addition to caloric restriction, other factors contributed to the metabolic improvements. Bloodwork performed before and after the experiment showed that the mice had higher levels of the hormone fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) during treatment. FGF21 is a hormone that suppresses appetite and manages metabolism, weight loss and glucose levels. In previous studies, FGF21 rapidly increased in mice that followed a protein-restricted diet.

The research team also found that drug treatment activated a signaling pathway called the integrated stress response (ISR), which in turn caused FGF21 levels to rise. ISR can be triggered by a number of physiological stresses, including amino acid or protein deprivation. In this study, however, the dietary protein fed to mice was not restricted, but camostat tricked their bodies into thinking it was, which activated the ISR.

This finding is important because it sheds light on a new mechanism that links ISR and FGF21 in response to trypsin inhibition, the researchers explained. “Trypsin inhibition could be a way to enhance [FGF21 production], resulting in beneficial effects,” they wrote.

Read the full article, “Intestinal serine protease inhibition increases FGF21 and improves metabolism in obese mice,” published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology–Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology. It is highlighted as one of this month’s “best of the best” as part of the American Physiological Society’s APSselect program. Read all of this month’s selected research articles.

###

NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: To schedule an interview with a member of the research team, please contact the [email protected]>APS Communications Office or 301-634-7314. Find more research highlights in the APS Press Room.

Physiology is the study of how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function in health and disease. Established in 1887, the American Physiological Society (APS) was the first U.S. society in the biomedical sciences field. The Society represents more than 10,000 members and publishes 15 peer-reviewed journals with a worldwide readership.

Media Contact
Communications Office
[email protected]
http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/ajpgi.00404.2018

Tags: BiologyDiet/Body WeightGastroenterologyLiverMedicine/HealthMetabolism/Metabolic DiseasesNutrition/NutrientsPhysiology
Share14Tweet7Share2ShareShareShare1

Related Posts

blank

CK2–PRC2 Signal Drives Plant Cold Memory Epigenetics

August 2, 2025
blank

AI-Driven Protein Design Advances T-Cell Immunotherapy Breakthroughs

August 1, 2025

Melanthiaceae Genomes Reveal Giant Genome Evolution Secrets

August 1, 2025

“Shore Wars: New Study Tackles Oyster-Mangrove Conflicts to Boost Coastal Restoration”

August 1, 2025
Please login to join discussion

POPULAR NEWS

  • Blind to the Burn

    Overlooked Dangers: Debunking Common Myths About Skin Cancer Risk in the U.S.

    60 shares
    Share 24 Tweet 15
  • Neuropsychiatric Risks Linked to COVID-19 Revealed

    49 shares
    Share 20 Tweet 12
  • Dr. Miriam Merad Honored with French Knighthood for Groundbreaking Contributions to Science and Medicine

    46 shares
    Share 18 Tweet 12
  • Study Reveals Beta-HPV Directly Causes Skin Cancer in Immunocompromised Individuals

    38 shares
    Share 15 Tweet 10

About

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

Follow us

Recent News

Low-Cost Liquid Optical Waveguide Boosts Augmented Reality

Predicting Colorectal Cancer Using Lifestyle Factors

Optical Matrix Multipliers Revolutionize Image Encoding and Decoding

  • 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.