A Fat-Regulating Enzyme Could Hold the Key to Obesity, Diabetes, and Other Diseases

It is already known that the enzyme by the name phosphatidic acid phosphatase has a major role when it comes to the regulation of fat in the human body. Therefore, controlling is necessary the combat obesity. The scientists from Rutgers University-New Brunswick came to the discovery that eliminating the enzyme entirely might increase the risk of inflammation, cancer, and other diseases. Last month their findings were actually published online in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. (1)

The Opinion of George M. Carmen

According to professor of the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences George M. Carman, the goal of this lab is to find out how they can control and tweak this enzyme. For many years, researchers have been trying to discover how to fine-tune the activity of the enzyme so it won’t be too active and create too much fat. However to be active enough in order for the body to stay healthy. (2) The discovery of this enzyme was in 1957. The research assistant professor at Rutgers Center for Lipid Research, Gil-Soo Han 2006 discovered the gene encoding the enzyme. The enzyme is the one that determines whether the phosphatic acid of the body will be used to create lipids in cell membranes or create fat. In the study, researchers used baker’s yeast as the model organism. They chose this because it has the same key enzyme. The lead author of the study, Han erased a gene in this yeast. He did that in order to get rid of the enzyme.

The Next Step

According to the founder of the center in Rutgers’ New Jersey for Food, Nutrition, and Health, Carmen, that causes phosphatidic acid accumulations and cells produce more membrane lipids than needed. He said that they came to the discovery that maybe there is a more crucial role for this enzyme. That is to ensure that the cells are not producing an excessive amount of membrane lipid. In case there is too much membrane lipid, there can be too much membrane, and the cells will grow uncontrollably, and this is a characteristic of cancer. Since the gene encoding the enzyme was discovered, people around the world studied the enzyme. They did that due to its link to diabetes, obesity, inflammation, lipodystrophy, and other conditions. Lately, the same scientists have been trying to find out more and understood the function and structure of this enzyme. According to Carmen, the next step is to find out how to control it.

He said that the key message is to balance things. To maintain the balance between making membrane lipids and storing fat, you need to maintain a balanced diet. Watch the video below to find out more.