Immune system can reduce fat deposits

Defense system helps to transform white into brown fat

06/11/2014

Apparently, the biological defense system of humans has an important influence on how the body stores fat. This report two researcher teams in the trade magazine „Cell“. Thus, studies with mice have shown that certain messengers are able to convert white, thick fat into brown or beige adipose tissue, which then burned the calories.

White fat is for the so-called „bacon rolls“ responsible
According to recent scientific findings, three different types of adipose tissue are found in the human body: white fat, which stores excess energy and thus for the so-called „bacon rolls“ as well as brown and beige fat, which is able to develop heat through the oxidation of fatty acids and thereby burn calories. This form of fat is found especially in neonates around the neck and chest. The reason: Babies have a greater risk of cooling due to their smaller size and not yet fully developed heat regulation. Therefore, the brown fat protects against cold by burning calories and thereby generating energy in the form of heat. The third form is the so-called „beige“ Fat, which was discovered only a few years ago by scientists. This is similar to brown adipose tissue in that it looks like white fat, but unlike it is also able to burn calories.

At cool temperatures, conversion process begins
Is it possible that „angry“ white fat in „good“ To convert adipose tissue? Like two scientific teams in the trade magazine „Cell“ Report, apparently yes. According to this, studies have shown that in humans, such a conversion process would begin if only 16 to 17 degrees had prevailed in the living quarters. In this context, the team led by Bruce Spiegelman from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School in Boston now worked on the protein „PGC 1alpha4“, which plays a crucial role in the growth of muscles. According to the researchers, this protein could do even more: PGC-1alpha4 could release the newly discovered hormone „Metrnl“ which is formed in muscles as a result of physical activity and in adipose tissue when staying in a cool environment. This makes it possible that white fat is transformed into beige fat. According to the researchers, the effectiveness of the Metrnl goes back to components of the biological defense system, on the one hand, the messengers interleukin-4 and -13, but also the so-called „macrophages“ which belong to the phagocytes and which belong to the cells of the immune system as leukocytes (white blood cells). As a result, more energy is consumed and the fat pads would shrink, the researchers write further - this had been at least in experiments with overweight mice shown. „Given Metrnl's ability to induce macrophage activation as well as beige / brown fat thermogenesis, its therapeutic potential in metabolic diseases is obvious“, so the conclusion of the researchers.

Converting fats could be an important step in the fight against obesity
A team of researchers led by Ajay Chawla of the University of California at San Francisco came to similar conclusions after showing in a mouse study the importance of interleukin-4 and -13 in the conversion of fats. Based on the results, researchers now hope that this process will be transferable to humans in the future - because this could be an important new step in the treatment of obesity and associated late damage such as cardiovascular diseases or diabetes. (No)