breakthrough Discovery: Neuritin 1 Activates Fat-Burning,Offering Novel Obesity Treatment Without Appetite Suppression
barcelona,Spain – Researchers at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) have identified Neuritin 1 as a key regulator of energy expenditure in brown fat,paving the way for a potential new obesity treatment that increases energy burning rather than simply reducing food intake. the findings, published in Nature Communications today, represent a notable departure from current anti-obesity and antidiabetic drugs like Ozempic and tirzepatide, which primarily work by suppressing appetite.The study demonstrates that boosting Neuritin 1 levels specifically in brown fat leads to increased energy expenditure and prevents fat accumulation in animal models, even when fed high-calorie diets. “By increasing the levels of Neuritin 1 specifically in brown fat, we observed that the animals burned more energy, which helped prevent fat accumulation,” explained Dr. Antonio Zorzano, professor at the University of barcelona and researcher at CIBERDEM.Previously known for its role in neuronal plasticity, Neuritin 1’s metabolic function was revealed through experiments utilizing a viral vector to overexpress the protein in thermogenic fat cells. This resulted in sustained metabolic activity without impacting food consumption or physical activity levels.The process hinges on stimulating mitochondrial activity and promoting the expression of thermogenic genes – essentially, turning up the body’s internal heat production to burn more calories.
Beyond the animal studies, genetic data from humans suggest a correlation between neuritin 1 levels and susceptibility to obesity, further bolstering the potential for therapeutic request. Improvements observed in animal models included reduced weight gain, improved insulin sensitivity, and lower liver inflammation.
“These findings point to Neuritin 1 as a promising therapeutic candidate for treating obesity and its associated conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease, through a mechanism that differs from current approaches,” stated Dr. Sánchez-Feutrie.
The IRB Barcelona team is now focused on translating these findings into a viable therapeutic strategy. The research benefited from contributions from core facilities within IRB Barcelona, as well as collaborations wiht institutions including the CNRS (France), Karolinska Institutet (sweden), and the University of Houston (USA).
Source: Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) – https://www.irbbarcelona.org/en/news/scientific/irb-barcelona-researchers-uncover-new-strategy-tackle-obesity-activating-brown-fat
Journal Reference: Sánchez-feutrie, M., et al. (2025). Identification of Neuritin 1 as a local metabolic regulator of brown adipose tissue.Nature Communications. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62255-2
