Enzyme Targeted in Immune Cells Prevents Diet-Inducedโค Obesity in Mice, Offering Potential New therapeutic avenue
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Researchers at Monash University have โdiscovered that inhibiting a specific enzyme, CAMKK2, within immune cells can โprotect against diet-induced obesity and related metabolic disorders in โฃmice. The study, published in Molecular Metabolism, reveals a surprising linkโ between CAMKK2 activity in macrophages and the body’s ability to burn fat, reduce inflammation, and improve metabolic health.
The teamโ found that mice genetically engineered toโ lack the CAMKK2โข gene in macrophages exhibited an anti-inflammatory profile and demonstrated increased fat oxidationโ and improved mitochondrialโ function. This metabolic โshiftโ led to increased energy production and efficiency at the cellular โlevel. Notably, fat tissue in these mice displayed โขa “beiging” effect, activating genes that promote fat burning and heat generation.
“Our findings โshow that when the CAMKK2 gene is removed from certain โimmune โcells โข(in this case, macrophages), fat tissue shifts its activityโ in a โคhealthier direction,” explained researcherโข Scott. โ”The โคgenes in the fat start working in ways โthat support better metabolismโข and reduce harmful inflammation.”
The research suggests CAMKK2โฃ directly regulates both immune cell and whole-body metabolism, โขpositioning it as a potential therapeutic target forโ obesity and associated conditions like insulin resistance and fatty liver disease. Furthermore, โgiven the role of macrophage-driven inflammation in atherosclerosis, infections, and certain cancers, inhibiting CAMKK2 could offer broader โคhealth benefits.
While promising, the study acknowledges limitations.Results from mouse models may โขnot fully translate to humans, and direct confirmation โคof increased โfat burning within live animals requires further examination. Existing compounds likeโ STO-609, โฃused to inhibit CAMKK2, lack the specificity and drug-like properties needed forโ clinical application. โ However, researchers โขbeleive these challengesโ can be addressed in future studies, paving the wayโ forโค the advancement of targeted therapies.