Have you ever wished to shed pounds without changing your diet or exercise routine? The dream may not be as far-fetched as it seems, as researchers have discovered a promising new weight loss strategy that uses monotherapy to effectively reduce fat absorption.
The breakthrough oral nanotherapy interacts directly with the small intestine to decrease its capacity to absorb fat from the food consumed, making it a game-changer for those looking to manage their weight with minimal lifestyle changes.
"For years, researchers have studied fat metabolism, but finding an effective way to block fat absorption has been difficult. While most strategies focus on reducing dietary fat intake, our approach targets the body's fat absorption process directly," said Dr Wentao Shao, a study author in a news release.
In a study conducted on mice, researchers discovered that nanoparticles containing small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) when swallowed can effectively regulate gene expression in the small intestine, specifically, the expression of the SOAT2 gene in the intestinal cells. This can lead to decreased fat absorption. The trial results showed that mice that underwent nanotherapy absorbed less fat and had less weight gain even while on a high-fat diet.
"This oral treatment offers several advantages. It's non-invasive, has low toxicity, and it has high potential for better patient compliance compared to current obesity treatments, which are often invasive or difficult to maintain. This makes it a promising alternative," Shao said.
Previous studies found that blocking SOAT2 in liver cells can cause fat to build up in the liver. However, in this study, since the researchers focused specifically on the small intestine the risk was avoided.
"One of the most exciting aspects of this therapy is its ability to target fat absorption in the intestines without affecting the liverThis is important because previous studies showed that blocking SOAT2 in the liver can lead to fat buildup there – a risk our treatment avoids by focusing only on intestinal SOAT2," said Professor Zhaoyan Jiang, the study's co-corresponding author.
The researchers plan to test the effectiveness and safety of the nanotherapy in larger animal models before moving on to human trials.
"We believe that this nanoparticle system represents a breakthrough in obesity management, offering a new solution that tackles both fat metabolism and diet-related weight gain, potentially ushering in a new era of more effective treatments," Jiang said.
