Obesity is a major global health issue. It increases the risk of serious problems like heart disease and fatty liver disease, also known as MASLD.
As more people around the world eat high-calorie diets and move less, these health conditions are becoming more common.
Now, scientists have made an important discovery that could lead to a new type of drug to fight obesity and related diseases. Researchers from University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University have found an enzyme in the body that plays a key role in how fat is made. Their findings were published in the journal Science Signaling.
The enzyme is called SCoR2. It removes a tiny gas molecule called nitric oxide from proteins that help control fat storage. Nitric oxide has many jobs in the body, and one of them is to stop fat and cholesterol from being made. When SCoR2 removes nitric oxide from these proteins, it turns on the body’s fat-making system.
The scientists discovered that if they block SCoR2, either through genetic changes or with a new drug, it prevents fat from being made. In tests with mice, the drug stopped weight gain and protected the liver from damage. It also lowered bad cholesterol levels.
Dr. Jonathan Stamler, the lead researcher and professor at University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University, said this new drug may offer multiple health benefits.
“We have a new class of drug that prevents weight gain and lowers cholesterol—a potential therapy for obesity and cardiovascular disease, with additional liver health benefits,” he explained.
He added that in the liver, nitric oxide stops the proteins that create fat and cholesterol. In fat tissue, nitric oxide also blocks the genes responsible for making the enzymes that store fat. So by stopping SCoR2 from removing nitric oxide, the drug allows nitric oxide to keep doing its job—preventing fat and cholesterol buildup.
The next step for the research team is to move this promising new drug into clinical trials. They expect that to happen in about 18 months.
Dr. Stamler and his team are hopeful that this discovery could lead to a first-in-class medication that not only prevents weight gain but also improves heart and liver health. If successful, it could offer a new tool in the fight against obesity and its related complications, helping millions of people live longer, healthier lives.
If you care about heart disease, please read studies that herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm, and how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk.
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The study is published in Science Signaling.
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