— Early sign of Alzheimer's reversed in lab — One of the earliest known impairments caused by Alzheimer's disease - loss of sense of smell - can be restored by removing a plaque-forming protein in a mouse model of the disease,…
— Parental controls on embryonic development? — When a sperm fertilises an egg, each contributes a set of chromosomes to the resulting embryo, which at these very early stages is called a zygote. Early on, zygotic genes are inert,…
— Newly discovered heart stem cells make muscle and bone — Researchers have identified a new and relatively abundant pool of stem cells in the heart. The findings in the December issue of Cell Stem Cell, a Cell Press publication, show that…
— BUSM researchers develop blood test to detect membranous nephropathy — Research conducted by a pair of physicians at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston Medical Centre (BMC) has led to the development of a test that can help diagnose…
— New hip implants no better than traditional implants — New hip implants appear to have no advantage over traditional implants, suggests a review of the evidence published on bmj.com today…
— Action needed to improve men's health in Europe — Policies aimed specifically at men are urgently needed to improve the health of Europe's men, say experts on bmj.com today…
— Probiotics reduce infections for patients in intensive care — Traumatic brain injury is associated with a profound suppression of the patient's ability to fight infection. At the same time the patient also often suffers hyper-inflammation, due…
— High blood sugar levels in older women linked to colorectal cancer — Elevated blood sugar levels are associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, according to a study led by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University.…
— Engineered botulism toxins could have broader role in medicine — The most poisonous substance on Earth - already used medically in small doses to treat certain nerve disorders and facial wrinkles - could be re-engineered for an expanded role in helping…
Protein study helps shape understanding of body forms
Scientists have shed light on why some people are apple-shaped and others are pear-shaped.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have pinpointed a protein that plays a part in how fat is stored in the body.
The latest findings give greater understanding of how the protein works, which could help development of medicines to treat obesity.
Levels of the protein - known as 11BetaHSD1 - tend to be higher in the presence of an unhealthy type of body fat which tends to be stored around the torso - typical of 'apple-shapes.'
Healthier fat, linked to lower levels of the protein, tends to be stored around the hips and is used more safely by the body as a source of energy - typical of people who are 'pear-shaped.'
The study found that mice with the protein in their bodies were more likely to have unhealthy fat tissue after four weeks on a high fat diet, compared with mice without the protein.
Scientists are already looking at ways to make medicines that inhibit this protein, which is known to raise levels of hormones linked to obesity.
The research, published in the journal Diabetes was funded by the Wellcome Trust and British Heart Foundation.
Dr Nik Morton, of the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Cardiovascular Science, said: 'This study opens up new avenues for research, and gives us a much better idea of why some fat in the body becomes unhealthy while other fat is safely stored for energy. Inflammation in of the unhealthy fat leads to reactions that can cause harm locally to tissues and affect the whole organism, promoting diabetes. Limiting the presence of this protein could help combat this.'
As well as being more likely to be stored around vital organs in the torso, fat with higher levels of 11BetaHSD1 is considered to be unhealthy as it is associated with an over-reaction in the immune system.
Cells normally become inflamed in order to kill off an infection, but as there is no infection in the fat tissue the inflammation instead causes damage to healthy cells.
Or subscribe for our Newsletter, a free e-mail publication. It is published practically every day.
Researchers at IRB Barcelona produce more data on key genes in diabetes
Alzheimer's disease breakthrough
Alzheimer's gene slows export of toxic amyloid-beta protein
Nanoparticles deliver their cargo, then disappear