14 DAY TRIAL // A newly discovered protein called the “Sprouty” could help improve treatment for two major diseases - obesity and osteoporosis, as well as for other illnesses like diabetes, osteoarthritis and heart disease.
For the research, scientists from Maine studied two groups of transgenic (specially bred to have some human genes) mice, one group that had the Sprouty gene deleted from genes that develop into fat and bone, and the other group with raised levels of expressed Sprouty proteins in the same cell types.
The mice with the deleted Sprouty gene had high body fat and bone mass loss resembling to osteoporosis, compared to normal mice.
In the test group with the excess Sprouty protein, mice were thin and had an increased bone mass, and after scientists added the Sprouty protein to the first group too, the mice lost weight and the bone loss was stopped and reversed.
“Our study provides insight into the regulation of bone mass and body fat,” said Lucy Liaw, PhD, co-author of the study from the Maine Medical Center Research Institute in Scarborough, ME.
“Therefore, future application of this knowledge may help treat common conditions such as bone loss and obesity,” she added.
Obesity and osteoporosis are two serious health problems that are very difficult and sometimes impossible to treat.
The fact that this protein made mice leaner and strengthened their bones, gives hope for future clinical trials and the development of medication for humans.
The amazing thing about this protein is that it is not only keeping the body healthy, it also improves its current state, by reducing body fat and repairing the bones.
In the United States, there have a serious situation with obesity rates and even osteoporosis, and Gerald Weissmann, MD, Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal says it very well:
“When the US military has to turn to fitness gurus like Tony Horton to help its soldiers slim down, you know obesity is a serious problem, and all you have to do is visit to a nursing home to see the devastating effects of osteoporosis.
“'Sprouty' –well named– gets to the roots of extra fat and shrinking bone.”
This new research report was published in the September print issue of The FASEB Journal.