Gene therapy shown to cure type 2 diabetes and obesity in mice, researchers report

(Complete study at link)
http://embomolmed.embopress.org/content/early/2018/07/09/emmm.201708791

Abstract

Prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity is increasing worldwide. Currently available therapies are not suited for all patients in the heterogeneous obese/T2D population, hence the need for novel treatments. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is considered a promising therapeutic agent for T2D/obesity. Native FGF21 has, however, poor pharmacokinetic properties, making gene therapy an attractive strategy to achieve sustained circulating levels of this protein. Here, adeno‐associated viral vectors (AAV) were used to genetically engineer liver, adipose tissue, or skeletal muscle to secrete FGF21. Treatment of animals under long‐term high‐fat diet feeding or of ob/ob mice resulted in marked reductions in body weight, adipose tissue hypertrophy and inflammation, hepatic steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis, and insulin resistance for > 1 year. This therapeutic effect was achieved in the absence of side effects despite continuously elevated serum FGF21. Furthermore, FGF21 overproduction in healthy animals fed a standard diet prevented the increase in weight and insulin resistance associated with aging. Our study underscores the potential of FGF21 gene therapy to treat obesity, insulin resistance, and T2D.

(More on FGF21 and things that increase it)

FGF21 Anti-Aging

http://knowledgeofhealth.com/researchers-discover-lean-body-hormone-dramatically-prolongs-life-laboratory-animals/

Thanks for these Yoly

All the best Jan

Thanks to you Jan1 you are always so nice.

It seem that we already have a therapy maybe that's why we find so many benefits in LCHF.

"In the accompanying Cell Metabolism paper, Maratos-Flier and colleagues report on their discovery of FGF21's role through a complementary experimental approach. They fed mice a diet high in fat and low in carbohydrates and found that the diet triggered production of FGF21. They also identified FGF21 as the regulator of the physiological response to that diet of converting the body to fat as an energy source, just as does fasting."

https://www.hhmi.org/news/hormone-ignites-bodys-fat-burning-furnace

Metformin and Berberine both also increase FGF21

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006291X17324646

Abstract

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), a hormone-like protein mainly derived from liver, exhibits multiple beneficial effect on energy metabolism. Similar to FGF21, berberine exerts anti-hyperglycemic and anti-dyslipidemic properties. Previous studies revealed that the beneficial metabolic effect of berberine was attributed to the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Here we investigated the effect of berberine on FGF21 expression in primary mouse hepatocytes. As expected, berberine induced hepatic FGF21 expression in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner, along with the increased expression of NUR77, a proved transcription factor of FGF21. Berberine stimulated the phosphorylations of AMPK and acetyl-CoA carboxylase in primary mouse hepatocytes. Adenovirus-mediated overexpression of constitutively active AMPK triggered hepatic FGF21 and NUR77 expressions. The inhibition of AMPK by compound C abolished berberine-stimulated FGF21 and NUR77 expressions. These results suggest that berberine-induced activation of AMPK may contribute to hepatic FGF21 expression via NUR77.

Oh great stuff.

Something not dissimilar from Anna Gloyn and Daniel Drucker looking at different drug strategies with different forms of Type 2

http://sci-hub.tw/10.1016/S2213-8587(18)30052-4

anything which gets away from "diabetes is caused by being fat and being fat is caused by eating fat so eat lots of starch!" has to be good.

I just wonder how long it will take for this relatively cutting edge research to have an effect on the Diabetes organisations and what they tell doctors.

Here's the Science Direct paper

http://sci-hub.tw/10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.12.070

Lots of work coming out of China now, I wonder if they are less inhibited by the financial constraints on research in the West

Thinking laterally, calcium channels and calcium are involved.. Things that affect calcium metabolism include Vitamins D3 and K2, both depleted on a low fat diet especially with sun avoidance. Yet another factor is magnesium which is reciprocally paired with calcium and is also deficient especially in diabetics.

Micronutrient deficiencies may explain why some populations seem able to cope with a high carb diet up until Western foods are introduced.