Researchers identify potential new treatment for metabolic syndrome

"In 2016, our lab discovered a hormone called asprosone that stimulates appetite and raises blood sugar levels by acting on the hypothalamus and liver," said Harlem, MD, PhD, senior author of the study.

Asprosin stimulates appetite by activating key "hunger" neurons in the brain, called AgRP neurons

"By using a complex technique called mass spectrometry, we identified the protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor? Ila Mishra, first author of the study and associate investigator at the Harrington Institute for Discovery and Case Western Reserve School of Medicine "

The identity of the receptor that allows asprosol to activate AgRP neurons and stimulate appetite was previously a mystery, and this knowledge gap is an obstacle to a comprehensive understanding of how the hormone works

Since the discovery of aswan protein, many studies have shown that people with metabolic syndrome have elevated levels of aswan protein in their blood, leading to weight gain and hyperglycemia

"The identification of Ptprd as an asprosin receptor provides us with an opportunity to develop a new approach to the treatment of metabolic syndrome," said Dr.

"We used the discovery of the asprosin receptor to develop a new drug called a receptor trap," explained Dr.

"Furthermore, we believe that asprosol has many other functions besides stimulating appetite," added Dr.

The team also plans to study the intracellular mechanisms involved in asprosin-Ptprd signaling, while developing Ptprd receptor traps for use in patients with metabolic syndrome

Journal Reference :

1. Ila Mishra, Wei Rose Xie, Juan C.