A team of researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health recently developed an antibody that may help treat Type 2 Diabetes. According to the researchers, this antibody is developed and specifically targets a hormone in the adipose or fat tissues in the body.
The newly-found treatment for diabetes helps improve the regulation of glucose in the body and reduce fatty liver. Thus, the study's findings may also be useful in treating fatty liver disease and other metabolic diseases.
"These monoclonal antibodies have the potential to be transformative first-in-class therapeutics to fight obesity-related metabolic and immunometabolic disease," the researchers said.
The developed novel monoclonal antibody targets the hormone called aP2 or FABP4 found in the adipose tissue. In their observation among obese mice, the antibody was found to reduce the severity of fatty liver disease, while improving the glucose regulation.
An increase in the amount of adipose tissues found in the body means higher risks of obesity. Such increase may then lead to other illnesses such as metabolic diseases, cardiovascular disorders, and Type 2 Diabetes. These adipose tissues also send signals to the brain to release hormones that affect the liver, muscle, and the brain itself.
Moreover, these aP2 levels increase among people who have atherosclerosis, diabetes, and obesity. Studies that might target these hormones are continually conducted, in order to find a possible line of therapeutic treatment against the said chronic diseases.
"The importance of this study is twofold: first, demonstrating the importance of aP2 as a critical hormone in abnormal glucose metabolism, and secondly, showing that aP2 can be effectively targeted to treat diabetes and potentially other immunometabolic diseases," said researcher Gokhan Hotamisligil.
The team continues with their research to fully prove the use of the newly discovered treatment for diabetes. Their research findings were published on Science Translation Magazine.