(Press-News.org) A breakthrough study, jointly led by Professor Jang Hyun Choi and Professor Sung Ho Park from the Department of Biological Sciences at UNIST has identified an important factor involved in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) caused by obesity. The research team discovered that Thrap3, a protein associated with thyroid hormone receptors, plays a significant role in exacerbating NAFLD by inhibiting the activity of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a key regulator of fat metabolism in the liver.
NAFLD encompasses various metabolic diseases such as fatty hepatitis and cirrhosis resulting from excessive fat accumulation. Despite its prevalence, effective treatments for NAFLD have been limited. However, this groundbreaking research sheds light on potential therapeutic approaches.
Through animal experiments conducted on rats, the research team demonstrated that Thrap3 directly binds to AMPK within the liver. This interaction prevents AMPK from translocating from the nucleus to the cytoplasm and impairs autophagy—a process crucial for breaking down triglycerides and reducing cholesterol levels. In essence, inhibiting Thrap3 expression presents a promising avenue for effectively treating NAFLD.
“We have encountered significant challenges while developing treatment strategies for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. However, our discovery of the Thrap3 gene provides us with an effective method to tackle this condition,” commented Professor Choi.
Additionally, it was confirmed that suppressing Thrap3 expression effectively improves non-alcoholic steatohepatitis—an inflammatory disease stemming from fatty liver.
Supported by funding from Korea Research Foundation under the Ministry of Science and ICT, National Mouse Phenotype Analysis Group (KMPC), and UNIST Future Lead Project; this research was published online on August 1st in Experimental and Molecular Medicine. Professor Jang Hyun Choi, alongside Professor Sung Ho Park, served as corresponding authors of the paper, with Dr. Hyun-Jun Jang and Dr. Yo Han Lee from the Department of Biological Sciences at UNIST participating as co-authors.
Journal Reference
Hyun-Jun Jang, Yo Han Lee, Tam Dao, et al., “Thrap3 promotes nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by suppressing AMPK-mediated autophagy,” Exp. Mol. Med., (2023).
END
New study uncovers potential treatment for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
The study findings have been published ahead of their official publication in the online version of Exp. Mol. Med. on August 1, 2023
2023-10-02
[Attachments] See images for this press release:
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Susan G. Komen® analysis shows many breast cancer patients struggle to afford basic needs: Housing, transportation, utilities
2023-10-02
Lower income breast cancer patients often struggle to afford life’s necessities such as housing, transportation and utilities due to direct and incidental costs related to their treatment, according to a new analysis by Susan G. Komen®, the world’s leading breast cancer organization. These top needs were identified by Susan G. Komen’s Patient Care Center, which provided nearly $9.1 million in grants to more than 16,000 breast cancer patients from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023, as part of Komen’s direct-to-patient ...
Dense measurement network revealed high level of PM2.5 in Punjab due to crop residue burning and its transport to Haryana and Delhi NCR
2023-10-02
A group of international collaborators led by the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN) team performed the first quantitative study of air pollution in the north-western India region using 29 low-cost and reliable instruments, demonstrating the advantages of source region observations to link crop residue burning (CRB) and air pollution at local to regional scales.
Exposure to particulate matter less than 2.5 µm in diameter (popularly known as PM2.5) causes health hazards in cities and major emission regions of the world. Although the major sources ...
Next-generation printing: precise and direct, using optical vortices
2023-10-02
Osaka, Japan – Will printed photographs ever match the precision of a mirror's reflection? Even though the answer may still be no for a while, Osaka Metropolitan University scientists have made significant strides in precision printing with their innovative optical vortex laser-based technique that allows for the precise placement of minuscule droplets with micrometer-scale accuracy.
Inkjet technology is a well-known printing technique that emits microdroplets from a nozzle directly onto a surface. However, when the ink droplets are viscous, with high density, ...
Pharmacists can improve access to life-saving vaccines
2023-10-02
HPV, or human papillomavirus, is the most common sexually transmitted infection. It is also the leading cause of cervical cancer. Over 1,400 Canadian women are affected yearly, with almost 400 deaths, according to the Canadian Cancer Society. It is completely preventable with the HPV vaccine, and yet, unfortunately, many people are unvaccinated.
University of Waterloo researchers have found a possible solution to this on-going issues. Using an electronic questionnaire at the time of appointment scheduling for seasonal influenza or COVID-19 vaccines, researchers have found, is a quick and efficient way to identify people in Ontario willing to receive additional life-saving vaccines.
“This ...
Researchers studied thousands of fertility attempts hoping to improve IVF
2023-10-02
By genetically testing nearly one thousand embryos, scientists have provided the most detailed analysis of embryo fate following human in vitro fertilization.
Nearly half the embryos studied underwent developmental arrest because of genetic mishaps in early development — a revealing insight that suggests more IVF babies could come to term with changes in the fertility treatment process. The unique combination of data from arrested embryos also sheds new light on the still largely mysterious earliest stages of pregnancy through natural ...
Precision medicine navigators increase genomic testing rates for Black patients with prostate cancer
2023-10-02
SAN DIEGO, October 1, 2023 — The presence of a clinical navigator to act as a liaison between people with prostate cancer and the health care system greatly increases the likelihood that patients, especially Black patients, will receive advanced testing that can help predict the severity of their disease and guide treatment, a new study suggests.
The study showed patients seen by a precision medicine navigator were substantially more likely to receive genomic testing than those not seen by the navigator. Black patients, whose genomic testing rates traditionally ...
Play in early childhood helps build a better brain, says leading expert
2023-10-02
Dr Jacqueline Harding, director of Tomorrow’s Child and an early childhood expert at Middlesex University, argues that the young child’s brain is inherently designed to be playful and this is crucial for its development.
In her new book, The Brain that Loves to Play, she challenges the traditional division between play and learning, emphasizing the essential role of play in early years education and holistic child development.
With a renewed vision for the fusion of play and learning, the book aims to contribute to the ...
Faith primary schools admitting fewer children with special educational needs
2023-10-02
Faith primary schools are admitting fewer children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) than local authority community primaries, according to new research from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
In research funded by the British Academy, Dr Tammy Campbell analysed Reception year admissions to mainstream state schools from 2010-2020 in England using the National Pupil Database census. She concluded that many faith primary schools ‘serve as hubs of relative advantage, seeming disproportionately to serve ...
Food insecurity doubles rate of severe hypoglycaemia in adults with diabetes
2023-10-02
New research being presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Hamburg, Germany (2-6 Oct) has found that severe hypoglycaemia is more than twice as common among adults with diabetes who struggle to afford food.
Severe hypoglycaemia occurs when a person’s blood sugar levels fall to such an extent that it can cause loss of consciousness, seizures, coma and, in rare cases, death.
Severe hypoglycaemia is rare in people with diabetes unless they are taking insulin or secretagogues – two commonly prescribed ...
Breastfeeding is associated with lower levels of body fat at the age of nine
2023-10-02
New research being presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Hamburg, Germany (2-6 Oct) has linked infant formula and the early introduction of fizzy drinks with higher levels of body fat later in childhood.
Youngsters who were breastfed for at least six months or longer had a lower percentage of body fat by age nine compared to those who did not receive breast milk for six months (a group that includes children who were never breastfed or received breast milk for less than 6 months).
Children ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Insulin resistance is linked to over 30 diseases – and to early death in women, study of people in the UK finds
Innovative semaglutide hydrogel could reduce diabetes shots to once a month
Weight loss could reduce the risk of severe infections in people with diabetes, UK research suggests
Long-term exposure to air pollution and a lack of green space increases the risk of hospitalization for respiratory conditions
Better cardiovascular health in early pregnancy may offset high genetic risk
Artificial intelligence method transforms gene mutation prediction in lung cancer: DeepGEM data releases at IASLC 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer
Antibody–drug conjugate I-DXd shows clinically meaningful response in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer
IASLC Global Survey on biomarker testing reveals progress and persistent barriers in lung cancer biomarker testing
Research shows pathway to developing predictive biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitors
Just how dangerous is Great Salt Lake dust? New research looks for clues
Maroulas appointed Associate Vice Chancellor, Director of AI Tennessee
New chickadee research finds cognitive skills impact lifespan
Cognitive behavioral therapy enhances brain circuits to relieve depression
Terasaki Institute awarded $2.3 Million grant from NIH for organ transplantation research using organs-on-a-chip technology
Atoms on the edge
Postdoc takes multipronged approach to muon detection
Mathematical proof: Five satellites needed for precise navigation
Scalable, multi-functional device lays groundwork for advanced quantum applications
Falling for financial scams? It may signal early Alzheimer’s disease
Integrating MRI and OCT for new insights into brain microstructure
Designing a normative neuroimaging library to support diagnosis of traumatic brain injury
Department of Energy announces $68 million in funding for artificial intelligence for scientific research
DOE, ORNL announce opportunity to define future of high-performance computing
Molecular simulations, supercomputing lead to energy-saving biomaterials breakthrough
Low-impact yoga and exercise found to help older women manage urinary incontinence
Genetic studies reveal new insights into cognitive impairment in schizophrenia
Researcher develops technology to provide cleaner energy and cleaner water
Expect the unexpected: nanoscale silver unveils intrinsic self-healing abilities
nTIDE September 2024 Jobs Report: Gains in employment for people with disabilities appear to level off after reducing gaps with non-disabled workers
Wiley enhances NMR Spectral Library Collection with extensive new databases
[Press-News.org] New study uncovers potential treatment for non-alcoholic fatty liver diseaseThe study findings have been published ahead of their official publication in the online version of Exp. Mol. Med. on August 1, 2023