In a recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, researchers from Caroline College and other institutions studied mice to elucidate the molecular mechanism of conversion of energy-storing white fat into energy-consuming Brown one.

Obesity is a major health problem for the global population, affecting people of all ages and increasing the risk of many diseases in humans, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and cancers; although Obesity can trigger so much health problems, there are currently no drugs or new therapies that are effective in treating obesity and other related metabolic diseases.

Now scientists can effectively distinguish between white fat and brown fat: the former constitutes most of the fat tissue in the body, which can store the body’s excess energy; the latter can consume energy to heat the body. The researchers pointed out that one possible way to treat obesity is to stimulate some of the white fat into Brown Fat.

Stimulate the formation of blood vessels in white fat

In the study, the researchers studied obese mice stimulating the formation of blood vessels in white adipose tissue by blocking the function of a growth factor receptor molecule called VEGFR1, and this can be accomplished in another group of mice by drug or genetically modified, thereby increasing the conversion of white fat to brown fat while decreasing the obesity of mice and improving their body’s sensitivity to insulin.

Researcher Yihai Cao said: “Our research has found or can help to develop new drugs for the treatment of obesity and diabetes. We will later develop more effective new ways of converting white fat to brown fat through further research and provide new ideas and research data for the development of more effective obesity therapy.