Scientists accidently discovered a drug that may stop weight gain

Researchers at Yale University have accidentally stumbled upon a drug that has the potential to allow food enthusiasts to indulge without gaining weight. While conducting an experiment involving morbidly obese mice, scientists made a surprising discovery—a mouse that could eat without becoming overweight.

During the study, the scientists genetically modified the mice by removing two specific genes in their lymphatic tissue, which are responsible for the uptake of fat particles called chylomicrons. The expectation was that these modifications would lead to weight gain. However, to their surprise, the mice remained slim despite being fed a high-fat diet. The mice lacking the two genes excreted lipids and experienced minimal weight gain.

Scientist Feng Zhang discovered that the absence of these two molecules helped seal off specialized vessels in the lymphatic tissue, preventing the uptake of chylomicrons. Normally, lipids are absorbed into the lymphatic tissue in the gut through openings in vessels called lacteals. These openings are controlled by button-like structures. In the mice lacking vascular endothelial growth factor 1 and neuropilin 1, the vessels became “zippered” and lipids were released instead of being taken up by the vessels. The same “zippering” effect was induced in normal mice by inhibiting the Rho kinase ROCK.

Anne Eichmann, Ensign Professor of Medicine (Cardiology), pointed out that an inhibitor of ROCK is already being used in a drug to treat glaucoma and could potentially be tested for its effects on lipid uptake and weight gain.

The unexpected findings, published in the journal Science, raise the question: Could this approach be applied to humans? Currently, the researchers have only been able to deactivate the genes in rodents, but further research may eventually make it possible to extend these findings to humans.

Eichmann expressed optimism, stating, “We have observed that such drugs can also close the pores of lymphatic vessels in the gut and inhibit fat uptake. Their lipid-lowering effects could be tested in humans.”