Researchers from the Catholic University of Leuven (UCL), in Belgium, discovered a protein capable of stopping the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes, in addition to reducing cholesterol and the risk of arterosclerosis.
The discovery, the result of 10 years of work, was published Monday in the specialized magazine Nature Medicine and paves the way for the future development of a medicine against those diseases.
With the scientific name of AMUC_1100, the protein is part of the outer membrane of the Akkermansia Muciniphila bacteria, which is naturally found in the intestine of vertebrate animals, including man.
Managed in large quantity, AMUC_1100 increases the volume of energy eliminated through the fecal mass, reducing the size of the fat cells.
Protein also decreases the permeability of the intestine, preventing toxins present in the fecal mass from entering the bloodstream.
The UCL team, led by Dr. Patrice Cani, has discovered Amuc_1100 by pasteurizing (heating at 70 degrees) the akkermansia Muciniphila bacteria, in an attempt to find a way to reproduce it synthetically.
Synthetic production was a necessary step to administer the bacteria to humans and prove if the same results of an experience with rats were obtained that revealed, in 2013, its ability to reduce the effects of obesity and diabetes of type 2.
“We have managed to reproduce the bacteria and we verify that that way (pasteurized) is even more effective on rats.By investigating the reason for this behavior difference, we observe the presence of the protein, still active, ”Cani told Notimex.
"Pasteurization eliminates what is not necessary in the Muciniphila Akkermansia and preserves the protein, which explains its multiplied efficacy," he added.
The researchers carried out three test batteries with obese rats, all of them with positive results, even in the case of rats subject to a calorie diet.
On the three occasions, the rats were divided into four groups, to which the isolated protein, the bacteria in its living version, the pasteurized bacteria or a placebo were administered.
After five and six weeks of treatment, the researchers checked both in the pasteurized bacteria and in the isolated protein they had the same capacity to prevent the increase in body mass and prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.
The beneficial effect is less important with the administration of the bacteria in its living version.
The treatments with the AMUC_1100 protein and with the BackerMansia Muciniphila pasteurized are now in the phase of clinical tests in humans.
The first results are expected by mid -2017. A first battery of tests with the pasteurized bacteria, initiated in December 2015 and carried out for three months with 40 individuals, allowed to verify that their administration is safe for humans.
"It is the first step for us to, within some years, to develop a medication that will not only relieve the effects, but also to prevent diabetes, obesity and a series of metabolic dysfunctions," said Cani.
