3/07/2011 PERMALINK
New weight loss discovery moves us closer to a pill for curing obesity. An important discovery in mice may make a big difference in people's waistlines says a team of Harvard scientists who found that reducing the function of a transmembrane protein, called Klotho, in obese mice with high blood sugar levels produced lean mice with reduced blood sugar levels. This protein also exists in humans, suggesting that selectively targeting Klotho could lead to a new class of drugs to reduce obesity and possibly Type 2 diabetes for people. 'Our study is a small step toward reducing the sufferings of obese and diabetic individuals to bring back the joy of healthy life,' said researcher M. Shawkat Razzaque, M.D., Ph.D. 'In the dark horizon of obesity and diabetes, Klotho brings a ray of hope.'