Enzyme that Promotes Diet-Induced Obesity Could Point to Inhibitor Therapy

High-fat diet (HFD) feeding in mice promotes induction of aldose reductase (AR) activity, expression, and senescence of adipocytes in subcutaneous adipose tissue (scAT), according to a new study in Obesity. The researchers, headed by a New York University Grossman School of Medicine team, suggest that their findings could point to potential new strategies for treating obesity. “Our data demonstrate that aldose reductase gene expression increases in scAT of obese humans and mice, and that an inhibitor of aldose reductase attenuates weight gain, reduces adipocyte senescence, and promotes lipolysis in HFD-fed mice,” said Ravichandran Ramasamy, PhD, professor, diabetes research program, department of medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine. “These data pave the way for testing these inhibitors as therapeutic adjuncts in treating patients with obesity.”