Fat-busting enzyme discovered, says scientist
Experiments on mice found it was possible to prevent fat storage by blocking the enzyme.
In the world of medical science it is the holy grail of fat busting.
A University of Queensland scientist believes he has found the key to developing a drug to fight the rapidly expanding scourge of obesity. If he is right the diet conscious could have their hamburger, eat it too, and keep the kilos off.
The university announced yesterday that Jon Whitehead had discovered the enzyme, largely responsible for the accumulation and perhaps even the proliferation, of fat cells. Experiments on mice found it was possible to prevent fat storage by blocking the enzyme.
But it remains unclear what happens to the food, or energy, if it is not turned to fat.
"Studies with mice suggest the energy will be burnt up by other tissues," said Dr Whitehead, of the university's Centre for Diabetes and Endocrine Research.
"It's not clear how the mice metabolise the energy but they appear to be normal, apart from not having increased fat mass when they're put on a high-fat diet."
David Henderson, managing director of the University of Queensland's technology commercialisation arm, UniQuest, said it would take many years for the drug to make it to pharmacy shelves.
Most drugs, no matter the field, fail somewhere between successful tests on small animals and human trials.
"There are always risks when you're developing these technologies," Mr Henderson said.
"But when you get a promising lead, like this one is, you do all the tests that you can ... You push forward."
Mr Henderson believes there is a huge market here and overseas waiting for the drug.
Studies have estimated that up to two-thirds of Australian men and more than half of women aged 25 and over are overweight.