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New role for a famous gene? PCSK9 may control the birth of new fat cells
October 5, 2016
Why do some obese people develop diabetes, heart disease and other life-threatening conditions, while others do not? Experts increasingly believe that part of the answer lies in how fat is stored. When existing fat cells expand to store more fat, this tends to generate damaging inflammation. However, when new fat cells are born to store the fat, there seems to be less collateral damage. New research led by Dr.
Alexander Sorisky
and Dr. Teik Chye Ooi sheds light on this process. Their team fed whipping cream to “normal” human volunteers as well as to those with certain natural variations in a gene called PCSK9. After the fatty drink, the normal white blood cells inhibited the birth of new fat cells, while the mutated white blood cells did not. This research reveals a possible novel role for the well-studied PCSK9, which is the target of several cholesterol-lowering drugs recently approved for humans. See
Obesity
for details.
Authors:
Gagnon A, Ooi TC, Cousins M, Favreau C, Henry K, Landry A, Sorisky A
Funders:
The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, The Ottawa Hospital Foundation
The Ottawa Hospital: Inspired by research. Driven by compassion
The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada’s largest learning and research hospitals with over 1,100 beds, approximately 12,000 staff and an annual budget of over $1.2 billion. Our focus on research and learning helps us develop new and innovative ways to treat patients and improve care. As a multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, we deliver specialized care to the Eastern Ontario region, but our techniques and research discoveries are adopted around the world. We engage the community at all levels to support our vision for better patient care. See www.ohri.ca for more information about research at The Ottawa Hospital.
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is home to over 50,000 students, faculty and staff, who live, work and study in both French and English. Our campus is a crossroads of cultures and ideas, where bold minds come together to inspire game-changing ideas. We are one of Canada’s top 10 research universities—our professors and researchers explore new approaches to today’s challenges. One of a handful of Canadian universities ranked among the top 200 in the world, we attract exceptional thinkers and welcome diverse perspectives from across the globe. www.uottawa.ca
For further information, please contact
Jennifer Ganton
Director, Communications and Public Relations
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Office: 613-798-5555 x 73325
Cell: 613-614-5253
jganton@ohri.ca