Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 20, 1993 TAG: 9310200126
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MILWAUKEE LENGTH: Medium
Blocking the first protein or administering the second can cut body weight in animals by 50 percent, researchers reported.
Drug companies already are rushing to take advantage of the discoveries, which could lead within a decade to drugs that block fat cravings without interfering with the desire for protein and carbohydrates, the researchers said.
It is the first time scientists have identified substances that act specifically on the appetite for fats, the researchers reported Tuesday at the annual meeting of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity.
"We are extremely close to linking specific brain areas to specific appetites," said Sarah Leibowitz, a biologist at Rockefeller University in New York City.
Leibowitz identified a protein in the brain called galanin and has shown that its level rises throughout the morning to stimulate an appetite for fats at lunch and continues to rise until dinner time.
She also has shown that it rises in adolescent girls at puberty, preparing them to take on more fat in anticipation of pregnancy, when they need energy reserves to nourish offspring.
Because pregnancy in Western societies is often delayed until long past puberty, girls see the weight gain as undesirable and it can lead to the eating disorders common in young women, Leibowitz said.
In another report, David York of Louisiana State University described the discovery of a protein called enterostatin, which cuts fat intake 50 percent to 80 percent when injected into animals.
York said it might be possible to administer the substance in pill form. Tests with humans are expected to begin early next year.
by CNB