A team of researchers from the Chan School of Public Health claim to have found a new way to treat diabetes. According to the team, an antibody developed to target adipose of fat cells in the body could potentially be used as a treatment for type 2 diabetes.

In addition to type 2 diabetes, the antibody can be used for glucose regulation and reduction of fatty liver in the human body. The triple action of the antibody developed by the scientists thus can help in treating a number of metabolic diseases.

The novel monoclonal antibody developed by the research team works by targeting a hormone in adipose tissue called aP2 or FABP4. During the study, the researchers found that the antibody reduced the severity of fatty liver disease and improved glucose regulation in obese mice, reports NDTV.

An increased amount of adipose tissue indicates obesity, which in turn puts a person at an increased risk of metabolic diseases, including cardiovascular disorders and type 2 diabetes. The hormones released by these tissues act on different muscles and tissues, including the brain and liver, and affects the systemic metabolism.

The researchers say that since aP2 levels are significantly increased in individuals who suffer from atherosclerosis, diabetes and obesity, a strategy that targets these hormones in the body might prove a new line of therapeutic treatment against these chronic conditions.

“The importance of this study is twofold: first, demonstrating the importance of aP2 as a critical hormone in abnormal glucose metabolism, and secondly, showing that aP2 can be effectively targeted to treat diabetes and potentially other immunometabolic diseases," said researcher Gokhan Hotamisligil, reports The Times of India.

The complete details of the study have been published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

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