Blocking this gene cuts excessive fat, finds study

Scientists have found that it is possible to reduce fat by blocking the expression of a certain gene in patients.

University of Montreal researchers have contributed to the demonstration of great decreases in the concentration of triglycerides in their blood, even in various severe forms of hypertriglyceridemia and regardless of the base values or the treatment the patient usually receives.

Daniel Gaudet, first author of the study said that their suggested that the protein apoC-III plays a key role in the management of triglycerides. Depending on the cause, the accumulation of triglycerides in blood is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular and pancreatic illnesses, and other complications.

The results demonstrate apoC-III's important contribution to the complex mechanisms by which people's bodies manage blood fat.

Gaudet said that decoding mechanisms opened the door to precise, individual interventions for the prevention of residual risk associated with the various causes of severe hypertriglyceridemia. The results of these studies enable the acceleration of research targeting better understanding and control of the risk trajectory associated with various forms of severe hypertriglyceridemia.

The research is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.