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Indian-American researcher discovers new gene responsible for age-related obesity
Kamal Mehta obtained his research under three Nobel laureates, including Michael Smith, Joseph Goldstein, and Michael Brown
Kamal Mehta’s discovery could pave way for potential drug discovery / Ohio State University, College of Medicine
Kamal Mehta, a professor at the Ohio State University, has uncovered a genetic light switch for obesity residing in the liver. Mehta, a researcher in biological chemistry and pharmacology, dedicated his work to unraveling the complex mechanisms behind age- and diet-induced metabolic diseases.
His team discovered the pivotal role of a gene in cholesterol homeostasis. Their studies on mice lacking this gene revealed resistance to weight gain and protection from insulin resistance.
Delving deeper into the mystery, Mehta’s recent findings, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, pinpointed the liver’s role. According to the researcher, a receptor found in the brain and peripheral tissues is responsible for regulating body temperature and burning calories.
Expressing his enthusiasm, Mehta stated, “I was interested in signaling pathways regulating cholesterol homeostasis. By cell culture studies, we found a critical role of protein kinase C, or PKC, in cholesterol homeostasis.”
He further explained his study, noting, “We pursued studies to define the specific isoform and narrowed it down to PKCβ. While studying whole-body PKCβ knockout mice, we realized that PKCβ plays a critical role in obesity syndrome.” Removing the PKCβ gene in the liver acts as a genetic light switch, turning off obesity.
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