Why losing the wrong fat can trigger diabetes
Researchers are investigating why pathological fat loss, such as in lipodystrophy, leads to metabolic diseases like diabetes. By studying mouse models and human tissue, they discovered that gene mutations disrupt lipid storage and cause mitochondrial failure in fat cells.
Why it matters
Understanding the mechanics of fat tissue dysfunction could lead to better treatments for rare metabolic disorders and provide insights into broader metabolic health.
Fat tissue is often viewed as something the body would be better off without. Scientists now know, however, that adipose tissue is an active and essential organ that supports many important processes, including energy storage, hormone production, and metabolic regulation.
Too much fat can increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems. Yet the opposite can also be dangerous. In rare genetic and autoimmune conditions such as familial partial lipodystrophy type 2 (FPLD2), abnormal fat loss and uneven fat distribution can also lead to diabetes and other metabolic diseases.
Elif Oral, M.D., a clinician and Professor in the Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, has spent much of her career trying to understand this apparent contradiction. Her goal has been to uncover why pathological fat loss damages metabolism and to improve treatment options for people with lipodystrophy syndromes.
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