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Can VCU breakthrough reverse, prevent obesity?

Posted at 6:26 PM, Dec 05, 2012
and last updated 2012-12-06 06:54:23-05

RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) - Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) may have found a way to reverse and even prevent obesity.

Ph. D. Andrew Larner with VCU's Massey Cancer Center lead an international team of scientists who successfully reversed obesity in mice by changing the production of an enzyme known as TKY2.

They said the enzyme helps to regulate a type of fat called BAT or Brown Adipose Tissue. 

According to the Scientific Journal, "Cell Metabolism," this research is the first to provide evidence of the relationship between TYK2 and BAT.

Larner said more needs to be done to understand how it all works.