Obesity Virus: More, Bigger Fat Cells
Common Virus Boosts Fat-Cell Production — and Makes Fat Cells Fatter
By Daniel J. DeNoon
WebMD Medical NewsReviewed by Louise Chang, MDAug. 20, 2007 – Infection with a virus linked to human obesity ups fat-cell production and makes fat cells fatter.
“Infectobesity” is the term coined by Louisiana State University researcher Nikhil Dhurandhar, PhD, and colleagues to describe the phenomenon. Their research strongly links a common human virus — adenovirus-36 or Ad-36 — to human obesity.
Previous research showed that nearly 30% of obese people, but only 11% of lean people, have been infected with Ad-36. Monkeys experimentally infected with Ad-36 gain significant weight.
Now Dhurandhar’s team finds evidence that Ad-36 has a direct effect on human fat cells. Infection of adult stem cells from human fat triggers their transition into pre-fat cells. And these virus-infected cells hold much more fat than normal pre-fat cells.
The end result: more, fatter fat cells.
Dhurandhar colleague Magdalena Pasarica, MD, PhD, presented the findings at the 234th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, held Aug. 19-23 in Boston.
“We’re not saying that a virus is the only cause of obesity, but this study provides stronger evidence that some obesity cases may involve viral infections,” Pasarica says in a news release. “We would ultimately like to identify the underlying factors that predispose some obese people to [the effects of] this virus and eventually find a way to treat it.”
It’s not entirely clear how the virus acts on fat stem cells. But Pasarica reported a major clue: One specific Ad-36 gene, called E4Orfl, is responsible for the virus’s obesity-related effects.
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obesity virus, fat cells
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