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Continued from page 77 - Melanin-Concentrating Hormonefound to be involved with Insulin Productionawaiting funding. It will look at how MCH interacts withglucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), a hormone involved inbeta cell growth. An analogue of GLP-1 hormone hasalready been approved by the FDA for treating type 2diabetes. The goal is to understand how GLP-1 and MCHcan work together to promote beta cell growth.http://www.joslin.org/http://www.news-medical.net/news/2007/01/28/21502.aspx☻☻☻☻☻Melanin ProductionDiscovered In Fat Tissue MayProtect Some Individualsagainst Chronic DiseasesAssociated With ObesityScienceDaily (Nov. 7, 2008) — A two-year studyconducted by researchers at George Mason University,INOVA Fairfax Hospital and the National CancerInstitute may open the door to new therapies forcombating chronic diseases associated with obesity, acondition that affected more than 33 percent of Americanadults in 2005-06 according to the Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention.While analyzing samples taken from morbidly obesepatients undergoing weight loss surgery, the researchersdiscovered that substantial quantities of melanin—apigment that gives the skin, the hair and the iris of the eyetheir natural color—were being produced in the studyparticipants’ fat tissue.Ancha Baranova, assistant professor in George MasonUniversity’s Department of Molecular and Microbiologyand the paper’s lead author, explains that melaninproduction has never before been identified in fat tissue.She believes that the antioxidant, which has been shownto have anti-inflammatory properties, could be the body’snatural defense against obesity-related conditions such astype 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, fatty liverdisease, polycystic ovary syndrome and some cancers.“Stockpiling extra calories is difficult even forspecialized fat cells; having too much lipid moleculestakes its toll on the fat cells, producing oxidative stress,”says Baranova. “It’s not unthinkable that these cellswould adapt and produce melanin as a form of selfprotection.As a side benefit, melanin may suppressinflammatory properties of the extra pounds of the fat.”Baranova notes that a larger study is needed in order to78-- Traditional African Clinic July 2013confirm the role that the body’s production of thiscompound plays in fat tissue. However, the discoverysuggests that melanin-based therapies may one day beused to reduce the incidence of chronic diseases amongthe morbidly obese.“This opens an entirely new avenue for medicalinterventions because the process of biosynthesis ofmelanin is relatively easy to meddle with,” saysBaranova. “We hope that this study will spur thedevelopment of preventive medications aimed atcurtailing devastating metabolic complications in obeseand overweight populations.”The paper was co-authored by Manpreet Randhawa, TomHuff and Vikas Chandhoke of George Mason University;Julio C. Valencia and Vincent J. Hearing of the NationalCancer Institute; and Zobair Younossi of INOVA FairfaxHospital. The study was funded by the Thomas F.Jeffress and Kate Miller Jeffress Memorial Trust and bythe Intramural Research Program of the National CancerInstitute at the U.S. National Institutes of Health.Journal reference:Randhawa et al. Evidence for the ectopic synthesis ofmelanin in human adipose tissue. The FASEB Journal,2008; DOI: 10.1096/fj.08-116327http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081106164818.htm☻☻☻☻☻☻New Drug Target in Obesity:Fat Cells Make Lots ofMelaninScienceDaily (Oct. 30, 2008) — As millions ofAmericans gear up for the Thanksgiving holiday, a newresearch report published online in The FASEB Journal,may provide some relief for those leery of having asecond helping. In the report, researchers describe adiscovery that may allow some obese people avoidcommon obesity-related metabolic problems withoutactually losing weight: they make a common antioxidant,melanin, in excess.Even more promising is that some of the antioxidantdrugs that can mimic the melanin effect are FDAapprovedand available. This availability would greatlyspeed the development of new treatments, should theyprove effective in clinical trials.The researchers made the unexpected discovery--fat cellsin obese people produce melanin in excess--when theywere comparing fat cells of obese people to those ofContinued on page 79