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VIDEO: Novel protein plus cold exposure promising for preventing obesity
WASHINGTON — In this video exclusive, Muthu Periasamy, PhD, professor in the cardiovascular metabolism program at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in Lake Nona, Florida, describes the role of sarcolipin, a novel protein Periasamy and colleagues discovered “serendipitously,” in metabolism and fat burning.
According to Periasamy, sarcolipin binds to calcium transport ATPase to increase energy expenditure. When exposed to cold, mice without sarcolipin do not effectively burn fat whereas overfed mice with abundant sarcolipin can resist obesity.
“We believe that cold-induced muscle thermogenesis can be an effective mechanism in addition to exercise to prevent obesity in humans as well,” Periasamy said.