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01. “Nature” magazine published a study revealing the significant role of taurine in metabolic regulation, potentially bringing new types of weight-loss drugs.
02. Research found a connection between the weight-related gene Pter and taurine metabolism, supplementing the taurine metabolite N-acetyltaurine can combat obesity.
03. Due to the association between PTER hydrolase and weight, mice lacking PTER accumulate large amounts of N-acetyltaurine in the body, producing effects similar to supplementing taurine through exercise or diet.
04. Experimental evidence shows that daily injection of N-acetyltaurine can reduce the food intake of obese mice and lower weight.
05. Currently, the exact way of generating N-acetyltaurine is not fully understood, and intestinal microorganisms may play a significant role in this process.
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â–ŽContent edited by the Xiamen Content Team
As one of the most abundant amino acids in the human body, taurine, which is rich in shellfish and meat, exists in the form of free taurine in the organs and tissues of the human body, playing various essential physiological functions: it can help restore mitochondrial function, relieve muscle fatigue, enhance exercise capacity…due to these known health benefits, taurine has become a common additive in energy drinks.
However, the role of taurine has not been fully explored. In the past year, several significant studies have revealed that taurine has even broader potential benefits for human health. A study in “Science” last year revealed the anti-aging potential of taurine, supplementing taurine helps extend the lifespan of mice, prevent weight gain associated with aging, and alleviate age-related emotional anxiety and depression. This year, a paper in “Cell” found that taurine even has cancer treatment potential, supplementing taurine can activate depleted CD8+ T cells, enhancing the effectiveness of tumor immunotherapy.
Now, a recent study published in “Nature” has revealed the important role of taurine in metabolic regulation. The study first revealed the connection between the weight-related gene Pter and taurine metabolism, and by supplementing the taurine metabolite N-acetyltaurine, a new type of weight-loss therapy could be developed.
Taurine can generate various taurine metabolites through different metabolic pathways, among which N-acetyltaurine, discovered about 10 years ago, is a rather mysterious metabolite. Scientists have not yet found the biosynthesis and degradation pathways of N-acetyltaurine, nor do they know whether this ingredient is just an inactive byproduct of taurine metabolism or plays a specific role in our bodies.
In this study, Professor Jonathan Long of Stanford University led a team to decipher the metabolic puzzle of N-acetyltaurine. They found that phosphotriesterase-related protein (PTER) is the only enzyme in the human body that can specifically hydrolyze N-acetyltaurine, catalyzing the rehydrolysis of N-acetyltaurine into taurine and acetate.
â–²Research found that PTER is the hydrolyzing enzyme of N-acetyltaurine (image source: reference [1])
Although known as an “orphan enzyme” because of its little-known physiological function, PTER is not unknown to researchers. Previous gene screening studies found that the gene encoding PTER is related to the body mass index (BMI), but what is the true role of PTER in the BMI remains a puzzle.
Since PTER hydrolase is related to weight, what changes would occur in the body’s weight and metabolism once PTER is lost?
To investigate this, the authors designed Pter knockout mice, and they observed that in the absence of PTER, the levels of N-acetyltaurine in the blood and tissues of mice were higher than in control mice. And when feeding the mice a high-fat diet with added taurine supplementation, after 8 weeks, Pter knockout mice’s food intake and weight were significantly lower than the control group, with the difference in weight between the two groups arising from the lower fat content in Pter knockout mice. Therefore, the absence of PTER results in the accumulation of N-acetyltaurine in the mouse’s body without hydrolysis, producing effects similar to supplementing taurine through exercise or diet. They not only resist diet-induced obesity but also improve blood glucose homeostasis.
â–² Pter knockout mice are lighter in weight, have reduced food intake, and their blood glucose homeostasis is improved (image source: reference [1])
Since the accumulation of N-acetyltaurine can resist obesity, can directly ingesting N-acetyltaurine produce the same effect? The following experiments confirmed this, daily injection of N-acetyltaurine can reduce the food intake and lower the weight of obese mice.
The research team also found that the action pathway of PTER is independent of the popular GLP-1 receptor agonists, and the anti-obesity effect of N-acetyltaurine depends on the functional GFRAL receptor.
As a result, these experiments define a PTER-dependent taurine metabolic pathway related to energy balance, providing a potential new pathway for obesity intervention.
It is worth mentioning that the exact way of generating N-acetyltaurine has not been fully understood, initial experiments suggest that intestinal microorganisms may play a significant role in this process. Therefore, if future research can further uncover the connection between the intestinal microbiota and N-acetyltaurine, perhaps promoting the generation of N-acetyltaurine through probiotics or dietary interventions could help in weight management.
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