Sirtuin - proteins found in fat cells - may play a major role in the production and metabolism of fat, which offers new target for the development of treatments in the prevention of obesity and reduction of risk for type 2 diabetes.

Such were the findings of a Joslin Diabetes Center-led study which has identified Sirt2 as the most abundant member of the sirtuin family of seven cellular proteins in fat cells.

As explained by lead investigator C. Ronald Kahn, M.D., an internationally recognized researcher who is head of the Joslin section on Obesity and Hormone Action and the Mary K. Iacocca Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School:

"We wanted to find out what would happen to the behavior of fat cells-in terms of metabolism or growth-if we changed the levels of Sirt2."

Using genetically altered cells in mice, the researchers later found that increasing Sirt2 levels in the cell would block the cell's ability to differentiate and store fat. But when Sirt2 was reduced, adiopogenesis, or fat production was instead promoted.

Meaning low Sirt2 levels is good and could lead to perhaps reversing obesity and preventing type 2 diabetes - once the results are translated with same results in humans.

Still a long way before that happens but at least this finding will open new areas to target in the development of treatments for the said conditions.

Findings appear in the August 2007 issue of Cell Metabolism.

Find more details from Joslin Diabetes Center.

[In Photo: Cover of Cell Metabolism, August issue]