| abstract |
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has been found to be linked to obesity, and therefore agents that reduce or prevent ER stress are associated with obesity, including peripheral insulin resistance, hyperglycemia and type 2 diabetes. It can be used to treat related diseases. Two compounds that have been shown to reduce ER stress and lower blood glucose levels include 4-phenylbutyric acid (PBA), tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) and trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO). Other compounds useful for reducing ER stress are chemical chaperones such as trimethylamine N-oxide and glycerol. The present invention provides a method of treating a subject suffering from obesity, hyperglycemia, type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance using ER stress reducing agents such as PBA, TUDCA and TMAO. Also provided are methods of screening for ER stress-reducing agents by identifying agents that reduce the level of ER stress markers in cells undergoing ER stress. These agents can be used in methods and pharmaceutical compositions for treating obesity-related diseases. [Selection] Figure 4 |