Obesity is a public health problem that spreads throughout the world, since while a few decades ago it only affected high-income countries, now its prevalence is also increasing in economically disadvantaged countries and its consequences are especially worrying in the case of the child population. In Spain, for example, 30% of minors between 2 and 17 years old are overweight and one in 10 suffers from obesity, according to data from the ENE-COVID study, published in 2023.
Adopting measures to stop this epidemic and its impact on long-term health is a priority. For the past four years, researchers at Shriners Children’s St. Louis have been developing a new approach to preventing the effects of childhood obesity, and through gene therapy, research director Farshid Guilak and senior scientist Ruhang Tang have discovered an innovative method tested in mice that converts harmful fatty acids into beneficial ones, which could help children with obesity reduce the risk of developing other health complications, especially arthritis.
The findings have been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in an article titled ‘Gene therapy for fat-1 prevents obesity-induced metabolic dysfunction, cellular aging and osteoarthritis’, where the researchers explain that the The main risk factor for arthritis in children that can be prevented is being overweight.
They also point out that not only obesity is harmful, but also the type of diet, and that the fatty acids consumed by minors play a key role in weight gain and the Western diet tends to be rich in omega-6 and low in omega-3, which generates an imbalance, particularly in minors.
A gene therapy that prevents diseases associated with obesity
This gene therapy technique is based on the use of an adeno-associated virus (AAV) to introduce a gene that encodes a specific enzyme into cells. This therapy automatically converts highly inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids into omega-3 fatty acids, which are more beneficial for the body’s metabolic health.
Omega-3s, found in fish and certain nuts, help improve insulin sensitivity, promote fat metabolism and reduce inflammation, reducing the risk of obesity-related diseases. The researchers noted that obesity causes ‘aging knees’ in young patients, and in this study they focused on a very common type of arthritis in children, called “post-traumatic arthritis,” which occurs after suffering a knee injury, such as tear of the meniscus, which acts as a stabilizer and shock absorber.
Omega-3s promote fat metabolism and reduce inflammation, reducing the risk of obesity-related diseases
The team found that a single injection of the gene therapy significantly reduced the effects of a high-fat, omega-6 diet on metabolic health and knee arthritis. A notable finding was that diet-induced obesity caused premature “aging” in these mice, which was prevented thanks to gene therapy, which automatically converts omega-6 into omega-3 in the body, transforming harmful fats. in beneficial.
The results of the study have a large number of possible applications, but its authors hope that they will above all help improve the health of children and prevent them from developing arthritis, since it can be very painful and disabling. Currently, Guilak’s team is working with the FDA to move toward clinical trials in the next three to five years.
