More than 100 million Americans suffer from obesity and associated metabolic disorders, an astounding number with widespread outcomes.
“We were really excited about this piece,” says S. Tai Seomanavan, a biomedical engineer and chemist. University of Massachusetts Amherst. This approach is much more meaningful when viewed against the broader health crisis.
At the heart of this breakthrough is Nanogel, a small yet powerful tool. These microscopic carriers carry synthetic thyroid hormone drugs known as thyroid kines. Thyroid hormones are essential for liver metabolism, but their systemic use often leads to serious side effects, making them an unreliable treatment option.
Rather than administering hormones throughout the body, researchers designed nanogels to deliver them exactly where they needed them.
“We came up with a very simple approach using our own invention: nanogels that can be selectively directed to a variety of targets,” explains Thayumanavan. “They were custom designed for liver delivery.” This accuracy avoids the harmful effects associated with traditional treatments.
The results were impressive. Mice given treatment lost all the excess weight they got, without any harmful side effects. “The treated mice lost weight completely and showed no creepy side effects,” reports Thayumanavan.
But profits were beyond weight loss. Despite a high-fat diet, mice showed improved cholesterol levels and significantly reduced liver inflammation. The findings suggest a deeper metabolic shift rather than just a temporary revision.
“We’ve found that it activates the reverse cholesterol transport pathway that lowers cholesterol,” explains Thayumanavan. This finding presents a potential long-term solution to obesity-related conditions and provides hope for a safer and more effective metabolic treatment.
He adds, “I believe that activation of fat oxidation and increased metabolic rates cause weight loss, but it takes more work to prove that point.”
Driving into the mechanism, when these nanogels penetrate the hepatocytes, the hepatocyte environment disrupts the binding within the nanogels and releases the axitylome. The drug then latches into extremely proteins for gene expression regulation.
The obvious efficacy of diffused axithiolomes, which reversed weight gain without destroying thyroid hormone levels, presents a promising pathway for leaf mimetics to deal with metabolic diseases such as obesity.
An interesting observation emerged: Axitirome mice retained an appetite for high-calorie foods. This is in stark contrast to human subjects who used other weight loss drugs.
“There is a considerable amount of development work to be done between mice and humans,” warns Thayumanavan.
Based on the promise of nanogel technology that his lab was born, Thayumanavan launched a startup, Cyta Therapeutics. Their main mission? Leading the front of cutting-edge delivery platforms that ensure drugs are sent to their intended body destinations.
The exciting possibilities of this discovery cannot be understated. It not only provides a beacon of hope for those tackling obesity and related disorders, it also paves the way for further advances in drug delivery and can revolutionize the treatment of metabolic diseases.
Other health benefits of thyroid glands
Thyroids are drugs that mimic the effects of the thyroid hormone, primarily trioiodine (T3), by activating the thyroid hormone receptor (THRS). They have been investigated in a variety of therapeutic applications due to their ability to regulate metabolism, cholesterol levels, and other physiological functions. The potential benefits of taking thyroid glands include:
Cholesterol reduction and cardiovascular health
- Several thyroid mimetics, such as eprotyrom and resmetrom, selectively target the hepatic thyroid hormone receptor beta (Thr-β). This activation helps:
- Low LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides.
- Increases HDL (good) cholesterol.
- It reduces the risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease without any serious side effects on the heart or bones.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and NASH treatment
- Thyroid mimetics such as Restmetrom have been studied for their role in the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
- They help reduce liver fat accumulation, inflammation, and fibrosis by improving liver metabolism.
Possibility of hypothyroidism treatment
- Several thyroid mimetics have been investigated as alternatives or adjuncts to levothyroxine (T4) therapy in patients with hypothyroidism, particularly those in patients who do not respond completely to T4 alone.
Neuroprotective effects
- Research suggests that thyroids may play a role in protecting neurons and supporting brain health.
- They have been investigated for the potential benefits of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease by regulating brain metabolism.
Muscle and bone health
- Thyroid hormones affect muscle strength and bone density.
- Selective thyroids that avoid excessive THR-α activation (which can cause muscle collapse and bone loss) can benefit conditions such as sarcopenia (a muscle loss associated with age).
Caution and side effects
Thyroid drugs have promising benefits, but excessive activation of thyroid receptors can cause symptoms such as tachycardia, muscle waste, osteoporosis, and hyperthyroidism.
What is important is selectivity, and new drugs target THR-β above THR-α to avoid these side effects.
Thyroids are currently under investigation for their potential for treating cardiovascular and liver diseases, particularly those of cardiovascular and liver disease.
