Simple Oral Treatment Greatly Reduces Both Atherosclerosis and Diabetes in Mice

It is increasingly clear that metabolic derangements in adipocytes and inflammation are found in both atherosclerosis and diabetes. Adipocyte fatty-acid-binding protein (aP2) is abundant in the adipocytes and macrophages of both mice and humans and has been associated with both atherosclerosis and diabetes in mouse studies.

An international team created an orally active small-molecule inhibitor of aP2 and administered it to a strain of mice prone to develop atherosclerosis when fed a Western diet. Rates of atherosclerosis were reduced by about 50%, without an effect on body weight, glucose, or lipid metabolism.

The team then treated a different strain of mice prone to develop diabetes. Blood glucose levels in both the fasted and fed states we…