A recent scientific study reported new evidence that an infection with a common virus may be a contributing cause to the obesity epidemic. Acording to team conclusion this virus is sweeping through the United States and other countries. Under laboratory conditions they showed that infection with human adenovirus-36 (Ad-36), transforms adult stem cells obtained from fat tissue into fat cells. Stem cells not exposed to the virus, in contrast, were unchanged.
In addition, the study confirmed identification of a specific gene in the virus that is considered to be involved in this obesity-promoting effect. The research team claims that this findings could lead to an antiviral medication or vaccine to help fight viral obesity in the future.
These findings were presented at the 234th national meeting of the American Chemical Society. The study presenter Magdalena Pasarica, M.D., Ph.D., of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, added that the exact mechanism by which the virus might lead to obesity in people is currently unknown. Researchers also do not know that other human viruses may also contribute to obesity.
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