A new study published in revealing that a single gene plays a large role in how it introduces liver energy, a critical process for general health and disease management such as type 2 diabetes. Research, directed by Kate Townsend Creasy, Dr. Creasa Creasy, assistant to professor science of nutrition sciences Biobehaviral, focuses on the Gen PPP1R3B. This gene tells the liver how to deal with energy: store it as glycogen (sugar form) or triglycerides (type of fat).
The research team stated that when the PPP1R3B gene is more active, the liver tends to store more energy as glycogen. The liver stores more energy as fat when the gene is less active. This shift between glycogen and storage of fat is crucial because it affects the way the body manages the level of blood sugar and fat.
Large -scale genomics tests in people reported that mutations in the PPP1R3B gene are associated with several metabolic states, including diabetes and type 2 diabetes Fatty liver disease. However, it was not clear how the gene was involved in these conditions.
Our research shows that PPP1R3B is like a control switch in the liver. He directs whether the liver stores energy for rapid use in the form of glycogen or for long -term storage as fat. We have also seen changes in how effectively mice and cells with genetic manipulations of PPP1R3B can use glucose or fat to energy. This discovery can help us find new ways of helping people with metabolic diseases with precise nutrition methods based on their genetics. “
Kate Towsend Creasty, Dr Assistant of the Nutrition Professor, Department of Biobehaviral Health Sciences, Penn Nursing
Co -authors from the Perelman School of Medicine are: Minal B. Mehta, Joseph Park, David Zhang and Swaplil V. Shevalue (all based on the Faculty of Genetics), Carolin V. Hand (Department of Physiology), Paul M. Titchenell (Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism and Department of Physiology), Joseph A. Baur (Dubetes Institute, Obesity and Metabolism and the Faculty of Physiology) and the Denmark of J. Genetics at the Department of Genetics and the Institute of Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism). The National Institute of Health has supported this research.
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Reference to the journal:
Creasy, KT, (2025) PPP1R3B is a metabolic switch that shifts the liver energy storage from lipids to glycogen doi.org/10.1126/scidv.ado3440.