A groundbreaking study from Stanford Medicine has identified a naturally occurring molecule that shows promise in reducing appetite and body weight, potentially without the side effects associated with existing treatments. This new peptide, BRP, targets specific metabolic pathways in the brain, offering a more precise approach to weight management compared to current medications like semaglutide. Researchers are now preparing for clinical trials to explore its efficacy in humans.

Precision in Metabolic Pathways: A New Approach to Weight Management

The newly discovered molecule, BRP, operates through a distinct metabolic pathway, activating different neurons in the brain compared to semaglutide. Unlike semaglutide, which affects multiple organs and can cause side effects such as nausea and muscle loss, BRP appears to act specifically within the hypothalamus, which controls appetite and metabolism. This targeted action may lead to more effective and safer weight loss solutions.

In-depth studies have shown that BRP significantly reduces food intake and promotes fat loss in animal models. Lean mice and minipigs treated with BRP demonstrated a 50% reduction in food consumption over an hour, while obese mice lost an average of 3 grams of fat over two weeks. Importantly, these animals did not exhibit changes in movement, water intake, anxiety-like behavior, or fecal production, suggesting that BRP might offer a more tolerable treatment option. The researchers also noted improvements in glucose and insulin tolerance, further supporting BRP's potential benefits.

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Biomedical Breakthroughs

The discovery of BRP was made possible by innovative use of artificial intelligence. Researchers developed an algorithm called Peptide Predictor to sift through thousands of human protein-coding genes, identifying potential prohormones involved in energy metabolism. By focusing on proteins with four or more cleavage sites, they narrowed down their search to 373 prohormones, a manageable number for biological screening.

Peptide Predictor predicted that prohormone convertase 1/3 would generate 2,683 unique peptides from these proteins. Among these, a small peptide composed of just 12 amino acids, named BRP, showed remarkable activity in neuronal cells, increasing their activity tenfold compared to control cells. Further testing confirmed BRP's effectiveness in reducing food intake and promoting weight loss in both lean and obese animal models. The researchers are now investigating the specific cell-surface receptors that bind BRP and exploring ways to prolong its effects in the body for more convenient dosing schedules.