Human Adenoviruses: Can They Cause Obesity?
Research suggests that human adenoviruses, similar to the animal adenovirus SMAM-1, may have the potential to cause obesity in humans. Among the 51 known human adenoviruses, three have been found to induce obesity in animals, while two have not shown such effects. Notably, Adenovirus-36 has been identified as the virus that causes obesity in the largest number of animals and is the only virus known to do so in humans.
In studies involving twins, it was observed that the sibling infected with the virus tended to be heavier and had a higher percentage of body fat compared to the uninfected sibling. The virus specifically targets adipocytes, releasing enzymes that promote fat accumulation and the creation of fat cells. It is worth mentioning that the discovery of adenovirus-36 coincided with the global surge in obesity rates.
However, diagnosing adenovirus-36 infections accurately can be challenging, as current testing methods are somewhat unreliable. This suggests that the actual prevalence of adenovirus-36 infections may be higher than reported statistics indicate.
Treating Infectobesity
One of the primary focuses in researching infectobesity is to find effective treatments for obesity by targeting the viruses responsible for it. Various ongoing trials are currently underway to determine the most effective way of managing viruses that lead to obesity and to understand how treatments can impact the accumulation and storage of fat. A recent study conducted on mice showed promising results, where a vaccine targeting adenovirus-36 reduced inflammation, weight gain, and fat development caused by the infection. This breakthrough could potentially serve as the foundation for developing a vaccine to combat infectobesity in humans.