Key points from article :
A chemical pathway alleviates harmful consequences of obesity while having little effect on obesity itself.
Stress coping mechanisms are overwhelmed due to excessive nutrients in obesity.
A protein Keap1 keeps a lid on stress resisting transcription factor Nrf2 activation.
Silencing Keap1 gene in mice increased Nrf2 & showed improved insulin sensitivity with lower % of fat.
Also showed elevated levels of NQO1- protective against diabetes & metabolic syndrome.
Protective effects of Keap1 deletion were due to NQO1 overexpression.
NQO1 transgenic mice gained excess weight but suffered less from harmful effects of overeating.
Showed enhanced activity of main pathways of glucose and NAD+ metabolism.
Observations are compatible with improved whole-body glucose homeostasis, less oxidative stress, and higher sirtuin activity.
Research by NIH published in Nature.
