SHIP1 inhibition prevents excess weight gain, improves blood sugar control in mice

Obesity can cause a variety of health complications in affected individuals. Several lines of evidence support an association between chronic inflammation in adipose tissue and obesity complications. In mice, inhibition of a molecule known as SHIP1 reduces immune system activation. However, SHIP1 inhibition has not been explored in the context of obesity.

A new study led by William Kerr of SUNY Upstate Medical University in JCI Insight shows that pharmacological inhibition of SHIP1 improves metabolic phenotypes in mice. In animals fed a high-fat diet, SHIP1 inhibition prevented excess weight gain and improved blood sugar control. These beneficial effects of SHIP1 inhibition were the result of reduced inflammation in adipose tissue and an increase in cells types that suppress the immune system. Together, these results indicate that SHIP1 inhibition should be further explored for control of obesity and diet-related metabolic dysfunction.