Metabolic diseases articles from across Nature Portfolio

Multiomic analyses in an individual with severe, early-onset obesity, followed by targeted screening in additional patients identifies a tandem duplication at the ASIP gene (encoding agouti-signalling protein) as a novel cause of monogenic obesity, with implications for genetic diagnosis of obesity.

Sustained weight loss and weight maintenance are key challenges for the treatment of obesity. Here, the authors show that a high-protein diet following weight loss can protect against weight regain, through a process dependent on the gut microbiome.

As emerging clinical analyses suggest an increased risk of new-onset diabetes following COVID-19, a causal link and underlying mechanisms are yet to be established. Persistence of hyperglycaemia after disease regression and the potential infection of non-pancreatic tissue are adding another layer of complexity to the relationship between COVID-19 and diabetes mellitus.

Scherer and colleagues demonstrate that manipulation of iron concentrations in the mitochondrial matrix of macrophages has profound effects on their polarization, leading to concomitant changes in adipocyte iron concentrations and, ultimately, systemic metabolic effects.

Gut commensal bacteria and their metabolites can contribute to metabolic diseases. Qiao, Liu et al. reveal that expansion of Parabacteroides merdae attenuates experimental atherosclerosis.