Sandbox 44: Difference between revisions

==Applications==

Since human pancreatic lipase plays such a vital function on the breakdown and storage of fats in the human body, there are no doubt a wealth of applications stemming from lipase manipulation.  The inhibition of lipase, in particular, has been studied in great detail by pharmaceutical companies, as when lipase in inhibited, it cannot properly store and absorb fat.  If the human body cannot store fat properly, it likely will lose weight- naturally a result upon which pharmaceutical companies can capitalize today in our obese society!  <p>

One particular such lipase inhibitor under research is a C11 alkyl phosphonate compound that inhibits lipase through its binding of Ser 152 in the active site.<ref>1HPL PDB [http://www.pdb.org/pdb/explore/explore.do?structureId=1LPB]  The inhibitor fits into a hydrophobic groove within the molecule and thus is believed by scientists to be a mimic of a fatty acid which would have been produced from the binding of a triacylglyceride and the enzyme.  Such devious maneuvers by lipase inhibitors may truly be the face of tomorrow's weight-loss drugs as they prevent the storage and absorption of fats by the body.  Of course, caution must naturally be taken with the promise of such drugs, as a complete lack of fat absorption and/or storage by the body could be potentially fatal.</p>

==References==

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