DGAT and triglyceride synthesis: A new target for obesity treatment?

Because triglycerides are considered essential for survival and their synth esis has been thought to occur through a single mechanism, inhibiting trigl yceride synthesis has been largely unexplored as a possible target for obes ity treatment. However; recent studies indicate that mice lacking acyl CoA: diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT), a key enzyme in triglyceride synthes is, are viable and resistant to diet-induced obesity. Unexpectedly, this re sistance is caused by a mechanism involving increased energy expenditure. T hese findings suggest that inhibiting specific components of triglyceride s ynthesis, such as DGAT is feasible and may represent a novel approach to tr eating obesity. (C) 2001, Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.