Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

Pharmacology

Metformin induces a Lac-Phe gut–brain signalling axis

Nature Metabolism volume 6, pages 603–605 (2024)Cite this article

Subjects

The mechanism by which metformin affects food intake remains controversial. Now, two studies link metformin treatment with the induction of the appetite-suppressing metabolite N-lactoyl-phenylalanine, which is produced by the intestine.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1: A model for the suppression of food intake by increased of Lac-Phe production in the intestinal epithelium.

References

  1. Bridges, H. R. et al. Science 379, 351–357 (2023).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  2. The Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group. Diabetes Care 35, 731–737 (2012).

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Rena, G., Hardie, D. G. & Pearson, E. R. Diabetologia 60, 1577–1585 (2017).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Yerevanian, A. & Soukas, A. A. Curr. Obes. Rep. 8, 156–164 (2019).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. Wilcock, C. & Bailey, C. J. Xenobiotica 24, 49–57 (1994).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Coll, A. P. et al. Nature 578, 444–448 (2020).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Xiao, S. et al. Nat. Metab. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-024-00999-9 (2024).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Li, V. L. et al. Nature 606, 785–790 (2022).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Jansen, R. S. et al. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 112, 6601–6606 (2015).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  10. Kim, J. T., Li, V. L., Terrell, S. M., Fischer, C. R. & Long, J. Z. Cell Chem. Biol. 26, 1623–1629.e3 (2019).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Scott, B. et al. Nat. Metab. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-024-01018-7 (2024).

  12. Malik, V. S. & Hu, F. B. Curr. Diab. Rep. 12, 195–203 (2012).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Lund, J., Clemmensen, C. & Schwartz, T. W. Cell Metab. 34, 1085–1087 (2022).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Lam, C. K. L., Chari, M., Wang, P. Y. T. & Lam, T. K. T. Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab. 295, E491–E496 (2008).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Ashtary-Larky, D. et al. Br. J. Nutr. 124, 1121–1132 (2020).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Tara TeSlaa

  2. Molecular Biology Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Tara TeSlaa

  3. Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Tara TeSlaa

Authors
  1. Tara TeSlaa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tara TeSlaa.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The author declares no competing interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

TeSlaa, T. Metformin induces a Lac-Phe gut–brain signalling axis. Nat Metab 6, 603–605 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-024-01014-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-024-01014-x

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing: Translational Research

Sign up for the Nature Briefing: Translational Research newsletter — top stories in biotechnology, drug discovery and pharma.

Get what matters in translational research, free to your inbox weekly. Sign up for Nature Briefing: Translational Research