Scientists have identified a protein that appears to play an important role in how cells use energy and store fat. The discovery could help researchers develop new approaches to understanding obesity and metabolic health, although a safe and effective treatment for people remains a long way off.
The protein, known as MTCH2 and nicknamed “Mitch,” helps regulate the way cells manage nutrients and produce energy. Researchers found that removing this protein from human cells grown in the laboratory increased their use of fats and other nutrients for energy.
The findings also suggest that MTCH2 plays a role in the development of fat cells, raising new questions about how the body balances energy consumption with fat storage.
How the Protein Influences Fat Burning
Cells rely on mitochondria to convert nutrients into usable energy. These structures play a central role in metabolism, helping the body use fats and carbohydrates to support essential functions.
Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science investigated what happens when MTCH2 is removed from cells. They observed increased cellular respiration, the process through which cells use oxygen to release energy from nutrients.
The altered human cells consumed more fats, carbohydrates and amino acids. Their use of fatty acids as an energy source also increased, suggesting that MTCH2 helps regulate how cells decide which nutrients to use for fuel.
These experiments provide insight into the biological mechanisms behind fat metabolism. However, results from laboratory-grown cells do not automatically translate into the same effects in the human body.
Experiments Reveal Changes in Fat Cell Development
Researchers also investigated the protein’s role in adipogenesis, the process through which immature precursor cells develop into mature fat cells.
In experiments using mouse-derived precursor cells, removing MTCH2 substantially reduced the number of cells that developed into mature fat cells. The altered cells also accumulated fewer fat droplets.
The findings suggest that MTCH2 is involved not only in the way cells use stored nutrients but also in the biological processes required to form new fat-storing cells.
Healthy fat tissue is essential for normal bodily functions, including energy storage and hormone regulation. Therefore, preventing fat cells from developing is not necessarily beneficial in every situation. Scientists must understand the wider consequences before considering this mechanism as a potential treatment target.
What Earlier Animal Research Revealed
Earlier experiments in mice showed that disabling MTCH2 in muscle tissue increased energy expenditure and improved muscular endurance. The animals were also more resistant to weight gain under certain dietary conditions.
Follow-up research published in 2025 examined the protein’s role in fat tissue and found that mice lacking MTCH2 in their fat cells burned more energy. When fed a high-fat diet, these animals gained less weight and accumulated less body fat than control mice, despite consuming similar amounts of food.
The researchers also observed improvements in glucose tolerance and cholesterol levels in these experiments.
These findings strengthen the evidence that MTCH2 is involved in metabolic regulation. Nevertheless, results from genetically modified mice cannot establish whether blocking the same protein would safely produce weight loss in humans.
Could This Discovery Lead to New Obesity Treatments?
Current obesity treatments include changes to eating habits, physical activity, behavioural support and, when appropriate, prescribed medication. The new research explores a different possibility: influencing how cells use energy rather than focusing only on appetite.
However, MTCH2 is involved in important cellular processes, including mitochondrial function. Blocking it could have unintended effects, and researchers have not yet established a safe method for targeting the protein to produce lasting weight loss in people.
Further studies will need to determine whether this pathway can be modified safely, which tissues should be targeted and how the approach might affect muscle, fat storage and overall metabolic health.
For now, the discovery offers a new direction for laboratory research rather than a ready-made weight-loss solution. It highlights how a better understanding of cellular energy use could eventually contribute to more targeted approaches to obesity and related metabolic conditions.
