New open-access review out in JPET (final version-of-record): Lac-Phe (N-lactoyl-phenylalanine) 🏃🍽️🧠
A signalling metabolite that rises after exercise + meals and links metabolism to appetite/energy balance.
https://t.co/dMGuLBt37Z
The first approved GLP1 (Byetta) came from a desert reptile, the Gila monster. Inspired by this, our work on Burmese pythons 🐍🐍 is now out @NatMetabolism. An “extreme”-ly fun collaboration with Leinwand and @DrYongXu1. Congratulations @Shuke_Xiao!
https://t.co/Qwqd71JQYb
New open-access review out in JPET (final version-of-record): Lac-Phe (N-lactoyl-phenylalanine) 🏃🍽️🧠
A signalling metabolite that rises after exercise + meals and links metabolism to appetite/energy balance.
https://t.co/dMGuLBt37Z
Translation is moving 🚀 First human Lac-Phe trial began dosing in 2025.
Open gaps: targets/receptors, transport, tissue sources.
Personal note: this collab started from an email after I read a conference abstract from @iampeteroni+ @RourkeLab — delighted it led to a review
@WeiWei_Stanford @UWBiochem@uwmadisonipib Congratulations @WeiWei_Stanford! Wishing you all the best as you launch your lab at UW–Madison—excited to see the science to come!
@lynchielydia @DavidFinlayTCD @tcdTBSI Very cool, @lynchielydia! It was a bit of a whirlwind, but I’m so glad we got it out there. I’m hopeful it will make a real contribution—especially highlighting how Lac-Phe increases after meals and why the body might use it as an appetite suppressor. 🧬📚
@Fredtwee @DavidFinlayTCD @lynchielydia Huge thanks to @Fredtwee for your guidance over the past four years. Your suggestion to look into an internship at @Metabolon was absolutely spot on!
Thrilled to share that I’ve passed my PhD Viva! 🎉
A huge thank you to @DavidFinlayTCD, my co-supervisor @lynchielydia and the brilliant teams in the Finlay Lab and Lynch Lab. Grateful for all the support along the way, especially from my family.
Excited for what comes next! 🚀
@jens_lund@longlabstanford findings on CNDP2 KO with metformin, and the fact that Lac-Phe levels increase after meals 🍽, suggest there's really something here. 🔍
@jens_lund Yes, that data did give me pause 🤔, though there's a discernible trend. Could it be that Lac-Phe's appetite suppression is influenced by other parameters?
@jens_lund @DavidFinlayTCD @StephenORahilly@lynchielydia Could different CNDP2 products have distinct regulation at the membrane transport level, and also exhibit varying degradation rates?
@jens_lund @DavidFinlayTCD @StephenORahilly@lynchielydia Great point on CNDP2's role. It's worth considering if CNDP2 could also signal excess of substrates beyond lactate
https://t.co/cJ0YL1rnaV and https://t.co/AqbEYUOxya
Two interesting papers on metformin's action to elevate circulating Lac-Phe. Non-specific product of anaerobic metabolism or physiological mediator of appetite? The jury is still out I would say. I cant find any mention/
@DavidFinlayTCD @StephenORahilly@lynchielydia I suspect N-lactoyl aa's offers the body a different signal compared to lactate, due to their slower degradation rate. This nuance could be key