Technology

In their 20 years of research into the RHAMM protein and their expression in advanced cancer, an unexpected relationship with cell growth and motility was discovered. Doctors Turley and Bissel had unexpectedly shown that genetic loss of a polysaccharide (hyaluronan) binding protein termed Rhamm in mice resulted in increased subcutaneous adipogenesis (new fat cell creation) and decreased visceral adipogenesis. Furthermore, Rhamm mimetic peptides injected under the skin of rats and mice resulted in increased adipogenesis at the site of injection.

The results of this discovery offer, for the first time, the potential of inducing differentiation and proliferation of adipocytes from cells in situ. Cells that have not fully differentiated and have the potential of becoming a number of different cell types (pluripotent cells) are “convinced” to become fat cells at the site of injection of the RHAMM mimetic peptide.

The research initially centers on the use of the RHAMM mimetic peptide through injections under the skin. Existing cells would be set on a pathway to becoming adipocytes and in the process, re-volumizing the skin and reducing folds and wrinkles.

This therapy would bypass the requirement for both harvesting adipocytes from distant sites and surgically implanting these into facial tissues, a common procedure, as well as the need for artificial fillers.