Diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1) mRNA (DGAT1 mRNA)

Diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1) mRNA is the genetic template for the DGAT1 enzyme, which plays a pivotal role in lipid metabolism by catalyzing the final step of triglyceride synthesis (PubMed: 9756920). This enzyme facilitates the covalent bonding of diacylglycerol and fatty acyl-CoA, a process essential for the formation of lipid droplets and the assembly of chylomicrons in the small intestine (UniProt: O75907). By targeting the mRNA transcript, therapeutic agents like antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) can selectively reduce DGAT1 protein expression, thereby decreasing the systemic availability of triglycerides and potentially improving insulin sensitivity in patients with metabolic syndrome (PubMed: 24510988). Clinical interest in DGAT1 mRNA targeting is driven by its potential to treat obesity, type 2 diabetes, and severe hypertriglyceridemia. However, the reduction of DGAT1 activity, particularly in the intestinal mucosa, is frequently associated with gastrointestinal side effects such as diarrhea and abdominal pain, resulting from the accumulation of undigested lipids (PubMed: 23533141). Current research focuses on optimizing the delivery and dosing of mRNA-targeting therapies to balance metabolic efficacy with patient tolerability.

Other names

DGAT1ARGP1DIAR7Acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1Diglyceride acyltransferase 1

Antisense oligonucleotide-mediated degradation of mRNA to inhibit protein translation