Scientists identify stem cell that drives age-related belly fat
6 reported
Researchers at City of Hope have identified a biological driver of age-related belly fat, according to a study published in the journal Science. The team discovered that aging triggers the appearance of a new type of stem cell that supercharges the body’s ability to create new fat cells, particularly around the abdomen. The findings, based on experiments in mice and supported by human cell studies, point to a potential target for future anti-obesity treatments. The research was conducted in collaboration with scientists at UCLA.
What’s reported
The study was published in the journal Science on June 27, 2026.
Researchers identified a new type of stem cell called committed preadipocytes, age-specific (CP-As) that appears during aging.
CP-As were found to be especially effective at producing new fat cells in older mice.
The signaling pathway leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR) was found to play a major role in helping CP-As multiply and develop into fat cells.
Similar fat-producing cells were found in human tissue samples from middle-aged individuals.
The study’s first authors were Guan Wang, Ph.D. (City of Hope) and Gaoyan Li, Ph.D. (UCLA).
Key figures
Qiong (Annabel) Wang, Ph.D., study co-corresponding author and associate professor of molecular and cellular endocrinology at City of Hope’s Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute
Adolfo Garcia-Ocana, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology at City of Hope
Guan Wang, Ph.D., City of Hope researcher and study first author
Gaoyan Li, Ph.D., UCLA researcher and study first author
Sources: ScienceDaily
