Serine protease inhibitor from Trichinella spiralis ameliorates diet-induced obesity and adipose tissue inflammation through TIM-3-dependent macrophage reprogramming.

A serine protease inhibitor from Trichinella spiralis reduces obesity and adipose inflammation by reprogramming macrophages via TIM-3 signaling in mice.

• Why it matters: Obesity-related inflammation driven by M1 macrophages contributes to metabolic disorders, and current therapies lack targeted immune modulation strategies.
• What they did: Researchers developed recombinant Ts-SPI and tested it in high-fat diet-induced obese mice, demonstrating its ability to shift macrophage polarization and reduce inflammation, with mechanistic insights into TIM-3 and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways.
• The result: The findings suggest that parasite-derived Ts-SPI is a promising biologic for metabolic inflammation treatment, advancing helminth-inspired immune checkpoint approaches and enhancing understanding of parasite-host immune interactions.