The pTOS metabolite increases up to 1,000-fold in pythons after eating large prey. This compound helps suppress appetite and may be an alternative to GLP-1-based medications such as Ozempic.
Scientists have identified a new molecule in the blood of python snakes which could pave the way for future weight loss treatments, offering a potential alternative to current medications like Ozempic, with fewer side effects.
Pythons can go months without eating before consuming large prey in a single meal. To deal with this cycle of abundance and scarcity, their bodies undergo drastic changes: the metabolism can accelerate up to 40 times and organs such as the heart may temporarily increase in size.
In a new paper published in Nature Metabolism, a research team led by Leslie Leinwand of the University of Colorado at Boulder and Jonathon Long of Stanford University analyzed blood samples from ball pythons (Python regius) and Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) after feeding. Identified 208 metabolites which increased after a meal, with one compound standing out: para-tyramine sulfate, or pTOS.
pTOS levels increased up to 1000 times after feeding. Produced by intestinal bacteria during the breakdown of the amino acid tyrosine, this metabolite is not well understood, although small amounts may also exist in humans.
To study its effects, researchers tested pTOS in mice. The results were surprising: both obese and lean mice ate significantly less after receiving the compound, leading to weight loss. Remarkably, this occurred without the common side effects associated with GLP-1 medications, such as gastrointestinal discomfort, muscle loss or reduced energy levels.
Further analysis showed that pTOS activates neurons in the brain’s hypothalamus, specifically in regions responsible for regulating hunger and satiety. This mechanism may explain how pythons naturally suppress appetite after consuming large meals.
The results suggest that pTOS or similar metabolites could eventually be developed into appetite-suppressant treatments for humans.
