Amino Acid Metabolism Affecting Obesity and Energy Balance
A special issue of Metabolites (ISSN 2218-1989). This special issue belongs to the section "Cell Metabolism".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: metabolic diseases
Interests: energy metabolism; exercise; skeletal muscle; biochemistry; amino acids
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues，
Since the discovery of the first amino acid, asparagine, from asparagus in the 1800s, the amino acid family has expanded to include not only traditional α-amino acids (containing an amino and an α-carboxylic group), but also Non-protein Amino Acids (NPAAs), which contain an amino and a carboxylic (or even a sulfate) group, such as taurine and GABA.
Furthermore, amino acid derivatives like Lactate-Phenylalanine, N-acetyltaurine, and β-hydroxybutyrate are also important. The physiological role of amino acids has extended beyond their function as protein building blocks; now they are understood to also act as crucial chemical substrates and direct signaling factors. Discoveries of amino acids and their related derivatives have been mapped within metabolic pathways, highlighting their key roles in exercise and diet-related energy metabolisms: for example, the exercise-induced derivative Lactate-Phenylalanine is key for appetite regulation and body weight control.
Therefore, in this Special Issue, we welcome research that expands our current understanding of the amino acid metabolism’s role in energy balance, as well as the potential of amino acids as biomarkers in disease pathogenesis like obesity. This Special Issue is not only intended for biological discovery research, but also welcomes new LC-MS or analytical methods that will advance the discovery amino acid metabolisms. Our ultimate goal is to compile a comprehensive body of literature on the role of amino acids in metabolic diseases, as well as their potential translational applications.
Dr. Xuchao Lyu
Dr. Teruo Miyazaki
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- metabolomics
- enzymes
- obesity
- amino acids
- non-protein amino acids
- biomarkers
- cell signals
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