Gene that causes obesity discovered
Posted on: 12/Aug/2015 12:03:04 PM
A study conducted by scientists at the University of British Columbia has shown that there may be a gene that causes obesity. The study suggests that fat accumulation can be prevented by suppressing the gene. The study was published in the journal Nature Communications.
Researchers silenced the gene known as 14-3-3 zeta in lab mice. This gene is found in every cell in the body. When suppressed, the body saw a 50 per cent reduction in the unhealthy white fat quantities. This fat is normally associated with conditions such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease. Although on the same diet, mice that had higher levels of the gene were bigger and rounder and had around 22 per cent more white fat.
Say the scientists, `The study, however, did not identify the gene that encodes 14-3-3zeta, which controls the production of fat cells (known as adipogenesis) and the growth of those cells. The discovery of this direct link between a protein and fat production, points the way to a possible drug therapy.. By suppressing the gene or blocking the protein, they could prevent fat accumulation in people who are overweight, or are on their way to becoming so. People gain fat in two ways - through the multiplication of their fat cells, and through the expansion of individual fat cells. This protein affects both the number of cells and how big they are, by playing a role in the growth cycle of these cells."
