Gene linked to obesity identified

Home Health Disorders cure Disorders Cure oi-Staff By SUPER ADMIN Thursday, July 21, 2011, 15:05 A research team at the University of Minnesota has identified a gene that may shed light on

why obesity rates increase with age. Researchers in the lab of Kevin Wickman, Ph.D., associate professor of food,heart,hypothalamus,pharmacy at the University of Minnesota Medical School,

removed a single gene from mice as part of an ongoing study to understand how the brain controls heart function. While some cardiac deficiencies were detected in these mice, the researchers

unexpectedly found that these mice exhibited a predisposition to adult-onset obesity. "This was not an outcome we expected, but now we have an animal model that may provide new insight

into human obesity," said Wickman, co-author of the article. By examining closely where this gene, termed Girk4, is expressed in the body, the researchers found particularly high levels

in the hypothalamus, a brain region involved in regulating food intake and energy expenditure. Wickman speculated that disruption of normal function in the hypothalamus may underlie the

obesity seen in the mutant mice, but he acknowledges that more research is needed to understand where and how this gene works, and consequently, why mice missing this gene develop obesity.

The age-dependence of the obesity seen in this mouse model mimics human obesity patterns, researchers said. Indeed, the likelihood of people developing obesity more than doubles between the

ages of 20 and 60. "This is a novel finding that may provide important new insight to the underlying cellular mechanisms that influence obesity," said Catherine Kotz, Ph.D.,

co-author of the article, scientist at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center and adjunct professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota. The research

was published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. DISCLAIMER: _ The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only

and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions

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Article Published On: Thursday, July 21, 2011, 15:05 [IST]