New insights into how genes inherited from our father and mother influence obesity. The findings of the study can pave the way in developing better treatments to fight obesity. A team of researchers, led by Professor Jan-Wilhelm Kornfeld from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Elena Schmidt from the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Cologne, Germany and Martin Bilban from the Medical University, Vienna, Austria, have made a groundbreaking discovery in obesity research.
‘New obesity study explores how genes derived from our father can lead to the development of white fat tissue which increases metabolic disease risk and genes from our mother can lead to the development of brown fat tissue, which has a protective effect against obesity.’
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The team has discovered a new function of the gene H19. This gene proves to have a unique protective effect against the development of overweight and consequently, could affect the onset of overweight-associated disease such as diabetes, overweight and cardiovascular diseases.H19 belongs to the app. one percent of our genes, which we - as opposed to the remaining 99 percent - inherit exclusively from either our mother or father, the so-called monoallelic genes.
As a result of extensive studies, the researchers have also discovered how genes derived from our father primarily lead to the development of white fat tissue, which most often are found on the stomach, thighs, and backside, and which can lead to metabolic diseases.
Likewise, it appears that genes from our mother primarily lead to the development of brown fat tissue, which is characterized by having a protective effect against obesity.
Professor Jan-Wilhelm Kornfeld and Martin Bilban are delighted with the research results.
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- By using mouse models, we have identified that the gene H19 performs a form of gene control in brown fat cells. We have been able to demonstrate that overexpression of the H19 gene in mice protects against obesity and insulin resistance.
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Source-Eurekalert