LONDON (Reuters Health) - Scientists said on Monday they had identified a key gene suspected of causing obesity.
The team compared genome-wide scans of 576 obese and 646 normal weight adults in France, from which they identified two alleles of an appetite-stimulating gene called GAD2. One form of the gene was found to be protective against obesity, while the other increased the risk of obesity.
The research, published in Public Library of Science Biology, also found that people with the abnormal gene were significantly more likely to report high levels of hunger and an inability to control their food intake.
“The discovery that this one gene plays a role in determining whether someone is likely to overeat could be crucial in understanding the continued rise in obesity rates around the world,” Professor Philippe Froguel, from Imperial College London, who led the research while working at the Institut Pasteur de Lille, said in a statement.
“Genetic factors alone can not explain the rapid rise in obesity rates, but they may provide clues to preventative and therapeutic approaches that will ease the health burden associated with obesity,” Dr. Froguel said. “Having identified this gene, it may be possible to develop a screening programme to identify those who may be at risk of becoming obese later in life, and take effective preventative measures.”
GAD2, which is on chromosome 10, acts by speeding up production of GABA, which interacts with neuropeptide Y in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus to stimulate hunger. The researchers believe that people with the more active form of the GAD2 gene build up a larger than normal quantity of GABA in the hypothalamus and that this drives them to eat more than normal.
They said that while they recognized that obesity is a result of the interactions of many genes and environmental factors, this was one of the first genes to be strongly touted as a candidate gene for obesity.
MeSH Headings:Acids, Acyclic: Aminobutyric Acids: Butyric Acids: GABA: Amino Acid NeurotransmittersCopyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
