Dormant Power: The Hibernation Code Hiding in te Human Genome

In a study done by the University of Utah Health, new genetic research proposes that humans carry the same hibernation-related DNA that hibernating mammals have. In hibernators like squirrels, researcher have found that a gene cluster called the fat mass and obesity locus (FTO) plays a significant role. While humans have these genes as well, this region is the strongest genetic risk factor for human obesity. Researchers who identified the hibernator-specific DNA region near the FTO altered neighboring genes, discovering that the FTO locus is critical in metabolism. In hibernator-specific regions in mice, some mutations sped up and slowed down weight gain, while others impacted the mice’s ability to recover body temperature after being in a hibernation-equivalent state. These DNA regions were found not to be genes themselves, but DNA sequences that communicate with genes nearby and alter their expression up and down.

In understanding the hibernator’s ability to change its metabolism, better treatments for human metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes, could be created. In looking at the human potential of hibernator genes, researchers concluded that the hibernator-associated changes in the genome seemed to disrupt the function of certain DNA pieces rather than create a different function. Considering this, it seems that hibernators may have lost constraints that would otherwise stop extreme flexibility in the ability to control metabolism. This means that humans may be on a restrained temperature scale locked to a narrow range of constant energy consumption, while hibernators do not have this lock.

Hibernators also have the capacity to reverse neurodegeneration, stop muscle atrophy, and stay in good health despite fluctuations in weight. The researchers at the University of Utah Health believe their findings show that humans may already have the necessary genetic code to adapt similar behaviors. Finding this hidden hibernator mechanism within the human genome could help to significantly improve our own health.

Your DNA May Explain High-Calorie Food Cravings

This is a a very interesting article which places emphasis on obesity or consuming a high calorie diet and its relation to ones DNA. Genetic variants were identified which the brains response to high calorie foods. It was very intriguing the fact that the reason for the FTO variant had a higher rate of obesity was because of dopamine signals in the brain which triggered them to crave junk food, which leads to these people consuming a poor diet. The researchers did indicate that each individual may respond differently in terms of treatment regarding these genetic variants. So the idea here is that there has to be a drug created that inhibits these variants effective enough to help the vast majority of the population. My guess would be to genetically alter drugs to act as an antagonist and in a way reduce the craving of any given person. But, more importantly these drugs most certainly should be tested on other animals before trying to treat them on humans.

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2015/11/05/your-dna-may-explain-high-calorie-food-cravings

http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/FTO

Are obese tendencies controled by gene variants?

A study presented during Obesity Week by researchers at the Imperial College London suggest they have found a pair of genetic variants that seem to correlate with obesity, as a result of increased reward responses in the brain to foods high in sugar and fat.  These two variants are located in the FTO gene and the DRD2 gene which are associated with risk of obesity.

The study found that activity in the striatum is increased in individuals with the FTO variant when looking at high calorie foods, this is only seen in those with a certain DRD2 variant, meaning that DRD2 variants have an effect on the dopamine system.

As a result of their findings the researchers suggest that individuals with FTO variants as well as DRD2 variants are more likely to be obese as a consequence to their altered dopamine signals, which cause them to have increased cravings for high calorie foods.

I find this to be quite interesting, because these results can possibly give some explanations as to why there are individuals who just struggle with being overweight, where the usual weight lose interventions don't exactly help.  Now that we know there could be some type of gene variation behind these behaviors, better more efficient "treatment" plans can be put into place, and maybe even some medications can be made/discovered to help these people who struggle with being overweight and constantly craving foods that are not good for them and causing their weight gain.

Original article

Some People 'Hardwired' to Prefer High-Calorie Foods

Dr. Tony Goldstone from Imperial College London in UK and his colleagues have found two genetic variants that seem to influence whether an individual chooses high or low calorie foods. The team conducted DNA genotyping on 45 white European adults ranging from age 19 to 55 in order to identify the presence of the FTO gene, which plays a role in the regulation of dopamine in the brain, the reward hormone. These participants ranged in their body mass from 19.1 kg/m2 to 53.1 kg/m2, ranging from healthy to obese.
The participants were asked to view piectures of high and low calorie foods and rate how appealing they were, and an MRI was used to analyze their brain activity.
It was found that those who posessed some variant near the FTO gene and rated the high calorie foods as more appealing demonstrated greated activity in the orbitofrontal cortex as well as the striatum depending on the DRD@ gene variant they possessed.
They suggest that individuals with the FTO gene may be at a greater risk for obesity early beccause thy experience more cravings than the average person for high calorie foods.
Some treatments have been suggested after this study, such as using gut hormones that target dopamine cells in the brain to alter the hormone's influence on cravings.
The study helps researchers to better understand the biological behaviors that lead to obesity.

Original article

Study Finds Some People are 'Hard-Wired' to Prefer High Calorie Foods

Study leader Dr. Tony Goldstone, from Imperial College London in the UK, and colleagues have identified two genetic variants that influence whether we opt for high-calorie or low-calorie foods - a finding that that could open the door to more personalized treatment options for obesity. Dr. Goldstone and his colleagues set out to determine whether a person's food choices may be influenced by certain genetic variants. They conducted DNA genotyping on 45 European adults aged 19-55 to identify the presence of variants near two genes: the FTO gene, which has been associated with obesity predisposition, and the DRD2 gene, which plays a role in the regulation of dopamine in the brain. The subjects had a body mass index (BMI) ranging from 19 kg to 53.1 kg. Those subjects were asked to view pictures high and low-calorie foods and rate how appealing they were, while the researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to view brain activity.

They found that the participants who possessed a variant near the FTO gene and who rated the high calorie foods as more appealing demonstrated greater activity in a part of the brain called the orbitofrontal cortex. Based on their findings, the researchers suggest that individuals who possess the FTO gene may be at greater risk for obesity because dopamine signals trigger a sense of craving and reward in the presence of unhealthy foods. Dr. Goldstone says "It means they may experience more cravings than the average person when presented with high-calorie foods leading them to eat more of these foods." The study team suggests using gut hormones that target dopamine cells in the brain to alter the hormone's influence on cravings for high-calorie foods.

Obesity, basically, means having to much body fat and is different from overweight, which means weighing too much. Obesity occurs when over time when you eat more calories than you use. From this study, the team suggests that people who have the FTO gene may have a risk for obesity because of the dopamine triggers a sense of craving. This is very interesting because I had no idea obesity could be traced to the genetic level. This finding could be very beneficial to more treatments in the future, and may help stop obesity. More than a third of adults in the US, 78.6 million people, are obese and this study could help bring that number down because obesity can lead to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and many more harmful diseases. This study helped me open my eyes about what foods to eat.

Original article here 

Some People 'Hardwired' to Prefer High-Calorie Foods, Study Finds

A new genetic study from a team of researchers at Imperial College London in the United Kingdom has identified two genetic variants, which exist near the FTO and DRD2 genes, as potential influences on whether a person prefers high-calorie or low-calorie foods.  The FTO gene has been proven to be associated with obesity and the DRD2 gene plays a role in dopamine regulation in the brain, which affects our sense of reward and craving in our bodies. With obesity being such a huge problem in the United States, as more than a third of the adults in the U.S. being obese, Dr. Tony Goldstone and his colleagues set out to determine whether these genetic variants could be the reason why so many people find it hard to stick to a healthy diet.

The team performed DNA genotyping on 45 white European adults, with ages ranging from 19 to 55 and of body mass index's ranging from 19.1 to 53.1 kg/m^2, to determine the presence of variants near the FTO and DRD2 genes. The subjects were then asked to view pictures of high-calorie and low-calorie foods and rate how appealing they found the food, while researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging to analyze their brain activity.

From the study, researchers found that participants who possessed a variant near the FTO gene and who rated the high-calorie food as the most appealing showed greater activity in the orbitofrontal cortex and striatum of the brain. These findings suggest that individuals with the FTO gene variant have a great risk of obesity as it influences dopamine signals to trigger a sense of reward and craving when in the presence of unhealthy, high-calorie, food. This causes the person with the gene to experience more cravings than the average person when in the presence of food that is high in fat and/or sugar.  

From the results of the experiment, the team of researchers believe those who have the FTO and DRD2 gene variants may need more personalized treatments for obesity, such as using gut hormones to target dopamine cells in the brain and alter the hormone's effect on the craving for high-calorie foods.  

I, personally, find this article fascinating. It's interesting to believe that something such as our desire to eat unhealthy foods can be influenced by our genes and genetic variants. It really speaks to how much our genes influence us, not only in appearance, but in behavior. The study definitely allows us to better understand the biology and genetics behind our behaviors, especially the ones that predispose some of us to crave and overeat high-calorie foods. I think it also goes a long way in helping to potentially solve the obesity problem in the U.S.

For a link to the original article click here
For more information on the FTO and DRD2 genes and their effect on obesity click here

New "Obesity Gene" Found

Researchers from the University of Chicago have said that they have found a gene that is associated to obesity. They have said that they think that the gene IRX3 controls body mass and regulates body composition. Although the research showed an association between the gene and obesity, it did not prove a cause-and-effect link. The IRX3 gene was first found though the analysis if 150 samples of DNA from people of European descent. To verify the role of IRX3 in obesity, the researchers created mice without the gene and found that they weighed about 30 percent less than normal mice. Most of the weight difference were due to the lack of body fat of these altered mice. These new rats were completely resistant to high-fat diet-induced obesity. The only problem with this research is that animal studies cannot often be replicated in humans. Previous studies have said that mutations of the gene FTO has a significant role in determining the risk of obesity in people. But this new study shows that this obesity mutation in FTO interacts with the IRX3 gene and alone the FTO mutation has only a minor effect on obesity risk.
          It is interesting that certain genes increases the risk in obesity in people. But the final deciding factor whether someone will be obese or not is that person. It is up to the individual to determine whether they will either exercise and eat healthy, or be lazy and eat McDonald's every day.

Breast Cancer found to be linked to obesity gene.

Recent studies by Northern memorial hospital have uncovered new discoveries linking genes. In the results of their studies they found that individuals with the variant FTO gene have a greater chance of having breast cancer. The FTO gene is an obesity associated gene and it is only found in eighteen percent of individuals. Even though testing for this variant is not currently available it is a breakthrough and with these results scientists are again one step closer to personalized medicine, better monitoring and prevention of this horrible illness; breast cancer.

Article was found at sciencedaily.com