Deciphering Obesity's Genetic Component with Data

 

   Deciphering Obesity's Genetic Component with Data

        A group of geneticists at the University of Tokyo developed a data-driven way to decipher obesity genetics using obesity related SNPs from publicly available data. Using the data, they selected key genes and found 74 key genes related to obesity. Of the 74 genes selected, 37 of them had not been reported for the physiopathology of obesity. Finally, the group detected that 23 of the 74 genes are potential targets for 78 drugs that are already available and marketed.

Understanding the biological processes that lead to obesity is the most important step in stopping it. With an understanding of the genes that cause obesity via an in silico investigation, researchers can narrow the scope of what to work on when it comes to therapeutic targets. This kind of research is important as it informs what treatments are possible without having to rely on mass amounts of testing. Currently, Ozempic, a drug used for type 2 diabetes treatment, has seen use as a weight loss drug. The problem with this usage is that Ozempic is not approved as a weight loss treatment. With research like this group has done, further investigations into trends like the usage of Ozempic can be investigated further to find out if it can be used safely as a weight loss medication.

https://www.ozempic.com/why-ozempic/what-is-ozempic.html

https://www.nature.com/articles/s10038-023-01189-3

Fathers May Pass Down More Than Just Genes

In 2013, an obese man went to a hospital in Denmark to get his stomach stapled. It was a normal bariatric surgery, with one exception. The man donated a sperm sample a week before the procedure, then a week, after the procedure, then donated a third sample a year after the procedure. 

Scientists were determined to prove an interesting hypothesis: if a man's experiences can alter his sperm, and ultimately alter his offspring. This is a controversial idea, because the standard belief about heredity is that parents pass only genes down to their children. Genes that predispose children to factors like obesity, stress, or cancer, or they don't. Whether one's parents were actually obese or anxious does not rewrite the genes. 

But, in the past few years, a number of animal experiments have challenged this conventional understanding of heredity. For example, in 2010 Dr. Romaine Barres of the University of Copenhagen fed male rats a high-fat diet then mated them with females. Compared to male rats fed a regular diet, the high-fat rats fathered offspring who tended to gain more weight, develop more fat and have trouble regulating insulin levels.

Eating a high-fat diet was just one factor that could alter a father's offspring. High levels of stress have been thought to affect the offspring, too. Male rats exposed to stressful environments, such as smelling the odor of a fox, will father offspring with a dampened response to stress. 

Scientists have taken a close look at sperm to determine the link between a father's experiences and his offspring's biology. Genes are regulated by molecules called epigenetic factors. These molecules can respond to environmental influences and silence or activate certain genes as needed. Some studies have suggested that changes to epigenetic factors can be passed down to offspring. 

Dr. Tracy Bale, a neuroscientist at UPenn, examined the sperm of stressed rats and saw unusual levels of epigenetic molecules called microRNAs. Scientists have only started to investigate the epigenetics of fatherhood. The studies have been influential, but not clear-cut. 

Dr. Barres investigated the potential link between epigenetic differences of children with obese fathers vs. lean fathers. He collected sperm from ten obese Danish men and thirteen lean ones. They found numerous epigenetic differences, including the molecular caps that are placed on DNA in a process called methylation. He found more than 9,000 genes in which the methylation pattern differed between obese and lean men. 

After this finding, they recruited six obese men getting bariatric surgery to see if losing weight changes this pattern. Dr. Barres and his colleagues identified about 4,000 genes that were methylated differently a year after the surgery. These epigenetically altered genes are genes that control behavior such as appetite control. The new study does not prove that these changes have any affect on the father's children. Next, they will study the father's sperm and the pattern of the offspring's blood cells, to get a deeper understanding. To prove this finding, there must be more studies with many more people, such as hundreds, to prove this effect. 

I think this study is very interesting, it is something I never thought about before. I definitely have the standard belief about heredity, that genes are only passed on to offspring, not experiences. But after reading this article and thinking about the causes and effects, people always say that addiction "runs in the family." A person would not be addicted to something if they never tried alcohol, or a drug, so wouldn't we say that addiction is inherited by the parent's lifestyle? I don't have the best understanding of addiction or how it comes about, but if someone drinks on a daily basis and feels like they need alcohol, it is accepted by many people that the children can have an addictive personality too. So, why is it hard to believe that if a parent eats uncontrollably, and is ultimately addicted to food, will have the same effect on children just like alcoholism does? I agree that more studies need to be done to prove this, but I believe that a parent's (not just a father's) experiences and habits can be passed down to their offspring after reading this article.

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

Gene Discovered That Could be an Important Cause of Obesity

Gene Discovered That Could be an Important Cause of Obesity

"A gene that could be an important cause of obesity has been discovered. Discovery of this direct link between a protein and fat production points the way to a possible drug therapy. Scientists theorize that 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."

While this may not be the only (genetic) cause for obesity, it certainly shows a strong correlation even if only as a contributing factor instead of as the entire cause. Another study conducted earlier this year also linked obesity to genetics, but that study didn't identify this specific gene that seems to have a direct impact on the fat reduction of an individual. This could be the next diet craze, with the difference being that it works in a more permanent capacity.

The Role of Genes in Obesity

According to the article on US News, new research now offers more evidence that genes play an important role in obesity. In this study, researchers analyzed genetic samples from more than 300,000 people and identified 140 locations across their sets of DNA that play a role in obesity. This finding is the first step toward identifying individual genes that are involved in body shape and size. The protein produced by these genes could offer targets for the development of new drugs to fight obesity. Although more research is yet to be done, the results of this finding can help explain why some people are more likely to gain extra pounds and develop health conditions that are linked with obesity. 

I think this is an important finding in medicine field. The results from this research can help us understand how specific genes influence the location of fat deposits, which lead to health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. Once this is understood, we can come up with ways to prevent obesity linked health conditions. 

Bad food and choices, not genes

           A large number of people believe that obesity is genetic. However, this is proven to be false. Obesity is a worldwide problem in America. Believing that obesity is generic kills hopes for those who were motivated to lose weight- this is why it is to important to let America know the truth. Research on human obesity genes started several decades ago. Advances in biology and the Human Genome has helped this research. This research has illuminated many genetic factors responsible for obesity.  
             Genetic changes does not explain obesity because the gene pool has remained stable for many generations. It takes a very long time for a new mutation to spread. Therefore, since or genes have not changed for years, the other thing that has changed is our environment and habits. The environment has influenced what to eat, how much and how active we are. Back then, people were much more active using walking or bicycles as transportation compared to this generation. In our current generation, no barely ever anyone using active transportation- almost every person owns a car.  Other environmental changes that promotes obesity is how easy it is to overeat, for example- fast food places or drive through. 
            Research and studies have shown that genetic susceptibility to obesity can be changed by life choices such as exercising. We can control how much we eat or exercise. Regardless of how obese your parents are, the child can prevent obesity by a healthy diet and exercise. Americans should not point the finger at thier genes but rather blame self-control.


Article: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/825410
2nd Article: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-causes/genes-and-obesity/

People Might Be Genetically Programmed to Eat More Than Others

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have discovered big differences in the variability of eating habits amongst pigs.  The study looked at pigs with comparison to humans genetic mapping to reveal specific genes on the human genome known to be involved with obesity.  The researchers monitored the eating habits of pigs rather than humans because it would be nearly impossible to monitor that many humans hourly for that extent of time.  Basically, the research team wanted to figure out and understand why when some people get hungry they over eat, while others have control over how much they eat.  Pigs are a popular study model for researchers studying human obesity because they have similar genomes and digestive systems with humans.  Over a thousand pigs were given an abundance of food supply during a time span of four years, and each of the pigs were monitored daily.  The results were very interesting, there were big differences in the variability of the pigs eating habits. Some pigs with certain genetic variants were overeating as a normal behavior, proving they were genetically programmed to eat more food than other pigs. Kadarmideen states, "This is the first study in the world looking at pig to human comparative genetic mapping to reveal key genes on the human genome (e.g. on chromosomes 6 and 17) that are known to be involved in human obesity and some new genes; together they may explain why we crave for (more and sometimes unhealthy) food and why some of us overeat, so consequently developing obesity and diabetes, both of which are key societal and public health problems".  In the future it is possible that a simple blood test could determine if that person is more likely to have unhealthy eating habits, which could lead to diseases such as diabetes or obesity.  I believe this would be quite remarkable if people were able to take a simple blood test to figure out what kind of eating behaviors they geneticaly have.  It would allow for better understanding of the obseity genes and why some individuals eat like they do.  Although, I firmly believe that even if people know they might have genetically unhealthy eating habits, it all comes down to the individual person on changing these bad habits.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/267024.php
http://obesityinamerica.org/