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News & Blogs » Molecular Biology News » Gene variant found in millions of Americans could result in obesity

Gene Variant Found in Millions of Americans Could Result in Obesity

Dec 26, 2017

heart disease, plaque, bacterial fats, diet, fat cells, obesity, ankyrin

Scientists have found evidence that there may be an alternative explanation to the obesity epidemic the world is currently experiencing. Generally speaking, obesity is often thought to manifest itself as a result of overeating with little to no physical activity. The imbalance in diet to exercise causes a person to be overweight. However, scientists have now found that some of the weight gain seen in humans may be genetically predetermined.

What gene variant causes obesity? How does it do it

The gene in question, known as ankyrin-B, has several variants that could cause people to gain weight, even with a healthy diet. The gene variants, carried by millions of Americans, causes fat cells in mice to absorb glucose at abnormally high rates. This causes a doubling in size of the fat cells. This gene variant, when combined with either natural aging metabolisms or an unhealthy diet, spells disaster for many Americans.

Reference

Lorenzo et al. Cell-autonomous adiposity through increased cell surface GLUT4 due to Ankyrin-B deficiency. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2017; 114 (48): 12743-12748. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1708865114

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