You are what you eat, the old saying goes. But it turns out that may be backwards. What if, in fact, you eat certain things because of who you are? Scientists have known since 2013 that a common version of the gene FGF21 makes us consume more carbohydrates. Now, for the first time, a group of researchers is showing that, despite the effect it has on diet, this gene variant actually decreases fat in the body. The results appear in the journal Cell Reports.
"We were surprised that the version of the gene associated with eating more sugar is associated with lower body fat," says the study's first author. "This goes against the current perception that eating sugar is bad for health. It may reduce body fat because the same allele also results in a lower consumption of protein and fat in the diet. But whilst this version of the gene lowers body fat, it also redistributes fat to the upper body, where it's more likely to cause harm, including higher blood pressure."
The investigators used data from the Biobank to look at associations between different versions of the FGF21 gene, diet, body composition, and blood pressure. Their analysis included more than 450,000 study participants. "Because this study has so many people in it, it gave us enough individuals to be confident in the associations we were seeing," says one of the paper's co-authors. "The data included a food frequency questionnaire from 175,000 people and blood pressure measures for everyone included in the analysis."
The FGF21 hormone, which is made mostly in the liver, has multiple functions. It acts on the hypothalamus in the brain to suppress sugar and alcohol intake, stimulates glucose update by fat cells, and acts as an insulin sensitizer. Analysis showed that, although the "A version" of the FGF21 gene leads to greater sugar and alcohol consumption, it is associated with a lower percentage of total body fat. It was also associated with higher blood pressure and a higher waist-to-hip ratio.
The authors say that studying different variants of FGF21 is important because it can help uncover some of the genetic and biological aspects of obesity. The A version of the gene is common: about 20% of the European population has the maximum two copies of it.
In the meantime, the author says people who have this version of the gene shouldn't worry too much. The effects on individuals were small, raising their blood pressure by less than a third of one millimeter of mercury on the blood pressure scale. This would mean a systolic measure that went from 120 to 120.33, for example, just a small change.
One limitation of the study is that the researchers were not able to show the mechanism by which FGF21 alters the amount and distribution of body fat. Future research will focus on this aspect.
http://healthsciences.ku.dk/news/2018/04/surprising-discovery-sweet-tooth-gene-connected-with-less-body-fat/
http://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(18)30431-5
Gene that makes humans eat more sugar can also lower body fat
- 1,566 views
- Added
Edited
Latest News
DNA attached to nanoparticl…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Mar
Neighboring synapses shape…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Mar
Complete vascularization of…
By newseditor
Posted 28 Mar
Immune cells identified as…
By newseditor
Posted 28 Mar
TB blood test which could d…
By newseditor
Posted 27 Mar
Other Top Stories
How taking breaks enhances learning process
Read more
Eating soft foods may alter the brain's control of chewing
Read more
A link between childhood stress and early molars
Read more
Omega-6 fatty acid-enriched western diet induces reversible periphe…
Read more
What is Thanatosis?
Read more
Protocols
Spatial proteomics in neuro…
By newseditor
Posted 28 Mar
All-optical presynaptic pla…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
Epigenomic tomography for p…
By newseditor
Posted 20 Mar
A mouse DRG genetic toolkit…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Mar
An optogenetic method for t…
By newseditor
Posted 13 Mar
Publications
DNA corona on nanoparticles…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Mar
Co-dependent excitatory and…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Mar
A microfluidic platform int…
By newseditor
Posted 28 Mar
Salmonella manipulates macr…
By newseditor
Posted 28 Mar
BHLHE40/41 regulate microgl…
By newseditor
Posted 28 Mar
Presentations
Hydrogels in Drug Delivery
By newseditor
Posted 12 Apr
Lipids
By newseditor
Posted 31 Dec
Cell biology of carbohydrat…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Nov
RNA interference (RNAi)
By newseditor
Posted 23 Oct
RNA structure and functions
By newseditor
Posted 19 Oct
Posters
A chemical biology/modular…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Aug
Single-molecule covalent ma…
By newseditor
Posted 04 Jul
ASCO-2020-HEALTH SERVICES R…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-HEAD AND NECK CANCER
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-GENITOURINARY CAN…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar