Researchers from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) were surprised to find how important a role a new gene RAP1 played in obesity.
Obesity is a growing global problem and especially in the United States. Researchers have been conducting new studies that could help solve this growing problem, which has now been declared a disease by the American Medical Association. In a new study, researchers from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) were surprised to discover the key role a new gene RAP1 played in obesity.
RAP1 is generally responsible for protecting telomeres, the end of chromosomes. However, these scientists noticed the gene performing a function associated with another process in the organism and this led them to suspect its previously unknown connection with obesity.
"We still don't know what evolutionary significance to attach to it, but it is at the very least interesting that a telomere gene is related to obesity", said Maria Blasco, CNIO director and co-author of the study published Thursday in the journal Cell Reports, in a press release.
During the study researchers found that RAP1 is not only present in the telomeres but in the rest of the chromosome as well and helps regulate the actions of other genes. For the study they created a lineage of mice without RAP1 and were surprised to find that this model also provided clues about obesity.
They found that mice, especially female mice who lacked RAP1, gained weight despite not eating much. According to researchers, they suffer from "metabolic syndrome, accumulate abdominal fat and present high glucose and cholesterol levels, amongst other symptoms."
The mechanism behind this is because RAP1 is known to regulate the actions of genes that are involved in the metabolism of the body. Researchers state that it acts on the same signaling pathway mediated by another protein called PPAR- gamma (PPAR-γ).
The study is published in the journal Cell Reports.
