Discovery of a gene that helps burn fat and fight obesity while sleeping

Scientists have recently identified the mechanism of a gene that is believed to be the main culprit in causing obesity. This is considered an important discovery, opening up hope for patients with obesity.

Illustration photo.

In a research paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine on August 19, scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University in the US said that after many years of research, they have discovered the "mystery" in the obesity-causing mechanism of the mutated FTO gene.

Accordingly, the FTO gene indirectly affects obesity, similar to a "master switch", through affecting two genes IRX3 and IRX5 that control thermogenesis, also known as the process of energy consumption.

It has long been known that there are two types of fat in the human body: white fat stores energy in the form of lipids and produces hormones, while brown fat burns energy from white fat and releases heat. Therefore, from a weight loss perspective, brown fat is "good fat" while white fat is "bad fat," and the two genes IRX3 and IRX5 play a role in determining the classification of the two types of fat.

Research shows that a mutated FTO gene can affect the above two genes, causing energy from food to be stored as fat cells that accumulate in the body instead of being burned.

To address this issue, scientists used a new DNA technology called CRISPR/Cas9 in the hope of disabling the mutated FTO gene. The researchers then blocked the gene’s effects on mice and found that their metabolisms increased and their weight dropped dramatically.

The mice also lost 50% of their body weight compared to the others, and they did not gain weight despite consuming high-fat foods, instead their energy was continuously burned even during sleep. The results showed that FTO acts as a "master switch" controlling fat storage and energy burning.

The discovery of the relationship and mechanism of the FTO gene's effect on obesity has brought a new perspective compared to the traditional view that obesity is caused by people overeating and not exercising. Experts said the above research is a great contribution to the effort to find an effective treatment for obesity.

According to statistics, there are currently about 500 million people in the world suffering from obesity. Overweight and obese people not only face a higher risk of disease than normal people but also often lose confidence in communication. In addition, the social burden and treatment costs for obese patients are very large, because this disease often leads to other dangerous diseases./.

According to Vietnam⁺