Scientists claim faulty gene off switch is the cure for obesity

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As one of the biggest global problem today, obesity has been reported to affect almost 500 million individuals worldwide. Each year, the condition contributes to the development of other medical disorders like diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular problems. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines obesity as excessive fat accumulation in the body, which according to one study is due to a faulty gene. Fortunately, the same study has also discovered how to switch it off, which may eventually lead to a cure.

The Junior College Newspaper reports that based on the research conducted at Harvard University Medical School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the "obesity gene" can switch two other genes on that can terminate thermogenesis, a process where fat is converted to heat. Incidentally, the researchers have identified the right genes and manipulated them to reverse the inscription of obesity in both humans and rodents.

Melina Claussnitzer, the study lead and medicine professor at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, explained that the findings question the notion that individuals get obese because of their food choices, lack of exercise and lifestyle habits. Furthermore, Manolis Kellis, lead author from Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) at MIT, shared that through their discovery, they will be able to edit the genome content to help drugs or other treatment penetrate the fats and cure obesity.

Digital Journal elaborates that scientists are already aware of the genetic location they call "fat mass and obesity associated gene" or FTO since it's discovery in 2007. For this study, they use Europeans who carry the FTO genes and those who did not have the gene in them. The researchers have observed the genetic composition of their adipocytes through fat sample comparisons.

The study results indicated that FTO can switch on the adipocyte progenitor cells which in turn ignite the two genes IRX3 and IRX5. After several follow-ups, the researchers have identified that IRX3 and IRX5 are the master controllers in thermogenesis. This process is triggered by diet and exercise and when the two genes are turned on, accumulation of excessive fats occur.

Furthermore, iFree Press states that individuals who have the genes tend to be heavier by several kilos on average and are more than likely to be obese. The researchers have tested a new technology known as the Crispr/Cas9 system to help them edit the DNA code and alter the sequence.

Currently, the team is linking up with other research centers to help them in doing a clinical trial to further their studies.

The study has been published in The New England Journal of Medicine.