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Obesity Gene: Mice Lacking FTO Gene Burn More Energy And Do Not Become Overweight

Date:
March 2, 2009
Source:
University of Cologne - Universitaet zu Koeln
Summary:
Mice which do not have FTO gene, burn more energy and do not become overweight. These findings verify the importance of the FTO gene for the regulation of body weight. The results of this research may lead to new ways of treating obesity.
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Obesity has become an epidemic in many parts of the western hemisphere; over 30% of the population of Germany are overweight.

Scientists from the University of Cologne, in cooperation with scientists from the University of Düsseldorf, have been able to verify the relevance of a certain gene with regard to obesity for the first time.

In 2006, scientists discovered increased amounts of variations of the FTO genes were in overweight people. However, the relevance of this gene and its regular function remained unclear for a long time.

The team working for Prof. Dr. Jens Brüning, coordinator of the Cluster of Excellence "Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases", CECAD Cologne, and Prof. Dr. Ulrich Rüther, University of Düsseldorf, have now been able to show that mice which do not have FTO gene, burn more energy and do not become overweight.

These findings verify the importance of the FTO gene for the regulation of body weight. The results of this research will become very important for the development of new ways of treating obesity.


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Materials provided by University of Cologne - Universitaet zu Koeln. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Fischer et al. Inactivation of the Fto gene protects from obesity. Nature, Feb 22, 2009; DOI: 10.1038/nature07848

Cite This Page:

University of Cologne - Universitaet zu Koeln. "Obesity Gene: Mice Lacking FTO Gene Burn More Energy And Do Not Become Overweight." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 2 March 2009. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090227072648.htm>.
University of Cologne - Universitaet zu Koeln. (2009, March 2). Obesity Gene: Mice Lacking FTO Gene Burn More Energy And Do Not Become Overweight. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090227072648.htm
University of Cologne - Universitaet zu Koeln. "Obesity Gene: Mice Lacking FTO Gene Burn More Energy And Do Not Become Overweight." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090227072648.htm (accessed March 28, 2024).

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