Navigation Links
Researchers reveal how a single gene mutation leads to uncontrolled obesity
Date:3/18/2012

Washington, D.C. -- Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center have revealed how a mutation in a single gene is responsible for the inability of neurons to effectively pass along appetite suppressing signals from the body to the right place in the brain. What results is obesity caused by a voracious appetite.

Their study, published March 18th on Nature Medicine's website, suggests there might be a way to stimulate expression of that gene to treat obesity caused by uncontrolled eating.

The research team specifically found that a mutation in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) gene in mice does not allow brain neurons to effectively pass leptin and insulin chemical signals through the brain. In humans, these hormones, which are released in the body after a person eats, are designed to "tell" the body to stop eating. But if the signals fail to reach correct locations in the hypothalamus, the area in the brain that signals satiety, eating continues.

"This is the first time protein synthesis in dendrites, tree-like extensions of neurons, has been found to be critical for control of weight," says the study's senior investigator, Baoji Xu, Ph.D., an associate professor of pharmacology and physiology at Georgetown.

"This discovery may open up novel strategies to help the brain control body weight," he says.

Xu has long investigated the Bdnf gene. He has found that the gene produces a growth factor that controls communication between neurons.

For example, he has shown that during development, BDNF is important to the formation and maturation of synapses, the structures that permit neurons to send chemical signals between them. The Bdnf gene generates one short transcript and one long transcript. He discovered that when the long-form Bdnf transcript is absent, the growth factor BDNF is only synthesized in the cell body of a neuron but not in its dendrites. The neuron then produces too many immature synapses, resulting i
'/>"/>

Contact: Karen Mallet
km463@georgetown.edu
Georgetown University Medical Center
Source:Eurekalert

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related biology news :

1. NC State researchers get to root of parasite genome
2. Researchers find animal with ability to survive climate change
3. Researchers find an essential gene for forming ears of corn
4. Researchers note differences between people and animals on calorie restriction
5. Researchers study acoustic communication in deep-sea fish
6. Researchers discover that growing up too fast may mean dying young in honey bees
7. Researchers study how pistachios may improve heart health
8. UI researchers find potentially toxic substance present in Chicago air
9. Researchers develop new self-training gene prediction program for fungi
10. Case Western Reserve University researchers track Chernobyl fallout
11. Childrens National researchers develop novel anti-tumor vaccine
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:5/21/2013)... battle? Try staying fit in space, where living quarters ... , That,s the challenge a group of Michigan State ... million grant from NASA. Their goal is to keep ... "You could give astronauts the best exercise regimen there ... to it, it isn,t going to help," said project ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... , Where? Copenhagen, Denmark: Bella Center Congress ... , Why? An annual meeting ... developments, manufacturing and installation, drawing on leading experiences from ... edition from a record of more than 900 abstracts ... plenary and oral presentations, more than 460 visual presentation, ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... genes function without changing the underlying DNA sequence, ... pregnant women during any trimester, potentially providing a ... after giving birth, and an opportunity to intervene ... the small study involving 52 pregnant women are ... . , "Postpartum depression can be harmful to ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Fueling fitness on the final frontier 221st European Biomass Conference and Exhibition 221st European Biomass Conference and Exhibition 321st European Biomass Conference and Exhibition 4Genetic predictors of postpartum depression uncovered by Hopkins researchers 2Genetic predictors of postpartum depression uncovered by Hopkins researchers 3
... R.I. [Brown University] As the United States seeks ... expected to play a role. According to the National ... Energy, biodiesel "represents a significant energy resource and could ... distillate fuel market." One major obstacle to achieving ...
... better way to see molecules at work in living brain ... Memory and the MIT Department of Chemistry are helping elucidate ... further understanding of how synapses go awry in developmental diseases ... appear in the Oct. 7 issue of Cell . ...
... duplication of genetic material and the faithful segregation of ... DNA replication is linked both to cell cycle progression ... the assembly of a multi-protein complex called pre-replicative complex ... DNA replication. As the name implies, origin recognition complex ...
Cached Biology News:Brown University chemists simplify biodiesel conversion 2Brown University chemists simplify biodiesel conversion 3MIT researchers develop a better way to see molecules at work in living brain cells 2Novel protein critical for cellular proliferation discovered 2
(Date:5/21/2013)... (PRWEB) May 21, 2013 As ... a strong push within the industry to deliver ... Manufacturing Organizations and pharma companies often means turning ... , Microtablets, developed in collaboration with Sensidose AB ... outsourcing can bring products to market sooner. The ...
(Date:5/21/2013)...  MacroGenics, Inc. today announced that an abstract ... Fc-modified chimeric monoclonal antibody (MAb), in patients with ... be presented at the 2013 Annual Meeting of ... Developmental Therapeutics - Immunotherapy Oral Abstract Session on ... The presentation will describe the results of a ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... 21, 2013 Bed bugs have become so ... Cleaning Products, many turn to chemical-based pesticides for help to ... and environmental risks those solutions present, the company advised the ... Bully instead. , According to My Cleaning Products, chemical-based ... used to be. It shared that the pests have already ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... Inflamax scientists worked closely with internationally ... the study, which will provide critical insight into ... in the study of allergy treatments, the Environmental ... models. Although both the models are well recognized ... direct comparison between the allergic responses evoked by ...
Breaking Biology Technology:The Development of an Innovative Microtablet Dosage Form, a Success Story: Live Webinar Hosted by Xtalks 2MacroGenics Announces Margetuximab (MGAH22) Phase 1 Data Presentation at ASCO; Initiates Phase 2 Clinical Study to Evaluate Activity of Margetuximab in Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer 2MacroGenics Announces Margetuximab (MGAH22) Phase 1 Data Presentation at ASCO; Initiates Phase 2 Clinical Study to Evaluate Activity of Margetuximab in Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer 3New Guide to Kill Bed Bugs Published by My Cleaning Products, Company Enumerates Non-Toxic Means to Clear the Pests 2New Guide to Kill Bed Bugs Published by My Cleaning Products, Company Enumerates Non-Toxic Means to Clear the Pests 3Inflamax Research selected by the Immune Tolerance Network and the National Institutes of Health to conduct a landmark clinical study on the underlying mechanisms of allergic inflammation. 2
... With plans to erect as many as five more buildings ... thinking about needs well beyond its existing base of 2,500 ... chief administrative officer, said the company anticipates adding 1,500 more ... of 2,500. In addition, there remains plenty of room on ...
... programs for the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business, ... information technology workforce development. In part one of this interview, ... IT professionals in their progression from technologist to manager or ... Scott Converse also is a featured speaker at the ...
... sees a lot of parallels between riding a motorcycle and running ... skinned his knees attempting to do both. , ,Hanlon will visit ... the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation's Gilson Series , ... an emerging-growth company. , ,While he figures to be speaking to ...
Cached Biology Technology:Epic Systems will build well beyond current staff size 2Motorcycling entrepreneur to speak in Madison on success, failure, capital 2Motorcycling entrepreneur to speak in Madison on success, failure, capital 3
... Refrigerated Vapor Trap Models RVT100, RVT400, RVT405DDA, ... UVS400, UVS400A and UVS800DDA., A non-corrosive, odorless ... for temperatures ranging from -105 to +260 ... and does not evaporate. Far superior to ...
... The nature of proteomics demands the ... The superior performance of the AXIMA-CFRplus with ... than 5 ppm) provides increased confidence in ... blanking for enhanced sensitivity, automated sample target ...
... of the Axima range, the AXIMA-CFR ... accuracy, resolution, sensitivity and mass range, ... linear and reflectron time-of-flight analysis. The ... the generation of seamless PSD, providing ...
Rat Lung Fibroblasts (RLF) (>500,000 cells)...
Biology Products: