New genes identified by scientists at the University of Louisville in Kentucky may indicate a person's predisposition to excess abdominal fat, which can be an indicator of more serious health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and cancer.
Genetics accounts for anywhere between 30% to 60% percent of belly fat, or waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). A research team led by Kira Taylor, assistant professor at the University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences, has linked 5 new genes with increased WHR. The findings, which appear in Human Molecular Genetics, could put scientists closer to developing a drug to treat obesity or obesity-related diseases.
Analyzing the genes of 57,000 people of European descent, Taylor and colleagues searched for genes that increase risk of high waist-to-hip ratio, independent of overall obesity. Out of 50,000 genetic variants in 2,000 genes thought to be involved in cardiovascular or metabolic traits, investigators identified three new genes associated with increased WHR in both men and women. Two more new genes seemed to only affect WHR in women. One of the two genes in females, SHC1, appears to interact with 17 other obesity-related proteins and is highly expressed in fat tissue.
"This is the first time SHC1 has been associated with abdominal fat," Taylor said in a university statement. "We believe this discovery holds great opportunity for medicinal chemistry and eventually, personalized medicine. If scientists can find a way to fine tune the expression of this gene, we could potentially reduce the risk of excessive fat in the midsection and its consequences, such as cardiovascular disease."
In previous studies, mice lacking the SHC1 protein were found to be leaner, an indication that this molecule may play a role in metabolic imbalance.
- read the press release
- see the study (PDF)