Scientists find 'master switch' gene for obesity (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters)-haben scientists found that a gene related to diabetes and cholesterol is found a "master switch", the controls, the other genes in fat in the body, the and say that it should help in the search for therapies for diseases obesity.

In a study published in the journal Nature Genetics she said British researchers, because fat plays an important role in peoples susceptibility to metabolic diseases such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes, the regulatory gene target for drugs to such diseases to treat could be.

"This is the first major study that shows how small changes in a master regulator gene can cause a cascade of other metabolic effects in other genes," Tim Spector of Kings said College London, who led the investigation.

More than half a billion people, or of whom are obese 1 out of 10 adults worldwide, and the numbers have doubled since the 1980s as the obesity epidemic of the rich in poor Nations has spread.

In the United States, obesity related diseases already represent nearly 10 percent of the medical expenditure-an estimated $147 billion a year.

Type 2 diabetes, often with poor diet and lack of exercise is connected, is all over the world as rates of obesity rise reach epidemic levels.

Scientists have already identified a gene called KLF14 as type 2 levels is joined diabetes and cholesterol, but until now they knew played what role there.

Spector's team analyzed more than 20,000 genes in fat samples from under the skin of 800 British woman twin volunteers. She found a link between the KLF14 gene and the levels which removed many other genes found in adipose tissue, indicating that KLF14 acts as a master switch to control these genes.

It confirms their results then in 600 fat samples from a separate group of people from Iceland.

In a report of its study, the researchers explained that other genes found are controlled by KLF14 a series of metabolic features, including body mass index, obesity, cholesterol, insulin and glucose levels are linked.

"KLF14 seems the changes in the behavior of subcutaneous fat with errors in the muscle and liver function as a master switch process control, connected, that contribute to diabetes and other conditions", mark McCarthy from Britain's Oxford University, said of the study.

"We are working hard... to understand these processes and how we may use this information to improve the treatment of these conditions."

(Reporting by Kate Kelland, editing by Mark Heinrich)

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