New genetic cause of obesity could help guide treatment

A team of international researchers, led by the University of Exeter, has discovered a new cause of why people who lack a specific blood group are genetically predisposed to be overweight or obese.

Their research found that people with a genetic variant that disables the SMIM1 gene have higher body weight because they expend less energy when at rest. SMIM1 was only identified 10 years ago, and one in 5,000 people lack both copies of the gene, making them Vel-negative. The new research suggest that this group is also more likely to be overweight and have other measures linked to obesity including high levels of fat in the blood, signs of fat tissue dysfunction, increased liver enzymes as well as lower levels of thyroid hormones.

To make the discovery, the team analysed the genetics of nearly 500,000 participants in the UK Biobank cohort, identifying 104 people with the variant that leads to loss of function in the SMIM1 gene. The team also used the NIHR National BioResource to obtain fresh blood samples from both Vel negative and positive individuals. Extrapolating the frequencies identified in these cohorts would mean the SMIM1 variant could be a significant factor contributing to obesity for around 300,000 people across the world. The team interrogated the effects they found in four additional cohorts of people with the SMIM1 gene variant.They found that having the variant had an impact on weight, equating to an average extra 4.6kg in females and 2.4kg in males.

Lead author Mattia Frontini, Associate Professor of Cell Biology at the University of Exeter Medical School, said: “Obesity is due to an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure, often a complex interplay of lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors. In a small minority of people, obesity is caused by genetic variants.  When this is the case, new treatments can sometimes be found to benefit these people – and we’re now hoping to run a clinical trial to find out whether widely-available drug for thyroid supplementation may be beneficial in treating obesity in people who lack SMIM1.”

To find out more, CLICK HERE.

 

Desang Diabetes Magazine is our free-to-receive digital journal (see below). We cover diabetes news, diabetes management equipment (diabetes ‘kit’ such as insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring equipment) and news about food suitable for a diabetic diet including a regular Making Carbs Count column. We just need your email address to subscribe you (it really is free, and you can easily unsubscribe should you wish to).

Sign me up!
Open publication
Buy a Desang kitbag

See our range of kitbags