Worms may play key role to treat obesity: Research study

Worms may play key role to treat obesity: Research study

Overview

  • Post By : Microbioz India

  • Source: Monash University

  • Date: 23 Feb,2017

Obesity is a condition of having a too much fat accumulation in the body resulting too much weight.A researcher from Monash University has discovered the new treatment to treat obesity through breaking the cycle of overeating. The research includes a gene isolated from Worms may play a key role to treat obesity.

The team of researcher discovered a gene, encoding a transcription factor called ETS-5, which controls signals from the brain to the intestines. Professor suggests in his study that when the intestine had stored enough fat, the brain would receive the message to stop moving, effectively putting the worm to sleep.

"When animals are malnourished they seek out food by roaming their environment. When they're well fed they have no need to roam, and when they're fully sated they enter a sleep-like state," Associate Professor Pocock said.

The team of researcher used round worms for study because of the comparative simplicity of its brain — it has just 302 neurons and 8,000 synapses, or neuron-to-neuron connections, all of which have been mapped. "Because roundworms share so many genes with humans they are a great model system to investigate and gain a better understanding of processes like metabolism as well as diseases in humans," he said.

According to professor,

"The ETS family of genes is present in humans and has previously been linked to obesity regulation. Now that we've learned this gene family controls food intake through a feedback system to the brain, it represents a credible drug target for the treatment of obesity," he said.

Note: Story may be edited for more information go through original story source.

Story Source: Monash University

Journal References: Published in current issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2017; 201610673 with the title: The ETS-5 transcription factor regulates activity states in Caenorhabditis Elegans by controlling satiety.

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