A sweeping international effort is connecting the dots between genes in our fat cells and our risk for obesity and cardiometabolic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The researchers have identified approximately 90 genes found in fat that could play important roles in such diseases – and could be targeted to develop new treatments or cures.
Unlike many genetics studies, the huge project looked at how genes’ activity actually manifests in human patients – in this case, 770 Finnish men. The results will help doctors and scientists better understand how normal gene variations can affect individuals’ health and risk for disease.
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The precise documentation allowed the researchers to draw conclusions about the effects of gene variations that naturally occur in subcutaneous fat.
“Genetic factors do not work in isolation – they work in a holistic way, so I think that these kind of studies that we are publishing are key to understanding what’s happening in human populations,” said [Mete Civelek of the University of Virginia School of Medicine].
[The study can be found here.]The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post: 90 Genes in Fat Cells May Contribute to Dangerous Diseases