Clone the gene that reduces obesity in mice

1999/04/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna

A group of scientists at the Millennium Pharmaceutical in Massachusetts has cloned a gene that can be used to control obesity. The gene Mahogany (mg) produces a protein MG, with great influence in the brain area that regulates body weight, which has allowed them to control the obesity of a group of mice in laboratories. Mice that have undergone gene mutation, unlike normal mice, maintain equal weight despite the same diet.

Mice and humans have a similar metabolism, so this can be a discovery that can be applied in the future in humans, a drug surely to reduce obesity. The scientific team explains that humans have the mahogany gene, but have not yet found it. It is believed that the human metabolism will act the same before the gene mutation.