Genetics, Disease, and Adipocytes: The Deep Biological Mechanisms of Obesity

Other obesity-related genes

Other relatively typical gene mutations reported in obesity cases include:

(1) Mutation of the sludgein gene reduces the level of sludgein, resulting in a decrease in the function of inhibiting eating.

(2) Mutation of the sludge subsome gene: The effect of sludge is reduced, resulting in increased appetite.

43) PCMe is not due to mutation: it is a melanocortin product expressed by the POMc gene, such as MSH.

When the amount of food decreases, the effect of suppressing eating is reduced.

1. Changes in MC-4 receptor function: A decrease in MC-4 receptors causes melanocortin to suppress appetite.

Its effect is weakened.

The influence of genetic factors on obesity

(1) Genetic factors influence body mass index, subcutaneous fat thickness, and visceral fat, among which visceral fat is affected.

The effect of fat is particularly important.

(2) Genetics not only affects the degree of obesity, but also has a strong influence on the distribution pattern of fat.

(3) Obesity following overfeeding (i.e., overfeeding-induced weight gain sensitivity) is caused by genetic factors.

It is determined by transmission factors.

(4) Genetics can influence an individual's basal metabolic rate, the thermic effect of food, and the thermic effect of exercise.

This means that energy expenditure is influenced by genetic factors, and the individual difference in energy expenditure can reach more than 40%.

(5) The amount of physical activity an individual engages in is also significantly influenced by genetic factors, such as the parents' enthusiasm for physical activity.

Parents who love sports are much more likely to have children who enjoy sports as well.

(6) The proportion of protein, carbohydrates and fat in a person's intake may be influenced by genetic factors.

In the vast majority of cases, it is a legacy.

Obesity is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Family characteristics may include shared living environment and dietary habits. According to the family...

Studies of surrogate, twin, and adopted children have found that, after excluding the influence of shared environmental factors,

After the impact, the degree to which genetic factors participate in the pathogenesis of obesity (i.e., heritability) is at least 20% to 40%.

Can diseases and medications also cause obesity?

Obesity secondary to disease

Xiaomei, 28, is a white-collar worker. One day, she noticed she was starting to gain weight.

Fine hairs are growing on the lips, lower abdomen, and inner thighs; moreover, the skin on the face is also beginning to...

My condition worsened, and I started getting acne. My hair became extremely oily, and I experienced increased dandruff. My back and chest were also sore.

She often felt oily, her periods became irregular, her flow decreased, and eventually she stopped menstruating. She tried to regulate her menstrual cycle.

She tried to adjust her sleep schedule, but found no significant improvement. Completely baffled, she went to...

She went to the hospital for a checkup, and after diagnosis, the doctor told her that she had polycystic ovary syndrome.

In real life, many diseases can also lead to obesity. Xiaomei suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome.

Comorbidity is a typical disease that can lead to obesity. Other conditions include water and sodium retention, and skin...

Hypersitosis (Cushing's syndrome), hypothalamic syndrome, myxedema, etc., can all lead to secondary obesity.

Drug-induced obesity

24-year-old Lingling was originally a lively and cheerful girl, beautiful and with a good figure.

She was well-liked. However, the year Lingling graduated from university, she faced numerous setbacks in her job search, and dated four...

Her boyfriend of several years also broke up with her for various reasons. Lingling, who used to be cheerful and lively, suddenly became very...

Feeling depressed, Ling went to see a doctor with the help of a friend. The doctor prescribed some antidepressants.

After eating it for a while, Ling was surprised to find that her originally slender figure had disappeared, and her oval face had also changed.

Her face had become round and puffy. She was puzzled; her lifestyle was basically the same as before, so how could it suddenly change like this?

I've gained weight.

During our medical treatment for illness, some medications can cause us to become obese. They can promote...

The medications that cause weight gain are mainly psychiatric treatments and hormones, including: ① psychiatric medications...

Therapeutic drugs: ① Phenothiazines, butyrophenones; ② Antidepressants: Tricyclics; ③ Antiepileptic drugs:

Sodium valproate, carbamazepine; ④ Steroid hormones: glucocorticoids, progesterone-based contraceptives; ⑤ Adrenal glands

Adipose tissue and fat cells in obesity formation

What role will I play?

Adipose tissue and adipocytes not only have the function of storing energy, but are also an active system.

Endocrine organs secrete dozens of adipokines, hormones, or other regulators, which play a vital role in maintaining bodily functions.

Adipocytes play a crucial role in maintaining the stability of the body's metabolism and internal environment. Currently, much research focuses on adipocyte factors.

These include leptin, adiponectin, resistin, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, etc.; adipose tissue

Various peptide hormones and cytokines secreted by tissues are associated with obesity, insulin resistance, lipid metabolism disorders, and

It is closely related to chronic inflammation.

Insulin resistance and obesity

Insulin resistance is the inability of insulin to act on target organs, such as the liver and muscles, due to various reasons.

Meat and adipose tissue are not sensitive to insulin, and insulin in the body cannot perform its normal physiological functions.

This function requires the body to produce high concentrations of insulin to maintain blood sugar levels within the normal range.

When the body compensates by secreting excessive insulin, hyperinsulinemia (high insulin levels) occurs in the blood.

Insulinemia increases the risk of developing various metabolic disorders and cardiovascular diseases in the future. It can also cause insulin resistance.

There are many causes of insulin resistance, among which obesity is the most important and common cause, especially...

The patient has abdominal obesity.

Studies have confirmed that obese patients have a post-insulin receptor defect. Fasting blood glucose levels in obese patients...

Insulin levels don't actually decrease; in fact, they increase. However, due to the cell membrane structure of tissues in obese patients...

Decreased Ca²⁺-ATPase activity leads to insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia.

Numerous studies have also shown that after abdominal obesity develops, the hydrolysis of triglycerides in fat cells produces a large amount of...

Free fatty acids and glycerol affect the body's metabolism in many ways and constitute high-risk factors for type 2 diabetes.

Hyperinsulinemia can also exacerbate lipid metabolism disorders by stimulating appetite and increasing food intake.

It promotes the conversion of glucose into fat, thus accelerating the progression of obesity.

Leptin and obesity

Leptin is a hormone secreted by fat cells and has many biological effects on the human body.

Current research on the relationship between leptin and human obesity has yielded some relatively clear conclusions:

Mutations in the genes governing leptin and its receptor can lead to pathological obesity. Serum leptin concentration is correlated with the degree of obesity.

There is a positive correlation; in other words, the more severe the obesity, the higher the leptin level in the body. Obese patients exhibit...

"Leptin resistance" and hyperleptinemia; there are also significant gender differences in serum leptin levels.

Women have significantly higher serum leptin levels than men, which may be related to sex hormones, fat distribution, and the female sex ratio.

It is related to "leptin resistance". Currently, leptin has been observed to have some therapeutic effect on obesity, and it has not yet been found to be effective.

Systemic adverse reactions were found to be caused by leptin treatment. The reason is that most obese patients also have...

"Leptin resistance" is a key area for future research in obesity treatment; therefore, overcoming leptin resistance is crucial.

An important issue.