Paper Topic:

What is the state of the art in obesity research?. how are obesity linked to melanocortin 4 receptor gene?

Abstract

Present observes key regulators of energy balance in the body including the association between obesity and melanocortin 4 receptors The results of recent studies are discussed , diagnosis and therapy observations are included in the

Obesity Caused By Mutations In Melanocortin 4 Receptors

Introduction

Obesity is a disease , which is often treated as a cause for mortality and morbidity . Approximately 50 of adults are affected by it as well as the significant part of the pediatric population in the USA . Thus obesity can be regarded as one of those health

problems all over the world in general and in the US in particular . There are lots of interrelated factors that cause obesity directly or indirectly . Although there are distinct viewpoints on direct causes of obesity , this problem has gained much attention from the society and produced policy and health responses

In the USA , the authorities are focusing primarily upon controlling obesity among children , which significantly influences public health Social programs are aimed at reformatting meal program at schools limiting food marketing addressed to children and limiting consumption of sweetened beverages . In Europe social programs are targeted at reducing the amount of advertising addressed to children and to reformatting agriculture policy preventing production of food that may cause overweight , which leads to obesity in state population

Obesity is treated as severe among 10 per cent of children ill for obesity . In approximately 5 of children influences by obesity it is connected to alteration in the gene for melanocortin 4 receptor , and these are autosomal dominant transformations

Definition

-MSH and a signal produced by AGRP , agouti-related protein

These legands are produced in different populations of neurons that are present in the arcuate nucleus part of the hypothalamus and are directly regulated by leptin , a hormone , secreted by adipocytes . It is responsible for controlling food ingestion and regulation of homeostasis of long-term energy . Latest research results suggest that melanocortin 4 receptor espresses an activity , to which agouti-related protein serves as an antagonist . According to recent data

Heterozygous mutations in the MC4R gene have been implicated in a significant proportion of cases of severe childhood-onset obesity . These multiple studies have led to the discovery of a carriers , most of them heterozygous , in 3057 children and adolescents representing 2 .98 of childhood-onset obesity (Crowley et al

The defects in functionality of the mutated receptors for patients involve full decrease of activity , referred to intracellular retention of the affected protein , reduced agonist-induced activity of receptors or reduced activity of constitutive character , performed by the receptor . Studies in this field demonstrate that the largest amount of mutations related to obesity are fully or partially intracellularly retained

A series of studies have been conducted to evaluate the role of variants of melanocortin 4 receptor , played in adult obesity . For instance , according to the studies in France , 4 of obese patients in this country express patogenicmutations in melanocortin 4 receptor (209 adults with body mass index above 35kg /m2 . Almost the same results were received after observing...

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