Modern Health Observation

Spanish researchers conclude that obesity can be inherited from the mother’s mitochondrial genes. Also of interest in itself, this discovery is a possible action against obesity, if it can regulate the amount of mitochondrial DNA by certain drugs.

Mitochondria are tiny structures inside cells that have the function of supplying energy to them, in fact, provide 90% of the energy they need. Are characterized by their own DNA (mtDNA), distinct from DNA in the nucleus of body cells (nuclear DNA), with which must not be confused.

An important difference between the two DNA’s is that, at least in mammals, nuclear is inherited from both parents, while the mitochondrial inherited only from the mother, because in the moment of fertilization the mitochondria of sperm does not penetrate the egg .

The deficiencies or mutations in mitochondrial DNA can cause disease, sometimes very serious, especially degenerative nerve and muscle cells. It could also be at the origin of certain cases of diabetes, cancer and stroke, for example.

Another difference between the two DNA’s, is that to develop a gene therapy that corrects deficiencies of the genes of nuclear DNA, the intervention would be qualitative, ie would have to modify those genes, which makes it very difficult and makes these therapies are still in very early stage.

By contrast, therapies based on mitochondrial DNA are much more advanced, just because they are quantitative, ie they get vary the amount of mitochondrial DNA present in a process, which can be achieved with certain drugs or vitamins.

A group of researchers led by Francesc Villarroya, member of the Center for Biomedical Research in Obesity and Nutrition Network (CIBEROBN) and director of the Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, has done work on the transmission of obesity by DNA Mitochondrial mother. This work has appeared on the cover of the journal Obesity. ”

Villarroya states that mutations in mitochondrial genes may represent an imbalance in the body’s energy balance and as a consequence of this, an excessive accumulation of fat in the body. What led them to investigate this phenomenon was the finding of certain side effects with some medications used to combat HIV, which have mitochondrial toxicity.

Consequently, lipodystrophy may occur in people treated with antiretroviral drugs, resulting in an irregular accumulation of fat in the body: cheeks and limbs away from concentrating on the abdomen. And, in fact, gaining control over the mitochondria (and thus the amount of fat) by certain drugs would be the basis of future mitochondrial gene therapy of obesity.