Will fatty worms help cure human obesity?
The incidence of obesity has reached epidemic proportions within industrial societies; however, research on human obesity has been hampered by our inability to control genetic and environmental factors. The control of energy homeostasis appears to be conserved among species. Recent creative research in Caenorhabditis elegans, including the application of a genome-wide RNA interference analysis, has provided insight into the genes involved in energy balance. In this article, we discuss the results of these studies and their potential importance to humans.
Chiang
Shian Huey
SH
Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
MacDougald
Ormond A
OA
D000818:Animals; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D051780:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1; D014157:Transcription Factors
D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C497387:SREBF1 protein, human; D051780:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1; D014157:Transcription Factors