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University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories

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Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge.
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    • Obesity in Dogs
    • What causes obesity?
    • Why study genetics of obesity?
    • Gene Mapping in Dogs
    • GOdogs Results
      • Measuring Appetite
      • A mutation contributing to Labrador obesity
      • Labradors, flatcoats, POMC and obesity
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    • Genetic Testing
    • The Art of Managing Your Dog’s Weight
    • 4 Strategies for Slender Dogs
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  • Home
  • The Science
    • Obesity in Dogs
    • What causes obesity?
    • Why study genetics of obesity?
    • Gene Mapping in Dogs
    • GOdogs Results
      • Measuring Appetite
      • A mutation contributing to Labrador obesity
      • Labradors, flatcoats, POMC and obesity
  • Your Dog
    • Genetic Testing
    • The Art of Managing Your Dog’s Weight
    • 4 Strategies for Slender Dogs
  • Can You Help?
    • Can your dog help?
    • Can your practice help?
  • About GOdogs
    • People
    • Contact Us
    • Newsletters
    • Jobs and Studentships
    • Links
  • Tweets

Why study genetics of obesity?

Some breeds of dog are prone to obesity.  That suggests genetics play a part in why some dogs become obese.  These predispositions are well recognised and can’t be explained by owner factors alone.

That mirrors the case in humans, where 40-70% of person-to-person variation in obesity risk is down to genetics, independent of family or social circumstance.

There has been lots of research in rodents and humans about how genes cause obesity.  This short video is a provoking and light hearted introduction to the importance of obesity genetics.

The Hunger Genes

The majority of genes linked to obesity affect appetite.  Sensations of hunger, fulness and even food choice are all controlled in an area of the brain called the hypothalamus.  The hypothalamus integrates messages from the gut, circulation, fat and conscious parts of the brain to turn hunger up or down.  You can get more information about how energy balance is physiologically controlled on our website here or in scientific review articles here.

Studies of humans and mice have shown a molecular chain of events in the hypothalamus called the leptin-melanocortin pathway is central to appetite control.  (GOdogs have also discovered it is very important in Labradors as you can read here.)  Genes can also affect how the body stores fat or processes energy in cells.  That has a knock-on effect on obesity but (contrary to the expectations of those who first started to study obesity) that effect seems less important than the effect on appetite.

Studying obesity has improved our understanding of the fundamental biology of energy balance in the body.  It’s also identified real and potential drug targets.

For instance, secretion of a hormone from fat called Leptin is increased in obesity.  It acts on receptors in the hypothalamus to reduce appetite.  In normal circumstances, Leptin therefore acts to ‘turn down’ background hunger when there is plenty of reserve energy stored as fat in the body.  Human patients who are born without leptin become massively obese in early childhood but that can be reversed by treatment with leptin injections.

There are links to two good reviews about human obesity genetics on the links page.  You  can also hear GOdogs collaborating scientist Prof Farooqi speak about her work on obesity genetics on BBC Radio 4’s ‘The Life Scientific’ for a great introduction to the field.

What is Known about the Genetics of Obesity in Dogs?

Prior to GOdogs, a few small candidate gene studies comparing dogs to several other canid species have sought sequence variants in the candidate genes MC3R, MC4R, INSIG2 and FTO.  In red foxes, an association with measures of fat deposition was identified for single nucleotide variants (SNPs) in FTO, MC3R and INSIG2.

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NatalieJessic10 avatarNatalie Wallis@NatalieJessic10·
8 Jun 1534459370028900355

Lovely being able to host @EllieRaffan at the Pembroke Supervisors' Dinner yesterday evening! Great food, service and company @pembroke1347 ๐Ÿ’ƒ๐Ÿฅ‚๐Ÿ’“

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ATJCagan avatarAlex Cagan@ATJCagan·
13 Apr 1514281139120267277

Incredibly excited to share our paper โ€˜Somatic mutation rates scale with lifespan across mammalsโ€™ now published @nature.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04618-z
An illustrated & updated tweetorialโ€ฆ [1/24]

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NatalieJessic10 avatarNatalie Wallis@NatalieJessic10·
21 Apr 1517165385283473411

What a brilliant day at the @IMS_MRL department 'away day' yesterday. Lovely being back in person and so happy to have won a best poster prize ๐ŸŽ‰!! Thank you to the IMS organisers, @RobinsonCamb staff for the great hospitality and @GilesYeo (& co) for the entertainment ๐Ÿ’ƒ.

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NatalieJessic10 avatarNatalie Wallis@NatalieJessic10·
4 Mar 1499773234488746000

In our latest review, we discuss in great detail what is known about #obesity in companion animals and how this compares to humans. Read it here: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/11/11/1378/htm

๐Ÿถ To find out more, follow the @GOdogsProject team: @NatalieJessic10 @EllieRaffan @AlyceMcClellan6
๐Ÿงต 6/6

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NatalieJessic10 avatarNatalie Wallis@NatalieJessic10·
4 Mar 1499773210019176453

Today is World Obesity Day 2022. Obesity is a widespread and complex disease which is heavily stigmatised. Together we can treat and prevent obesity.
Can greedy pups help us??? ๐Ÿถ Yes they can!! #WorldObesityDay #PetObesity @IMS_MRL @PDN_Cambridge @GOdogsProject
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  • Obesity in Dogs
  • What causes obesity?
  • Why study genetics of obesity?
  • Gene Mapping in Dogs
  • GOdogs Results
    • Measuring Appetite
    • A mutation contributing to Labrador obesity
    • Labradors, flatcoats, POMC and obesity

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