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martyb writes:

How do men and women store fat differently? Ask the fruit fly:

People and fruit flies are astonishingly alike genetically. In fact, nearly 75 percent of disease-causing genes in humans can be found in the [fruit] fly in a similar form.

In a new study, recently published in PLOS Biology, researchers from UBC's[*] faculty of medicine used fruit flies to make a fundamental genetic discovery about differences between how males and females store and metabolize fat.

[...] A lot of research has identified hundreds of fat metabolism genes that are influenced by sex hormones and sex chromosomes, but less is known about which of these genes cause the male-female difference in fat storage.

[...] We identified a fat metabolism gene that regulates the male-female difference in fat storage. In flies without this gene, the males and females store exactly the same amount of fat. This discovery paves the way for identifying metabolic genes that control male-female differences in other aspects of development and physiology.

[...] Our studies take place at the earliest stage of the discovery process. But we hope that by identifying genes that explain why males and females have different amounts of fat, we will be better able to understand why men and women have differences in the risk of diseases associated with abnormal fat storage, such as cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.

Knowing which genes affect fat storage and metabolism is also an important first step in developing more precise treatments to tackle metabolic disease. At present, not many drugs are available to treat abnormal fat metabolism, and those that are available often work better in either men or women. By identifying genes that influence fat storage in male and female flies, we will gain vital information on developing new therapies that are tailored to women, and to men, in treating abnormal fat metabolism.

[*] UBC: University of British Columbia .

Journal Reference:
Lianna W. Wat et al. A role for triglyceride lipase brummer in the regulation of sex differences in Drosophila fat storage and breakdown, PLOS Biology (DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000595)

Original Submission