《生命科学》 2011, 23(5): 459-464

肥胖症易感基因——FTO的研究进展

杨　曦，沈沭彤，郭　军^*

(南京医科大学基础医学实验教学中心，南京 210029)

摘　要：摘　要：FTO (fat mass and obesity associated)是肥胖症易感基因，表达于人体各组织，且在下丘脑中高表达。它能编码核酸去甲基化酶，通过去甲基化作用影响其他相关基因表达。FTO的基因多态性与体重指数(BMI)及肥胖症密切相关。FTO能够影响能量摄入及能量消耗，并通过多种途径诱导人群中肥胖症及2型糖尿病等相关疾病的发生，而FTO失活的小鼠能够避免肥胖发生。主要综述了FTO基因多态性与肥胖等疾病易感性的相关性、FTO可能的作用机制和FTO对人群中能量平衡的影响。
关键词：肥胖易感基因(FTO)；肥胖症；基因多态性

Progress of the genetics of obesity: FTO

YANG Xi， SHEN Shu-Tong， GUO Jun^*

(Laboratory Center for Basic Medical Sciences， Nanjing Medical University， Nanjing 210029， China)

Abstract: Abstract: FTO (fat mass and obesity associated) is expressed widely in many tissues  and extremly highly in hypothalamus. It encodes a nucleic acid demethylase and influences expression of other genes by its nucleic acid demethylation activity. It was revealed that FTO gene variance is associated with body mass index(BMI) and the risk of obesity. FTO can lead to obesity and many complications such as type 2 diabetes through its effect on energy intake or expenditure and many other pathways. Inactivation of FTO can also protect mice from obesity. In this review， recent progress of the relationship between FTO variance and obesity， possible mechanisms of FTO and its effect on energy balance in humans will be summarized.
Key words: FTO (fat mass and obesity associated); obesity; gene variance