• ENG

BRCA 1, the breast cancer gene offers protection against obesity, diabetes

BRCA 1, the breast cancer gene offers protection against obesity, diabetes

Written by Editorial Team |Published : March 14, 2014 12:33 PM IST

breast-cancerResearchers have found that a gene known to be associated with breast cancer susceptibility, BRCA 1, plays a critical role in fat storage, insulin response and mitochondrial function in skeletal muscle cells.

Dr. Espen Spangenburg, associate professor of kinesiology, and his laboratory team are the first to identify that the BRCA1 protein is expressed in the skeletal muscle of both mice and humans. He said that their findings suggest that certain mutations in the BRCA1 gene may put people at increased risk for metabolic diseases like obesity and type 2 diabetes, asserting that without BRCA1, muscle cells store excess fat and start to look diabetic. (Read: Prevent breast cancer with olive oil)

Dr. Spangenburg and colleagues further established that the protein produced by the BRCA 1 gene binds with a protein known to play an important role in the metabolism of fat in muscle cells known as Acetyl-CoA carboxylase or ACC. After a period of exercise, the BRCA 1 protein binds to ACC, which helps "turns it off." This deactivation of ACC encourages the utilization of fatty acids by the muscle. (Read: 10 tips to detect breast cancer early)

Also Read

More News

Once they established that the two proteins complex together, they sought to answer if BRCA1 plays a critical role in regulating muscle metabolic function. To do so, they "knocked out" the gene so that it was no longer being expressed in the muscle cells cultured from healthy, active and lean female subjects. This was done using shRNA technology specific for BRCA1 in human myotubes (skeletal muscle fiber cells). (Read: One sure-fire tip to beat breast cancer!)

The result was that the muscle cells started to look diseased. The removal of BRCA1 from the cells, which simulated what could happen in the cells of a person with a BRCA1 mutation, resulted in increased lipid storage, decreased insulin signaling, reduced mitochondrial function and increased oxidative stress. These are all key risk factors for the development of metabolic diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. (Read: Daily yoga reduces stress in breast cancer patients: Study)

The research has been published in the Journal of Lipid Research.

What is breast cancer?

Breast cancer is a type of cancer originating from the breast tissues. Both men and women can be afflicted by it though it's rarer in men. Along with cervical cancer it's one of the most common types of cancer that afflicts women. One of the major issues with breast cancer is that it is often not detected soon enough. This is due to low awareness about the disease. Detecting it early can significantly reduce the death risk. (Read: Breast cancer causes, symptoms, myths, diagnosis, treatment)

With inputs from ANI

For more articles on breast cancer, visit our breast cancer section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our forum.