弗吉尼亚大学和威斯康星医学院的科学家们发现,参与调节身体生理节奏的一种基因也可能是控制新陈代谢的主要因素。他们的研究结果表明,缺乏夜蛋白基因——该基因由哺乳动物器官和组织中的生物钟调节——的小鼠在摄入高脂肪饮食时不会增加体重,而且肝脏内也不会囤积脂肪。对体重增加的这一新认识可能会使人们找到抑制肥胖和治疗其对健康影响的疗法。 Scientists at the University of Virginia and the Wisconsin Medical School have found that a gene involved in regulating the body’s circadian rhythm may also be a major factor in controlling metabolism. Their results show that mice lacking the nocturnal protein gene, which is regulated by the circadian clock in mammalian organs and tissues, do not gain weight when ingesting a high-fat diet, and they do not accumulate fat in the liver. This new understanding of weight gain may lead people to find therapies that suppress obesity and treat its effects on health.