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The role of GNAS and other imprinted genes in the development of obesity
International Journal of Obesity, 11/02/09

Weinstein LS et al. – In this review the authors examine the role of imprinted genes in postnatal growth and metabolism, with an emphasis on the GNAS/Gnas locus. GNAS is a complex imprinted locus with multiple oppositely imprinted gene products, including the G–protein alpha–subunit Gsalpha that is expressed primarily from the maternal allele in some tissues and the Gsalpha isoform XLalphas that is expressed only from the paternal allele. Maternal, but not paternal, Gs mutations lead to obesity in Albright hereditary osteodystrophy. Mouse studies show that this phenomenon is due to Gsalpha imprinting in the central nervous system leading to a specific defect in the ability of central melanocortins to stimulate sympathetic nervous system activity and energy expenditure. In contrast mutation of paternally expressed XLalphas leads to opposite metabolic effects in mice. Although these findings conform to the 'kinship' model, the effects of other imprinted genes on body weight regulation do not conform to this model.

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