Scientists find cancer gene may boost health, weight loss

A potential ground breaking discovery was made when a new research project revealed that mice with an extra dose of a known anti-cancer gene can live a longer, cancer-free life while eating more and staying fitter than others without the gene.

Spanish scientists found that not only did mice with an extra copy of the gene known as Phosphatase and tensin homolog(Pten) not get cancer, but also were leaner compared to the control group of mice who ate less, Science Daily reported Tuesday.

This suggests that the animals were experiencing some sort of beneficial metabolic imbalance.
The secret behind their miraculous youth and fitness lies in Brown adipose tissue, also known as brown fat. Abundant in newborns and in hibernating mammals, the brown fat generates body heat by burning energy instead of storing it.

Studies in isolated brown fat cells confirmed that a boost in Pten increases the activity of those cells, allowing ‘Pten mice’ to burn more calories. Pten also made it easier for brown fat to form, according to the study.

Researchers say animals with anti-cancer genes live longer than usual, as well as dodging deadly disease.

They were less prone to insulin resistance and had less fat in their livers.

“Tumor suppressors are actually genes that have been used by evolution to protect us from all kinds of abnormalities,” said Manuel Serrano of the Spanish National Cancer Research Center.

“This tumor suppressor protects against metabolic damage associated with aging by turning on brown fat,” Serrano added.

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