We recently reported the first comprehensive analysis of hypothalamic gene expression in patients with a genetic obesity syndrome.
Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is characterised by learning difficulties, growth hormone deficiency, hyperphagia and obesity caused by deletion of an imprinted region on chromosome 15.
The study compared gene expression patterns derived by RNA sequencing of hypothalamic tissue from patients with PWS and closely matched controls. We found that genes involved in neural development and maintenance including BDNF and it's receptor TrkB were reduced in PWS, while genes involved in neuroinflammation were increased. The entire dataset has been made available to researchers to help future research into the condition and into other genetic forms of obesity.
