08-04-2011: Two genes in which variation affects intake of caffeine, the most widely consumed stimulant in the world, have been discovered. A team of investigators from the National Cancer Institute, Harvard School of Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill examined genetic variation across the entire genome of more than 47,000 individuals from the U.S., as described in PLoS Genetics.
The genes identified were CYP1A2, which has previously been implicated in the metabolism of caffeine, and AHR, involved in the regulation of CYP1A2. Individuals with the highest-consumption genotype for either gene consumed ~40 mg more caffeine than those with the lowest-consumption genotype, equivalent to the amount of 1/3 cup of caffeinated coffee, or 1 can of cola.
Caffeine is implicated in numerous physiological and medical conditions; it affects sleep patterns, energy levels, mood, and mental and physical performance. The identification of genes that have an impact on daily consumption offers opportunities to better understand these conditions. Further exploration of the identified genetic variants may provide insight into the speed of caffeine metabolism, how long caffeine circulates in the blood, or how strong the physiological effects of consuming a given amount of caffeine are.
Apart from smoking, genetic determinants of lifestyle behaviors have generally not been consistently described. This study is among the first to examine the entire genome for a relationship between genetics and caffeine intake, a lifestyle behavior relevant to over 90% of U.S. adults. The study's success also suggests that additional genetic determinants of dietary and lifestyle behaviors may be identified in the future using a similar genome–based research strategy.
Watchlist
This is where you can add this news to your personal favourites
Two genes in which variation affects intake of caffeine, the most widely consumed stimulant in the world, have been discovered. A team of investigators from the National Cancer Institute, Harvard School of Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the University of North Carolina at ... more
In September 2009, news stories reported that researchers in Canada had found an increased risk of pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) influenza in people who had previously been vaccinated against seasonal influenza. Their research, consisting of four different studies, has now undergone further scienti ... more
The grapevine (Vitis vinifera) is a widely cultivated crop that has been subjected to intensive breeding since the Neolithic period (from ~10,500 to ~6,000 years ago). The domestication of grapevine has undergone a selection for traits important for its cultivation and usage.
The recent pu ... more
by Jun Zhang, Jianhong Wang, Daoying Geng, Yuxin Li, Donglei Song, Yuxiang Gu
Background/Aims
The 256-slice CT enables the entire brain to be scanned in a single examination. We evaluated the application of 256-slice whole-brain CT perfusion (CTP) in determining graft patency as well as ... more
by Ikuko Suzuki, Yoshiyuki Tsuboi, Masamichi Shinoda, Kazuo Shibuta, Kuniya Honda, Ayano Katagiri, Masaaki Kiyomoto, Barry J. Sessle, Shingo Matsuura, Kinuyo Ohara, Kentaro Urata, Koichi Iwata
To evaluate the involvement of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade in o ... more
by Frida Dangardt, Yun Chen, Krister Berggren, Walter Osika, Peter Friberg
Background
We prospectively and longitudinally determined the effects of childhood obesity on arterial stiffening and vascular wall changes. Changes in arterial stiffness measured as pulse wave velocity (PWV) and ... more
Horizon Discovery announced it has entered into a three year Technology Access Agreement with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), both divisions of the National Institutes of Health. The focus of the agreement is to enable the NCI an ... more
Bavarian Nordic A/S announced that its BN ImmunoTherapeutics subsidiary has entered into an expanded strategic partnership with the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Under the licensing and Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADA), the NCI and Bavarian Nordic will jointly deve ... more
Two genes in which variation affects intake of caffeine, the most widely consumed stimulant in the world, have been discovered. A team of investigators from the National Cancer Institute, Harvard School of Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the University of North Carolina at ... more
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is one of 11 agencies that compose the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The NCI, established under the National Cancer Institute Act of 1937, is the Federal Government's principal age ... more
More about Harvard University
Contact
Harvard University
Massachusetts Hall
02138 Cambridge
USA
Evotec AG announced a research collaboration with Harvard University aimed at discovering and developing novel anti-bacterial agents based on a highly validated target family involved in bacterial cell wall biosynthesis.
Under the Agreement, researchers at Harvard and Evotec will collaborat ... more
For years, doctors treating those with HIV have recognized a relationship between how faithfully patients take the drugs they prescribe, and how likely the virus is to develop drug resistance. More recently, research has shown that the relationship between adherence to a drug regimen and re ... more
Research conducted at the Angiogenesis Laboratory at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, has for the first time, identified the mode of death of cone photoreceptor cells in an animal model of retinitis pigmentosa (RP). This groundbreaking study, led by Demetrios G. Vavvas, M.D., Ph.D., and ... more
For leading a study that was the first to define appropriate bone density screening intervals for older women, Margaret Gourlay, MD, MPH, of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine has been honored with a Top 10 Clinical Research Achievement Award from the Clinical Research Foru ... more
For the first time, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have isolated adult stem cells from human intestinal tissue.
The accomplishment provides a much-needed resource for scientists eager to uncover the true mechanisms of human stem cell biology. It also enables ... more
Every time a cell divides it makes a carbon copy of crucial ingredients, including the histone proteins that are responsible for spooling yards of DNA into tight little coils. When these spool-like proteins aren't made correctly, it can result in the genomic instability characteristic of mo ... more
Carolina’s vibrant people and programs attest to the University’s long-standing place among leaders in higher education since it was chartered in 1789 and opened its doors for students in 1795 as the nation’s first public university. Situated in the beautiful college town of Chapel Hill, N. ... more
More about Brigham and Women's Hospital
Contact
Brigham and Women's Hospital
75 Francis Street
02115 Boston
USA
Many middle age and older adults have disabling knee pain due to a tear in the meniscus, an important supporting structure in the knee that is often damaged in patients with underlying knee osteoarthritis. In the United States, more than 450,000 arthroscopic meniscal surgeries are performed ... more
"Use it or lose it." The saying could apply especially to the brain when it comes to protecting against Alzheimer's disease. Previous studies have shown that keeping the mind active, exercising and social interactions may help delay the onset of dementia in Alzheimer's disease.
Now, a new s ... more
Recent research has shown that there are new cells that develop in the heart, but how these cardiac cells are born and how frequently they are generated remains unclear. In new research from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), researchers use a novel method to identify these new heart cells ... more
Brigham and Women's Hospital is world-renowned in virtually every area of adult medicine. As a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, our leadership in patient quality and safety, development of state-of-the-art treatments and technologies, and robust research programs have improved t ... more