238 | id == 238
238 | category_id == 18
238 | category_order == 15
238 | category_name == Weight
238 | category_color == #C47AC0
238 | slug == KCTD15-weight
238 | title == Can This Gene Increase Your Risk of Obesity (KCTD15)?
238 | meta_description == KCTD15 encodes a protein involved in brain and fatty tissue development. Learn about its variants associated with obesity here.
238 | summary == <p style="text-align:justify"><strong>The KCTD15 gene encodes a protein involved in the development of different cell types, including brain and fat cells. Two variants have been associated with increased obesity rates and BMI in some populations. Read on to learn where your genes stand.</strong><br />  &nbsp;</p>
238 | overall_score_text == Your Weight Score (Based on KCTD15 Gene)
238 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/KCTD15--Weight.jpg
238 | author_id == 12
238 | author_name == Carlos Tello
238 | author_title == PhD
238 | author_order == 55
238 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/CarlosTello.webp
238 | author_intro == <p><strong>Carlos received his PhD and MS from the Universidad de Sevilla.</strong></p>    <p>Carlos spent 9 years in the laboratory investigating mineral transport in plants. He then started working as a freelancer, mainly in science writing, editing, and consulting. Carlos is passionate about learning the mechanisms behind biological processes and communicating science to both academic and non-academic audiences. He strongly believes that scientific literacy is crucial to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid falling for scams.</p>
238 | author_social_media_name == linkedin
238 | author_social_media_icon == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/social-icon/linkedin.png
238 | author_social_order == 1
238 | author_social_link == https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-tello-lacal-b946b4a7/
238 | reviewer == None
238 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
238 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
238 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
238 | publish_date == 2020
238 | publish_date == 7
238 | publish_date == 10
238 | avg_rating == 5.0
238 | tags_id == 186
238 | tags_name == BMI
238 | tags_id == 462
238 | tags_name == Body Fat
238 | tags_id == 536
238 | tags_name == Cell Development
238 | tags_id == 461
238 | tags_name == Feeding Behavior
238 | tags_id == 502
238 | tags_name == Hypothalamus
238 | tags_id == 534
238 | tags_name == KCTD15 Gene
238 | tags_id == 535
238 | tags_name == Neural Crests
238 | tags_id == 165
238 | tags_name == Obesity
238 | permissions_favorite == False
238 | permissions_rate == False
238 | content_article == <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">This article is for informational purposes only. None of the information here should be taken as medical advice. If you are struggling to maintain a healthy weight, seek medical help. </span></em><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Keep in mind that these results are based on association studies, which are correlative and aren&rsquo;t necessarily causative. Any single genetic variant will typically contribute only a small proportion to the overall risk of the condition, and non-genetic factors play a large role in developing a condition as well. Therefore, just because you have one of these genotypes does not necessarily mean you are at an increased risk of developing this condition!</span></em></p> <h2><strong>What Is the <em>KCTD15 </em>Gene?</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><a href="../../../gene/kctd15/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">KCTD15 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">gene</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> encodes a protein called &lsquo;</span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/potassium/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Potassium</span></em></a><em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> channel tetramerization domain-containing protein 15</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">&rsquo;. Members of the KCTD family contain a domain typically found in potassium channels but are not involved in the transport of this mineral [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23592240/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">KCTD15 inhibits the development of a special type of stem cells called </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;neural crests&rsquo;</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Neural crests may give rise to cells of the brain, bones, fatty tissue, and skin in the developing embryo. In line with this, animals with mutated KCTD15 forms had developmental abnormalities [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2926954/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3581937/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5720732/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22811273/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A study in rats showed that </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">KCTD15 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">is mainly expressed in the </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/hypothalamus-101/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">hypothalamus</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and fatty tissues [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3398851/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Scientists believe that KCTD15 influences body fat by regulating proteins involved in the development of fatty cells from neural crests. Interestingly, obesity and high-fat diets reduced its expression in animal studies&nbsp; [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18793119/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC19859/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20097161/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29665387/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5477735/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21779089/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3537611/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25447881/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Because KCTD15 contributes to brain cell development and is highly expressed in a brain region involved in eating behavior (the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">hypothalamus</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">), another possibility is that it influences body weight by regulating food intake. In line with this, flies lacking KCTD15 ate larger meals while those overproducing it ate smaller food amounts but more frequently [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4154645/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">The <em>KCTD15 </em>gene encodes a protein that controls the development of stem cells. It may influence body fat through its role in the development of fatty cells and feeding behavior.</span></p> <h2><strong><em>KCTD15 </em>Variants in Body Weight</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The major &lsquo;G&rsquo; variant of </span><a href="../../../snp/rs11084753/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs11084753</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> was first identified as an obesity risk allele in a study on European descendants. Its association with high BMI and obesity was replicated in American Hispanic women, Norwegian adolescents, and Chinese and British children [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2695662/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3759132/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23318717/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25637721/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2963559/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, no association with obesity traits was found in some studies on Japanese, Swedish, German, and Emirati adults, and Brazilian and Chinese children [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21796141/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2664142/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3251754/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32109558/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27005443/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22083549/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This variant has also been linked to an increased risk of heart disease in diabetic women but also with reduced risk of colorectal cancer in a multiethnic American population [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3061473/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3402643/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The major &lsquo;G&rsquo; variant of the other main polymorphism, </span><a href="../../../snp/rs29941/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs29941</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, was associated with obesity, high BMI, and waist circumference in Chinese, Japanese, and British adults, and Chinese and American children [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20061430/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20215397/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21369819/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3174168/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3280302/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2860782/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, the association couldn&rsquo;t be replicated in some studies on Japanese, Danish, Mexican, and Emirati adults, Czech adolescents, and Mexican and Chinese children [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19851340/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3166286/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23121087/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32109558/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26162542/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3738539/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3570414/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This variant has also been associated with increased </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/insulin-101/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">insulin</span></a><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/top-tips-for-fixing-insulin-resistance/"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> resistance</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in Chinese children and with reduced risk of colorectal cancer in a multiethnic American population [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24619288/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3402643/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3><strong>How It Works</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unfortunately, none of&nbsp; the studies investigated the effects of these variants on </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">KCTD15 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">expression or activity. Based on the overall mechanism by which KCTD15 prevents the development of fatty tissues and reduces food intake, we can speculate that the minor alleles encode protein variants with increased activity.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As will be discussed in the following section, KCTD15 variants associated with obesity also increase the preference for dietary fats and carbohydrates, which promotes weight gain [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19692490/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25637721/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Two <em>KCTD15 </em>variants have been associated with increased obesity rates and BMI, although not in all studies.</span></p> <h2><strong>Your <em>KCTD15 </em>Results for Body Weight</strong></h2> <p>*9275961279944633*</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3><strong>SNP Summary and Table</strong></h3> <p><strong>Primary SNP:</strong></p> <p><strong><em>KCTD15 </em></strong><strong>rs11084753&nbsp;</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = associated with increased BMI and obesity rates.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = associated with reduced obesity rates.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">45% of the world population carries one copy of each allele.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &lsquo;A&rsquo; variant is especially rare in European descendants (only 9% of &lsquo;AA&rsquo;) but very common in people with an East Asian background (47% of &lsquo;AA&rsquo;).</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>Other Important SNPs:&nbsp;</strong></p> <p><strong><em>KCTD15 </em></strong><strong>rs29941&nbsp;</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = associated with increased BMI, waist circumference, and obesity rates.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = associated with reduced obesity rates.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">42% of the world population only carries the &lsquo;G&rsquo; allele.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; is even less frequent in people of European and African ancestry but more common than &lsquo;G&rsquo; in East Asian descendants.</span></li> </ul> <p>*3524800600526439*</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2><strong>Recommendations to Improve Weight Control</strong></h2> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">You may try the complementary approaches listed below if you and your doctor determine that they could be appropriate for you. Discuss the strategies listed here with your doctor. Remember that none of them should ever be done in place of what your doctor recommends or prescribes.</span></em></p> <p>*7561628608177558*</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3><strong>Diet</strong></h3> <h4><strong>Low-Saturated Fat, Low-Carbohydrate Diets</strong></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a study on pregnant women, those with a copy of the &lsquo;G&rsquo; variant at rs11084753 gained more weight than non-carriers, especially if they consumed a </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/low-carb-diet-vs-high-carb-diet/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">high-fat diet</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5852892/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chinese children carrying this variant showed increased preference for salty foods, which may cause an increased intake of&nbsp; sugar-sweetened soft drinks to curb thirst. In addition, high </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/is-salt-good-or-bad-the-science-on-the-health-effects-of-salt/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">salt</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> intake may contribute to obesity by causing water retention and reducing fat burning [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25637721/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A barely-investigated </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">KCTD15 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">polymorphism (rs368794, whose major variant is practically always inherited with the risk variant of rs11084753) was associated with an increased intake of saturated fats and carbohydrates, possibly explaining the contribution of this gene to obesity [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19692490/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People with risk </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">KCTD15 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">variants should be especially mindful of the composition of their diet to prevent obesity.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some research suggests that getting more calories from proteins (as opposed to either carbohydrates or fat) may support</span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/a-comprehensive-list-of-effective-ways-to-lose-weight/"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">weight loss</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, metabolism, and satiety. High-protein diets appeared to increase fat burning and weight loss and reduce appetite in a handful of human studies [</span><a href="http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/82/1/41.abstract"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">,</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10193874"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">,</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10375057"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a clinical trial on 119 overweight people, a low-carbohydrate</span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/ketogenic-diet-ketosis-health-benefits-physiology-genetics/"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">ketogenic diet</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> was as effective as a low-fat diet for weight loss but had the advantages that it reduced appetite and negative affect. A meta-analysis of 13 studies and over 1,500 people concluded that low-carbohydrate ketogenic diets are more effective than low-fat diets for losing weight [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17228046"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">,</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23651522"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Eating a diet low in saturated fats and carbohydrates helps lose weight. Some <em>KCTD15 </em>variants are associated with increased intake of fats and carbohydrates, possibly explaining their contribution to obesity.</span></p>
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238 | content_learn_more_3524800600526439_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your KCTD15 gene is associated with slightly higher obesity rates. However, this doesn't necessarily reflect your overall risk, just one gene related to it. Eat a diet low in saturated fats and carbohydrates to maintain a healthy weight. Keep reading to find out more.
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rsIDs = rs368794,rs11084753,rs29941
rsStatus = rs368794,,chr19,33829547,T,A,,,3,23,HET
rsStatus = rs11084753,,chr19,33831232,A,C,G,T,34,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs29941,,chr19,33818627,A,G,T,,20,14,HET
