'Bad' Protein Linked to Numerous Health Problems

nbahi15 writes "A report in the July 13th edition of the online Journal of Clinical Investigation has linked the aP2 protein to asthma and several other diseases. It also suggests a connection between the metabolic and immune systems and these diseases." From a related Forbes article: "To study the effects of aP2, the researchers created genetically engineered mice that could not produce the protein. 'They're metabolic supermice,' Hotamisligil said. 'We cannot make them obese, diabetic or atherosclerotic. They don't develop fatty liver disease, and they don't develop asthma.' In mice with an animal model of asthma, the researchers found that aP2 regulated the infiltration of inflammatory molecules into the lungs."

Comments

My Question

[MyLongNickName]

If these proteins are so bad, and so easy to genetically engineer out, then from an evolutionary standpoint, why do we have these genes? Are we sure this protein doesn't have a big positive effect that we are not aware of?

Re:My Question

[Mprx]

The protein is associated with diseases that mostly happen in later life, so there will be very little evolutionary pressure to remove it. Evolution optimizes for reproductive fitness only, and as elderly mice do not look after their young, genes that improve survival in old age will not be selected. It would require only a minor benefit in youth to evolve a gene which causes harm in old age.

Re:My Question

[Maxo-Texas]

Something not considered in most of these studies is:

Is RED meat bad for you or..

Is RED meat raised on pesticide polluted corn instead of grass, shot full with hormones and drugs bad for you.

Is CHICKEN bad for you...

Is CHICKEN raised in pens with thousands of others in a highly stressful, low exercise, drug/hormone/pesticide polluted environment bad for you.

I personally think that a lot of the benefits of vegetables, beef, and chicken are not present in factory raised conditions. You have a tomato that *looks* like a tomatoe but which is 80% fiber (so it ships well) and lacks the nutrients. Chicken and beef are good because they eat tons of bugs and plants and concentrate the nutrients and minerals in those plants and we adapted to eating those kinds of animal meats. We have not yet adapted to eating meat that looks like meat but which has different nutritional value than it used to.