Italian discovers 'fat gene'

(ANSA) - Rome, November 3 - An Italian researcher working in the US has discovered a gene that slows down metabolism and makes people gain weight if it is too active.
    The gene, found in muscles, is called THNSL2.
    It was discovered by Paolo Piaggi of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health.
    The discovery is important because it identifies a genetic factor that could become a target for new treatment against obesity.
    Piaggi's study was presented at the annual meeting of the US Obesity Society in New Orleans.