Descubren dos genes relacionados con el consumo de cafeína

La cantidad de cafeína consumida por la población está influida por dos genes: CYP1A2 y AHR. Así lo revela una investigación internacional que pretende averiguar si la sensibilidad que algunas personas muestran ante este estimulante tiene una base genética.

“La cantidad de café que consumimos depende, en parte, de nuestros genes”, explica a SINC Neil Caporaso, autor principal del estudio e investigador de la división de Epidemiología del Cáncer y Genética del Instituto Nacional del Cáncer (EE UU).

El trabajo, publicado en PLoS Genetics, revela la existencia de dos genes cuya variación afecta al consumo de cafeína, el estimulante más ingerido del mundo. Se trata del gen CYP1A2, implicado en el metabolismo de este estimulante, y de AHR, relacionado con la regulación del primero.

Para realizar el estudio, los autores analizaron alrededor de 100.000 marcadores genéticos de más de 40.000 personas. Los individuos con un genotipo asociado a un mayor consumo tomaron cerca de 40 miligramos más de cafeína que los que poseían un genotipo relacionado con un consumo menor, según los investigadores. Esta medida equivale a un tercio de taza de café o a una lata de refresco de cola.

Por otra parte, la cafeína no afecta por igual a todo el mundo. Este estudio también servirá para determinar si la sensibilidad a esta molécula depende de los genes. “Sabíamos tanto que la herencia genética influía en el metabolismo de la cafeína como que algunos genes la metabolizaban y ahora hemos conectado los dos conceptos”, añade Caporaso.

La cafeína está relacionada con diversas afecciones fisiológicas y médicas: interfiere en los patrones de sueño, en los niveles de energía, en el estado de ánimo y en el rendimiento mental y físico. Sin embargo, el investigador asegura que ningún científico ha encontrado “ninguna evidencia convincente de que sea perjudicial”.

“Tiene efectos secundarios si se consume en exceso porque puede provocar ansiedad, problemas del ritmo cardíaco o dificultades gastrointestinales”, reconoce Caporaso.

Además, el gen que metaboliza este estimulante también activa otras hormonas e incluso productos químicos que causan cáncer, como las aminas aromáticas localizadas en los cigarrillos. “Vamos a estudiar los dos genes que hemos descubierto para identificar a la población con un mayor riesgo de sufrir tumores”, concluye el experto. (Fuente: SINC)
http://noticiasdelaciencia.com/not/847/descubren_dos_genes_relacionados_con_el_consumo_de_cafeina/

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