Advances in the Research of the Relationship between Upstream Transcription Factor 1 Gene and Metabolic Syndrome Related Traits

Abstract

Upstream transcription factor 1 (USF1) gene is located in the chromosome region (1q21-q25) that is notable for being the most consistently replicated linkage to type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. The gene encoding USF1, a ubiquitously expressed transcription factor of the basic helix-loop-helix leucine zipper family, which is a key regulator of numerous genes involved in lipid and glucose metabolism, is regarded as an attractive candidate gene for several complex diseases with defective glucose and/or lipid metabolism, including type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. Here, we review the structures, the characters of biological functions of the USF1 gene, as well as its association with metabolic syndrome related traits. Key words: Upstream transcription factor 1 ; Metabolic syndrome ; Tyre2 diabetes ;