Werner syndrome and genetic obesity: speculation.

Werner syndrome (WS) is a rare autosomal recessive disease with poor growth, premature aging, scleroderma-like skin changes, endocrine abnormalities, and deficiencies of adipose tissue. Could there be a genetic obesity syndrome which offers an instructive contrast to at least one form of WS? At least one form of WS might result from an enzyme defect that causes hypertriglyceridemia, hyperinsulinism, and hyperglucagonism; the defective enzyme might play a key role in the utilization of tryptophan, riboflavin (vitamin B2), or other vitamins or in the synthesis of prostaglandins that inhibit insulin secretion. At least one form of genetic obesity might result from an enzyme defect that causes hypotriglyceridemia and hyperinsulinism without hyperglucagonism; the defective enzyme might be unable to bind properly to a product that inhibits some step in the process of conversion of free fatty acid (FFA) CoA into ketoacids.