Persistent Pollutant May Promote Obesity

A persistent pollutant, tributyltin, has effects on gene activity in a wide range of animal species at concentrations of parts per billion. Tributyl tin and its chemical relatives bind to nuclear receptors that in turn activate genes influencing the formation of fat storage cells. This and other evidence suggests a possible role for tributyl tin in the obesity epidemic. The compound has been shown to affect gene activity at extremely low concentrations.

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