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Brain circuits that control hunger identified

A study by UCLA researchers has identified brain circuits involved in hunger that are influenced by leptin, a hormone produced by fat cells. Leptin supplementation reduced activation in regions linked to hunger while enhancing activation in regions linked to inhibition and satiety in three adults with congenital leptin deficiency.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 29, 2007

JCI table of contents: Oct. 1, 2007

Data suggests MIF may provide a target for developing therapeutics to treat West Nile Virus encephalitis. Abnormal microglial cell migration is also implicated in age-related macular degeneration, with CX3CR1-dependent accumulation linked to disease progression.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateOct 1, 2007

Hormone regulates fondness for food

Scientists have discovered that leptin controls our fondness for food by activating brain regions responsible for rewarding emotions and desires. The study found that individuals deficient in leptin show strong responses to food pictures, even after eating, whereas treatment with leptin normalizes these responses.

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalScience·DateAug 9, 2007

Lean for life

A baby formula supplemented with leptin, a hunger hormone, has been found to promote permanent weight loss and prevent diabetes in rats. The researchers believe that early introduction of leptin can 'hard-wire' the body's energy balance, leading to more efficient energy expenditure.

SourceSociety of Chemical Industry·JournalChemistry & Industry·DateApr 23, 2007

JCI table of contents -- April 5, 2007

Researchers at Vanderbilt University found that treatment with TGF-beta inhibitors may help prevent cancer metastasis in patients. Additionally, a study from the University of Michigan discovered that a negative feedback pathway involving leptin receptor signaling may contribute to leptin resistance in obese individuals.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateApr 5, 2007

In obesity, brain becomes 'unaware' of fat

Researchers found that obese mice's brains don't detect critical fat hormone levels, but the rest of the metabolic pathway remains responsive. SOCS-3 may be responsible for this loss of sensitivity to leptin, a hormone regulating energy balance.

SourceCell Press·JournalCell Metabolism·DateMar 6, 2007

Rewarding fat rats

Peter Shizgal's team investigated the role of leptin in food reward, finding that restricting diet to one meal per day strengthened reward sensations. The study's findings have implications for understanding human motivation and behavior, with potential applications in computer programming and robot development.

Estrogen curbs appetite in same way as the hormone leptin

Research at Yale University reveals estrogen regulates brain energy metabolism similarly to leptin, leading to a promising avenue for addressing obesity in those resistant to leptin. The study's findings suggest that estrogen may suppress appetite using independent pathways from leptin, making it a potential target for weight management.

SourceYale University·JournalNature Medicine·DateJan 3, 2007

Findings by Einstein scientists reveal possible strategy against obesity, diabetes and infertility

The study suggests a novel approach for duplicating leptin's actions when the body no longer responds to the hormone. STAT3 production is essential for leptin's best-known action: acutely reducing food intake. Activating STAT3 may allow normalizing appetite and producing health benefits for obesity, diabetes and infertility.

SourceAlbert Einstein College of Medicine·JournalCell Metabolism·DateJul 5, 2006

Johns Hopkins scientists exploit novel route to reverse enlarged hearts in obese mice

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine discovered that injecting ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) into obese mice with leptin deficiency or resistance reduced their heart muscle walls by up to a third and the size of the left ventricle by 41%. This breakthrough suggests a novel brain-signaling pathway for obesity-related heart failure.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 6, 2006

New key brain target of fat hormone

Researchers have discovered a new key area in the brain that responds to the fat hormone leptin, which plays a crucial role in resisting high-fat-diet-induced obesity. The ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) region, previously thought to only be involved in appetite regulation, was found to also respond to leptin and is essential for maint...

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateJan 18, 2006

JCI table of contents: January 12, 2006

Researchers found that leptin blockade improved clinical symptoms of disease, slowed progression, reduced relapses, and reduced antigen-specific T cells in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Additionally, the study suggests that leptin neutralization may be a potential way to treat multiple sclerosis.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateJan 12, 2006

Machinery of the 'marijuana munchies'

A study published in Neuron found that the CB1 receptor is integrated with leptin signaling to control appetite, with implications for obesity treatment. Blocking CB1 receptors may offer a promising approach to treating obesity, and recent antiobesity drugs like rimonabant may also work by reducing endocannabinoid signaling.

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateDec 21, 2005

JCI table of contents December, 2005

Researchers uncover a new mechanism for post-ischemic arrhythmias, exploring the therapeutic potential of mitochondria-targeting compounds. Leptin signaling is shown to reverse obesity, diabetes, and infertility in mice. FcRn is identified as a promising target for treating autoimmune skin blistering diseases.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateNov 10, 2005

Weight control protein may yield antiobesity drugs

Researchers found that SH2-B regulates leptin sensitivity, energy balance, and body weight in mice, leading to obesity and metabolic syndrome. The study identifies SH2-B as a critical component in maintaining leptin sensitivity, potentially serving as a therapeutic target for treating obesity and type 2 diabetes

SourceCell Press·JournalCell Metabolism·DateAug 16, 2005

Link between mothers' poor diets, kids' obesity

A study published in Cell Metabolism suggests that premature leptin surge in newborn mice of underfed mothers leads to remodeling of key brain circuits contributing to obesity later in life. The researchers found that the early leptin surge alone causes accelerated weight gain.

SourceCell Press·JournalCell Metabolism·DateJun 7, 2005

JCI table of contents, April 1, 2005

Researchers develop small interfering RNA technology to silence a gene involved in cancer progression, reducing cell proliferation and killing cancer cells. Additionally, inhibiting stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 decreases body fat and prevents obesity, validating SCD1 as a potential target for pharmacological intervention.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateMar 10, 2005

JCI Table of Contents, March 1, 2005

Researchers found that chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells are born at a fast rate but die, leading to a slow rise in cell count over time due to variable birth and death rates. This dynamic interplay between CLL cell division and cell death may enable physicians to predict disease progression.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateFeb 10, 2005

Does the lack of sleep make you fat?

Research found that individuals who slept for shorter durations had reduced leptin and elevated ghrelin, leading to increased feelings of hunger. This may contribute to the rising obesity pandemic, emphasizing the importance of good sleep in fighting weight-related issues.

SourceUniversity of Bristol·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateDec 6, 2004

Choosing the kind of fat to avoid obesity

Research found that eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid from fish oils, stimulates the secretion of leptin in primary cell cultures of fat from rats. This effect may be beneficial for maintaining body weight during obesity treatment and improving associated pathologies.

A new target for control of obesity

Researchers discovered that Shp-2, a tyrosine phosphatase, plays a crucial role in regulating metabolism and increasing sensitivity to leptin. The study found that mice with early-onset obesity had increased levels of leptin, insulin, glucose, and triglycerides.

SourceSanford Burnham Prebys·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 8, 2004

Two enzymes key to calorie-burning, Brown research shows

Researchers at Brown Medical School have discovered two key enzymes, PC1 and PC2, that play a crucial role in processing the precursor of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) and regulating calorie-burning. This finding will aid in the understanding and treatment of obesity, which affects nearly 68 million adults in the United States.

SourceBrown University·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateAug 2, 2004

Leptin has layers of control

Research finds that leptin controls hypothalamic prohormone convertases 1 and 2, influencing thyrotopin-releasing hormone production. This regulation plays a key role in energy balance and may lead to novel treatments for obesity and thyroid axis disorders.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateAug 2, 2004

JCI table of contents, 2 August, 2004

Researchers found that administering CD34+ cells after a mouse stroke increased new blood vessel growth and neural regeneration. The study suggests that angiogenesis is essential for repairing stroke damage, providing new hope for treating this deadly condition. Additionally, a separate study on leptin regulation revealed an additional...

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateAug 2, 2004

Leptin and obesity

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that leptin triggers production of áMSH, a powerful peptide signal that boosts metabolism. This discovery could lead to the development of obesity treatments that increase energy production and promote weight loss.

SourceBrown University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 26, 2004

Evidence for fat hormone target in brain

Researchers found that leptin signaling is necessary for regulating body weight homeostasis in mice. The study revealed that leptin receptors on POMC neurons play a key role in this process, and their absence leads to increased fat mass.

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateJun 23, 2004

Deleting neural STAT3 protein in mice

Mice with disrupted STAT3 proteins exhibit severe obesity and enlarged livers due to excessive fat deposits. The study also reveals a link between STAT3 and energy balance through its effect on leptin, which could lead to new therapeutics for treating obesity and infertility.

SourceYale University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 1, 2004

Natural hormone could reverse heart damage

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine discovered that altering leptin's signaling pathway can minimize or even reverse left ventricular hypertrophy, a condition causing the heart to expand and stiffen. Leptin infusions led to weight loss and improved heart function in mice with obesity, while caloric restriction had no effect.