Obesity is a chronic disease that represents one of the most serious global health burdens associated to an excess of body fat resulting from an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure, which is regulated by environmental and genetic interactions. The adipose-derived hormone leptin acts via a specific receptor in the brain to regulate energy balance and body weight, although this protei...

BACKGROUND Obesity following hypothalamic damage is often severe and resistant to lifestyle changes. Disruption of hypothalamic feedback mechanisms that maintain energy homeostasis may be responsible for this intractable obesity. Adipocytokines including insulin and leptin are also known to be important regulators of appetite and weight. OBJECTIVE To investigate the role of insulin, leptin, a...

OBJECTIVE Hypothalamic leptin resistance is found in most common forms of obesity, such as diet-induced obesity, and is associated with increased expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (Socs3) in the hypothalamus of diet-induced obese animals. This study aims to determine the functional consequence of Socs3 upregulation on leptin signaling and obesity, and to investigate whether Socs3...

INTRODUCTION: Leptin is a peptide hormone secreted by adipocytes which regulates body weight and food intake. Serum leptin concentration is increased in obesity and is strongly correlated with total body fat mass. Also leptin was reported to be necessary in T-helper 1 (Th1) dependent inflammatory processes [1]. Severity of antigen-induced arthritis in leptin-deficient ob/ob mice was reduced [2]...

In common forms of obesity, hyperphagia, hyperinsulinemia, and hyperleptinemia coexist. Here, we demonstrate rapid induction of insulin and leptin resistance by short-term overfeeding. After 3 and 7 days on the assigned diet regimen, rats were tested for their biological responses to acute elevations in plasma insulin and leptin concentrations. Severe resistance to the metabolic effects of both...

The relationship between leptin, insulin resistance and other hormonal parameters in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is controversial. We investigated the effect of metformin on leptin levels in women with PCOS. Thirty women with PCOS received metformin 500 mg thrice a day. After two months of metformin treatment the mean leptin levels reduced significantly (p < 0.001). Ovulation was achieve...

To clarify the mechanism of leptin resistance during pregnancy, we measured plasma leptin concentrations, free to total leptin ratio (percent free leptin) and soluble leptin receptor concentrations in pregnant women, and compared the results with those in non-pregnant women. We collected plasma samples from 23 non-pregnant and 31 pregnant women in the third trimester. Plasma samples from 5 preg...