Leptin News and Research

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Leptin is a 16 kDa protein hormone that plays a key role in regulating energy intake and energy expenditure, including appetite and metabolism. It is one of the most important adipose derived hormones. The ''Ob(Lep)'' gene (Ob for obese, Lep for leptin) is located on chromosome 7 in humans.

Inflammatory factors that aggravate COVID-19 may come from adipose tissue

There is growing evidence that adipose tissue plays a key role in the aggravation of COVID-19. One of the theories under investigation is that fat cells (adipocytes) act as a reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 and increase viral load in obese or overweight individuals.

20 Nov 2020

Dusp8 protein has regulatory effects on hypothalamic insulin sensitivity

The brain plays a major role in controlling our blood glucose levels. In type 2 diabetics this glucose metabolism brain control is often dysfunctional. Genetic components for this phenomenon have so far remained elusive.

21 Aug 2020

America’s obesity epidemic threatens effectiveness of any COVID vaccine

For a world crippled by the coronavirus, salvation hinges on a vaccine.

6 Aug 2020

Researchers identify differences in clinical features of non-obese patients with NAFLD

Researchers from the University of Tsukuba identify differences in the clinical features of non-obese patients with non-alcoholic fatter liver disease based on their sex and body mass index.

2 Aug 2020

Elevated leptin levels may explain why COVID-19 is so dangerous for people with obesity

A hormone that connects the body's metabolism and immune response system may explain why COVID-19 is so dangerous for people with obesity.

24 Jul 2020

Study shows how leptin regulates the presence of neurons in fat

There's no doubt that you can lose fat by eating less or moving more--yet after decades of research, the biology underlying this equation remains mysterious.

23 Jul 2020

Fasting-mimicking diet along with hormone therapy could help treat breast cancer

A USC-led team of scientists has found that a fasting-mimicking diet combined with hormone therapy has the potential to help treat breast cancer, according to newly published animal studies and small clinical trials in humans.

21 Jul 2020

Research team provides new insights on the communication between liver and brain

A research team in Vienna is investigating how calorie intake, liver activity and fat storage interact and what role the central nervous system plays in this.

10 Jun 2020

Study reveals how hormone leptin contributes to weight loss

Some call it baby fat. But recent research has shown that adults have it too--which is a good thing. Brown fat, the so-called good fat that can protect against obesity and associated health risks, like cardiovascular disease and diabetes, is located in small pockets throughout the body.

31 Mar 2020

Obesity could increase severity of influenza study shows

A new study has revealed that those who are obese or overweight tend to get more severe bouts of influenza than those who are a healthy weight. The reason behind this could be the altered immune system of those who are obese. The study outlining this finding is published in the latest issue of the journal mBio from the American Society for Microbiology (ASM). The study was titled, "Obesity-Related Microenvironment Promotes Emergence of Virulent Influenza Virus Strains."

3 Mar 2020

Tailored mesoporous silica particles could be used to treat obesity, diabetes

Engineered ingestible molecular traps created from mesoporous silica particles (MSPs) introduced to the gut can have an effect on food efficiency and metabolic risk factors. The results from studies on mice, published in Nanomedicine, demonstrate the potential to reduce the energy uptake into the body and could lead to new treatments for obesity and diabetes.

14 Jan 2020

Blood proteins could help provide a comprehensive 'liquid health check' in future

Proteins in our blood could in future help provide a comprehensive 'liquid health check', assessing our health and predicting the likelihood that we will we will develop a range of diseases, according to research published today in Nature Medicine.

2 Dec 2019

“Liquid health check” could predict disease risk in the future

Measuring proteins in the blood could serve as a “liquid health check” that could predict people’s risk of developing diseases.

2 Dec 2019

Hops compounds may combat metabolic syndrome by changing the gut microbiome

Compounds from hops may combat metabolic syndrome by changing the gut microbiome and altering the metabolism of acids produced in the liver, new research at Oregon State University suggests.

26 Nov 2019

Obese teenagers at risk for brain damage, suggests new study

A new study being presented at the yearly conference of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) reports that MRI scanning of the brain shows signs of brain damage in obese adolescents – and that these signs could be the result of brain inflammation.

25 Nov 2019

MRI reveals signs of brain damage among obese adolescents

Biomedical imaging of obese adolescents' brains has revealed signs of damage that may be related to inflammation.

25 Nov 2019

Intermittent fasting – not just a fad for cardiac patients

A new study suggests patients with cardiac catheterization have a longer lifespan if they carry out intermittent fasting.

20 Nov 2019

Study: Regular exercise reduces cholesterol, protects the cardiovascular system

Regular exercise protects the cardiovascular system by reducing risk factors such as cholesterol and blood pressure. "But we believe there are certain risk factors for cardiovascular disease that are not fully understood," says Matthias Nahrendorf, MD, PhD, of the Center for Systems Biology at MGH.

7 Nov 2019

Researchers make new discovery about how exercise protects against cardiovascular disease

A study has identified a molecular link between exercise and inflammation that help to treat cardiovascular disease.

7 Nov 2019

Cancer risk reduces to half with over 20% weight loss in post- bariatric surgery patients

Patients with severe obesity who had bariatric or weight-loss surgery and lost more than 20% of their total weight were 50% less likely to develop cancer compared to patients who did not have as much weight loss after surgery, according to a new study presented today by Oregon Health & Science University researchers at the 36th American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Annual Meeting at ObesityWeek 2019.

5 Nov 2019