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.

Better physical fitness linked to lower levels of insulin among teenagers

Researchers at the UPM are collaborating on new studies regarding workouts and healthy eating habits with controlled levels of insulin and leptin what can prevent from obesity and diabetes.

19 Oct 2012

First picture of interaction between leptin and its receptor

Researchers at the University of Michigan have determined how the hormone leptin, an important regulator of metabolism and body weight, interacts with a key receptor in the brain.

12 Oct 2012

BMI concerns raised for childhood stem cell transplantation survivors

Childhood survivors of hematologic malignancies treated with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation should undergo long-term monitoring of their body mass index and lean body mass, US researchers recommend.

3 Oct 2012

Researchers discover leptin hormone in fruit flies

Researchers have discovered in fruit flies a key metabolic hormone thought to be the exclusive property of vertebrates. The hormone, leptin, is a nutrient sensor, regulating energy intake and output and ultimately controlling appetite.

28 Sep 2012

Leptin hormone may play a role in hearing and vision loss

Leptin - commonly dubbed the "fat hormone" - does more than tell the brain when to eat. A new study by researchers at The University of Akron and Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) shows that leptin may play a role in hearing and vision loss.

27 Sep 2012

Healthy diets during infancy and early childhood can prevent obesity in future

Rats born to mothers fed high-fat diets but who get normal levels of fat in their diets right after birth avoid obesity and its related disorders as adults, according to new Johns Hopkins research.

31 Aug 2012

Studies raise possibility of new DBS approaches to treat obesity

Scientific advances in understanding the "addiction circuitry" of the brain may lead to effective treatment for obesity using deep brain stimulation (DBS), according to a review article in the August issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

21 Aug 2012

Yo-yo dieting does not negatively affect metabolism or ability to lose weight long term

Yo-yo dieting - the repetitive loss and regain of body weight, also called weight cycling - is prevalent in the Western world, affecting an estimated 10 percent to 40 percent of the population. The degree to which weight cycling may impact metabolism or thwart a person's ability to lose weight in the long run has been unclear - until now.

16 Aug 2012

Oil derived from wild almond tree seeds may help fight obesity, diabetes

A future weapon in the battle against obesity and diabetes could come in the form of an oil derived from the seeds of wild almond trees, according to researchers at Missouri University of Science and Technology.

10 Aug 2012

Bristol-Myers Squibb completes acquisition of Amylin

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and AstraZeneca announced that following the successful completion of the acquisition of Amylin Pharmaceuticals by Bristol-Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca has made an initial payment of approximately $3.2 billion to Amylin Pharmaceuticals, now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bristol-Myers Squibb.

10 Aug 2012

Leptin polymorphism combinations influence BMI in Chinese

The presence of genetic variants in both the leptin gene and the gene for its receptor may predispose Chinese individuals to obesity, report researchers.

7 Aug 2012

Neurotez receives U.S. patent for Leptin to treat Alzheimer's

Neurotez, Inc. today announced the grant of U.S. Patent number 8,227,408 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office covering the company's lead product candidate, Leptin. The patent protects use of the hormone Leptin for treating a progressive cognitive disease, disorder or condition, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), resulting from accumulation of an amyloid peptide or for improving resilience of cognitive function by modulating the accumulation of the amyloid peptide in brain.

30 Jul 2012

New drug can aid in losing weight and keeping it off

A new drug could aid in losing weight and keeping it off. The drug, described in the journal Cell Metabolism on July 26, increases sensitivity to the hormone leptin, a natural appetite suppressant found in the body. Although so far the new drug has only been tested on mice, the findings have implications for the development of new treatments for obesity in humans.

28 Jul 2012

Researchers identify mechanism responsible for inhibition of AMPK activity in the hypothalamus

In the complex chain of molecular events that underlie eating behaviors and body weight, the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) enzyme has proven to be a critical link.

4 Jul 2012

Bristol-Myers Squibb to acquire Amylin

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that Bristol-Myers Squibb will acquire Amylin for $31.00 per share in cash, pursuant to a cash tender offer and second step merger, or an aggregate purchase price of approximately $5.3 billion.

2 Jul 2012

Exercise-induced metabolic improvement not caused by just adipose change

The improvements in metabolic parameters that are achieved with increased physical activity are unlikely to be due to functional changes in adipose tissue alone, report researchers.

26 Jun 2012

Marker to identify patients who have difficulties in maintaining body weight

A pre-diet measurement of two hormones related to weight regulation can help predict which dieters will be more likely to maintain their weight loss and who will not, according to a new study. The results will be presented Sunday at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.

26 Jun 2012

Researchers identify brain receptor that appears to play a central role in regulating appetite

Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) have identified a brain receptor that appears to play a central role in regulating appetite. The findings, published today in the online edition of Cell, could lead to new drugs for preventing or treating obesity.

8 Jun 2012

Study reviews role of gut microbes in nutrient absorption and energy regulation

Microorganisms in the human gastrointestinal tract form an intricate, living fabric made up of some 500 to 1000 distinct bacterial species, (in addition to other microbes). Recently, researchers have begun to untangle the subtle role these diverse life forms play in maintaining health and regulating weight.

7 Jun 2012

Hypothalamic neuropeptide changes cause obesity in low-birth-weight babies

It seems improbable that a baby born underweight would be prone to obesity, but it is well documented that these children tend to put on weight in youth if they're allowed free access to calories. Now, researchers believe they understand why this happens.

3 May 2012