title: Physiology of leptin: energy homeostasis, neuroendocrine function and metabolism.
abstract: Leptin is secreted by adipose tissue and regulates energy homeostasis, neuroendocrine function, metabolism, immune function and other systems through its effects on the central nervous system and peripheral tissues. Leptin administration has been shown to restore metabolic and neuroendocrine abnormalities in individuals with leptin-deficient states, including hypothalamic amenorrhea and lipoatrophy. In contrast, obese individuals are resistant to leptin. Recombinant leptin is beneficial in patients with congenital leptin deficiency or generalized lipodystrophy. However, further research on molecular mediators of leptin resistance is needed for the development of targeted leptin sensitizing therapies for obesity and related metabolic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeong-Kyu
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, and the Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Electronic address: ahima@mail.med.upenn.edu.
authors.forename: Rexford S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Ahima
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism*; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin
keywords: Energy homeostasis; Hypothalamus; Leptin; Metabolism; Obesity