Leptin, 20 years of searching for glucose homeostasis.
Leptin was discovered in 1994 (20 years ago). In addition to having well-characterized effects on the regulation of energy homeostasis, leptin clearly also plays a major role in metabolic homeostasis. In fact, leptin plays an important role in the regulation of glucose homeostasis independent of food intake and body weight. The mechanism underlying the modulation of glucose metabolism by leptin is not completely understood, although evidence indicates that the effect occurs at both the central and peripheral levels. In this review, we will focus on the role of leptin in glucose homeostasis at the central level and its role in insulin secretion and in counteracting hormones, such as glucagon, growth hormone, cortisol and catecholamines.
Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain.
Gabriela
G
Fernández-Formoso
Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), 15706, Spain.
Sonia
S
Pérez-Sieira
Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain.
David
D
González-Touceda
Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), 15706, Spain.
Carlos
C
Dieguez
Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), 15706, Spain. Electronic address: sulay.tovar@usc.es.
Sulay
S
Tovar
D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000502:physiology*; D054411:Receptors, Leptin / Q000378:metabolism
D020738:Leptin; D054411:Receptors, Leptin; D005947:Glucose
Counterregulation; Glucose; Insulin; Leptin; Metabolism