title: New insights in leptin resistance mechanisms in mice.
abstract: Leptin resistance is one of the main challenges of obesity. To date, two levels of resistance have been identified, first a decreased rate of leptin uptake into the brain and secondly a diminished central response to leptin. New findings have identified the mechanisms of leptin transport and demonstrated that it can be rescued in obesity, but it did not overcome the problem of central resistance. Alteration in the actions of leptin following diet-induced obesity (DIO) appears to be a multifactorial condition. Several phosphatases are inhibiting leptin signaling pathways in a pathological way. Besides, hypothalamic inflammation alters the neuronal circuits that control metabolism. Recent studies describing both mechanisms (inhibition of leptin signaling and inflammation), have provided key insights to potential new targets for treatment. However, recent data showing that DIO mice may conserve a cellular and physiological response to endogenous leptin, highlights the need to redefine the concept of "leptin resistance".
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Monash Obesity and Diabetes Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia. Electronic address: eglantine.balland@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Eglantine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Balland
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Monash Obesity and Diabetes Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia. Electronic address: michael.cowley@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cowley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000254:growth & development; D007249:Inflammation / Q000503:physiopathology; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin
keywords: Cellular signaling; Hypothalamus; Inflammation; Leptin; Leptin resistance; Obesity