title: Amylin and Leptin: Co-Regulators of Energy Homeostasis and Neuronal Development.
abstract: While the regulation of energy homeostasis by amylin is already well-characterized, emerging data suggest that amylin is also crucial for the development of neural pathways in the hypothalamus and caudal hindbrain (area postrema, AP; nucleus tractus solitarius, NTS). Exciting new findings demonstrate crucial amylin-leptin interactions in altering the activity of specific hypothalamic and AP neurons, and a role for amylin as a novel class of 'leptin sensitizers' which enhance leptin signaling in both leptin-sensitive and -resistant individuals, in part by stimulating IL-6 production by hypothalamic microglia. This review summarizes these findings and provides a hypothetical framework for future studies to elucidate the mechanisms by which amylin and leptin act individually and as co-conspirators to alter energy homeostasis and neuronal development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Rutgers, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA. Electronic address: levin@njms.rutgers.edu.
authors.forename: Barry E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Veterinary Physiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Lutz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D058228:Islet Amyloid Polypeptide / Q000378:metabolism*; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D058228:Islet Amyloid Polypeptide; D020738:Leptin
keywords: NPY/AgRP; POMC; amylin; area postrema; hypothalamus; leptin; ventral tegmental area