New potential treatment for obesity identified

New potential treatment for obesity identified
Scientists have discovered a new mechanism in the mouse-brain that can help regulate obesity.

As expected, the control mice with a working Rap1 gene gained weight, but, in comparison, the mice that lacked Rap1 had markedly reduced body weight and less body fat. Despite eating a high-fat diet, the mice lacking the Rap1 gene had not gained weight as a result of eating less as well as burning more body fat than mice with Rap1.‘These observations were associated with the hypothalamus producing more of a hormone that reduces appetite, called POMC, and less of hormones that stimulate appetite, called NPY and AgRP,’ Fukuda added. These mice also had lower levels of blood glucose and insulin than the controls. Further, the mice that lacked Rap1 and ate a high-fat diet also did not develop leptin resistance, but were able to respond to leptin, and this was reflected in the hormone’s lower blood levels, the researchers concluded in the paper appearing in the journal– Cell Reports . (Read: Obesity is a state of mind that can be tackled by being happy and taking minor initiatives: physician)

Source: IANS

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