Hormonal
GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g., Liraglutide) reduce appetite and improve glucose tolerance by stimulating anorexigenic POMC/CART neurons and suppressing orexigenic AgRP/NPY neurons via cAMP and GABA-dependent signaling pathways.
GLP-1 based therapies work by targeting the brain's hunger centers (POMC/CART) to reduce appetite and improve blood sugar control. This suggests that obesity management can involve pharmacological support of natural hormonal signals, rather than relying solely on behavioral changes.
Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), a gut-derived hormone capable of decreasing blood sugar levels and improving glucose tolerance by promoting insulin secretion through cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-based signaling pathways, can also reduce appetite by directly stimulating proopiomelanocortin (POMC)/cocaine-amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) (anorexigenic neurons) but suppressing agouti-related protein (AgRP)/neuropeptide Y (NPY) neurons (orexigenic neurons) through γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-dependent signaling.
Why this rating
The paper cites multiple studies (refs 32-38) and notes Liraglutide is already in clinical treatment, indicating strong translational evidence.
Source
Signaling pathways in obesity: mechanisms and therapeutic interventions
Xue Wen et al. · Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy · 2022
DOI 10.1038/s41392-022-01149-x
More from this paper
- The MAPK signaling pathway (specifically ERK, JNK, and p38) plays a complex, context-dependent role in obesity, regulating appetite, adipogenesis, and insulin resistance, with effects varying between in vitro and in vivo models.Moderate
- GDF15, a member of the TGF-β superfamily, acts as a central regulator of appetite and a potential treatment for obesity by reducing food intake and stimulating lipolysis.Moderate
Related findings · Hormonal
- Initial treatment for type 2 diabetes should be a combination of metformin and either an SGLT-2 inhibitor or a GLP-1 receptor agonist to achieve cardiorenal protection, rather than monotherapy or older agents like sulfonylureas.Strong
- For patients with specific monogenic obesity syndromes (leptin deficiency, POMC/PCSK1/LEPR mutations), targeted pharmacotherapy (recombinant leptin or setmelanotide) is highly effective and should be prioritized, unlike in polygenic obesity.Strong
- Continued weekly administration of 2.4 mg subcutaneous semaglutide prevents weight regain and promotes further weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity, whereas switching to placebo results in significant weight regain.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →