Korean J Obes.  2012 Sep;21(3):125-131. 10.7570/kjo.2012.21.3.125.

New Therapeutic Targets for Obesity Treatment in Basic Medical Science

• Lee SK

• KMID: 1437229
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7570/kjo.2012.21.3.125

Abstract

Change in either energy intake or energy expenditure alone will meet resistance as compensatory adjustments occur, because body fat seems to be regulated homeostatically. Therefore, combined therapy targeting the multiple aspects of body weight regulation mechanism will solve this resistance. Some of the recent basic medical experiments attracting considerable attention as targets for obesity treatment in the complex mechanism of body weight regulation are as followings: intranasal leptin, peripheral cannabinoid-1 receptor inverse agonism reversing leptin resistance and hypothalamic autophagy acting on food-intake regulation; gut microorganism serving as nutritional and pharmacological targets for treating obesity and obesity -associated diseases; PRDM16, NAD-dependent deacetylase SirT1, Fibroblast growth factor 21, Retinaldehyde dehydrogenase, PGC-1alpha dependent myokine irisin, Pten, Thioesterase superfamily member 1, and study on exposure to cold temperature which target on energy expenditure, thermogenesis and brown adipose tissue as therapeutic means for obesity treatment. Also, the cytoplasmic domain of tissue factor (the initiator of the coagulation cascade) and protease-activated receptor 2 has received great attention as a new therapeutic target for reducing body weight gain in obese individuals and treating obesity-associated type 2 diabetes.

Keyword

Food-intake regulation; Gut microorganism; Brown adipose tissue; Energy expenditure; Tissue factor

MeSH Terms

Adipose Tissue
Adipose Tissue, Brown
Autophagy
Body Weight
Cold Temperature
Cytoplasm
Energy Intake
Energy Metabolism
Felodipine
Fibroblast Growth Factors
Leptin
Obesity
Oxidoreductases
Receptor, PAR-2
Retinaldehyde
Thermogenesis
Thromboplastin
Felodipine
Fibroblast Growth Factors
Leptin
Oxidoreductases
Receptor, PAR-2
Retinaldehyde
Thromboplastin