Hormone Leptin Has Potential Role in Diabetes

Filed in archive Developments , Research on October 4, 2007

Leptin is a hormone known mainly for regulating appetite control and energy metabolism.




Now, it has been found by a new Joslin-led study to play a major role in islet cell growth and insulin secretion.

According to Rohit N. Kulkarni, M.D., Ph.D., principal investigator at Joslin Diabetes Center and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, who led the study:

"We wanted to further our understanding of leptin and its role in beta cells independent of its effects in the brain.

It is currently not known why obese individuals exhibit a high incidence of diabetes despite high levels of both insulin and leptin circulating in the bloodstream.

Unraveling the role of leptin in the regulation of beta cell biology will be especially useful in understanding the mechanisms that contribute to beta cell growth with implications for the treatment of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes."

It isn't surprising since obesity is highly related to type 2 diabetes. At least this new finding will open new avenues of therapy research for diabetes.

Find more details from Joslin Diabetes Center.