A study published in "The New England Journal of Medicine" by researchers at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) suggests that leptin, popularly known as the "obesity hormone," could be useful in treating a rare disorder. Metabolic lipodystrophy, characterized by loss of adipose tissue and other metabolic abnormalities.
The authors used a lab-created version of leptin and found that it improved several metabolic problems in 9 women with lipodystrophy. The patients had minimal adipose tissue due to genetic defects or an abnormal attack by the immune system itself.
Patients with lipodystrophy, in addition to the loss of adipose tissue, also frequently present low plasma levels of leptin and high triglycerides, as well as insulin resistance and diabetes. The usual treatment for those affected consists of a combination of insulin, oral antidiabetics and lipid-lowering agents.
However, the new study shows that 4 months of injections of the modified leptin increase blood levels of the hormone, reduce triglyceride values and improve glucose levels. During treatment, women were able to partially or completely discontinue antidiabetic medication. These results, in the opinion of the authors, had an important impact on the quality of life of the patients and suggest that leptin plays an important role in maintaining a normal metabolism, since correct levels of the hormone seem to be necessary to have a normal insulin sensitivity.
