瘦素在肥胖调节中的作用

摘要

Obesity results from an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure caused by a complex interaction of various factors.The discovery of leptin and leptin receptor has initiated a flurry of researches into the molecular basis of obesity control.Leptin inhibits food intake and stimulates energy expenditure by binding to central nervous system receptors and modulating the activity of neurons in appetite control centers in the brain.Additionally, the coexistence of elevated leptin levels with obesity is widely interpreted as the evidence of " leptin resistance".The neural mechanism and leptin resistance in obesity control is a new direction of research.%肥胖是多种因素相互作用导致能量代谢紊乱的结果.瘦素及瘦素受体的发现是肥胖调节分子机制研究领域的新热点.瘦素通过作用于中枢神经系统的受体和调节脑内食欲相关中枢神经元的活动而抑制摄食和增加能量消耗.此外,瘦素水平升高与肥胖共存又提示肥胖者体内存在瘦素抵抗现象.探讨其作用的神经机制和瘦素抵抗方面的进展是研究肥胖发生的新方向.