Getting AGRP on obesity

Researchers in New York have identified G protein-coupled receptor 17 as a target on agouti related protein-expressing neurons, which are known to regulate multiple factors related to obesity.¹ The findings open up a new molecular signaling pathway to mine for targets to control obesity-earlier attempts to inhibit these neurons via insulin and leptin signaling pathways have had little success.

Inhibition of hypothalamic neurons that express agouti related protein (AGRP) is known to decrease food intake, promote body leanness and improve glucose homeostasis. Although insulin and leptin inhibit the activity of these neurons via their respective receptors, studies to evaluate the activation of these hormonal signaling pathways have suggested that neither pathway alone exerts full control over AGRP neuron-mediated food intake and glucose homeostasis.^2,3...