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Review
. 2024 Dec:161:156026.
doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2024.156026. Epub 2024 Sep 7.

History and future of leptin: Discovery, regulation and signaling

Heike Münzberg  1 , Steven B Heymsfield  2 , Hans-Rudolf Berthoud  2 , Christopher D Morrison  2
Affiliations
Review

History and future of leptin: Discovery, regulation and signaling

Heike Münzberg et al. Metabolism. 2024 Dec.

Abstract

The cloning of leptin 30 years ago in 1994 was an important milestone in obesity research. Prior to the discovery of leptin, obesity was stigmatized as a condition caused by lack of character and self-control. Mutations in either leptin or its receptor were the first single gene mutations found to cause severe obesity, and it is now recognized that obesity is caused mostly by a dysregulation of central neuronal circuits. Since the discovery of the leptin-deficient obese mouse (ob/ob) the cloning of leptin (ob aka lep) and leptin receptor (db aka lepr) genes, we have learned much about leptin and its action in the central nervous system. The first hope that leptin would cure obesity was quickly dampened because humans with obesity have increased leptin levels and develop leptin resistance. Nevertheless, leptin target sites in the brain represent an excellent blueprint to understand how neuronal circuits control energy homeostasis. Our expanding understanding of leptin function, interconnection of leptin signaling with other systems and impact on distinct physiological functions continues to guide and improve the development of safe and effective interventions to treat metabolic illnesses. This review highlights past concepts and current emerging concepts of the hormone leptin, leptin receptor signaling pathways and central targets to mediate distinct physiological functions.

Keywords: Energy expenditure; Feeding; Glucose homeostasis; Leptin receptor; Leptin transport; Neuronal circuits; Reward.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Heike Muenzberg reports financial support was provided by National Institutes of Health. Christopher D Morrison reports financial support was provided by National Institutes of Health. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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