October 21, 2015

expert reaction to study investigating leptin gene therapy and weight loss in rats

Publishing in the Journal of Endocrinology, scientists have used a form of gene therapy with the aim of reducing weight in rats. They report that rats which were treated with therapy which delivered the gene for the protein leptin lost weight, while rats which had a control treatment gained weight.

Prof. Stephen O’Rahilly, President of the Society for Endocrinology and Professor of Clinical Biochemistry and Medicine, University of Cambridge, said:

“This is an interesting study which adds to our knowledge about the actions of the hormone leptin on the brain and, in particular, that it can influence fat stores and bone density. However it is purely a study in an animal model and not of immediate or direct relevance to the treatment of human obesity or osteoporosis.”

‘Hypothalamic leptin gene therapy reduces body weight without accelerating age-related bone loss’ by Russell T. Turner et al. published in the Journal of Endocrinology on Wednesday 21 October 2015. 

Declared interests

Prof. Stephen O’Rahilly: Steve is the Society for Endocrinology President. The Society owns Bioscientifica, which owns and publishes Journal of Endocrinology (in which this paper is published), which in turn is the official journal of the Society for Endocrinology.