Leptin was discovered when the gene mutation in the ob/ob mouse, an animal model of obesity, was identified. Leptin is a polypeptide of 167 amino acids that is encoded by the obese (ob) gene. Ob/ob mice make a defective leptin product and are extremely obese and hyperphagic. Since leptin administration causes a dramatic reduction in weight and food intake in these mice, it was hoped that leptin could be used to treat obesity in humans. As leptin is produced and secreted by fat cells, leptin levels are proportional to fat tissue mass and are high in obese humans. Exogenous leptin has limited effect in inducing weight loss, suggesting that obese humans have leptin resistance. Nevertheless, the discovery of leptin was pivotal for a number of reasons. It identified adipose tissue as an endocrine organ and was the first of the adiopocyte-derived hormones, later termed adipokines, to be recognized. It led to the discovery of a monogenic form of obesity in rodents and humans in which mutations in the leptin gene cause congenital leptin deficiency. Finally, it presented a form of treatment for patients with leptin gene mutations and patients with lipodystrophy. Our major effort has been in a clinical trial of leptin therapy and lipodystrophy. Leptin levels are low in these patients and leptin replacement therapy results in a reduction in hemoglobin A1c, fasting blood glucose, triglyceride values, liver size, liver function test abnormalities. Furthermore, in those patients who have normal reproductive organs, leptin therapy results in a robust increase in gonadotropin secretion following GNRH administration;this is associated with the beginning of menses in these otherwise amenorrheic patients. Thus, leptin therapy appears to have a major beneficial effect on the metabolic and endocrine abnormalities seen in these patients. In lipodystrophic patients, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a common finding. Our studies have shown that leptin therapy not only reduces steatosis, but also decreases the severity of the NASH score, which largely measures the degree of oxidative stress. We continue the follow-up of theses patients and our involvement in a CRADA with Amylin Pharmaceuticals. On the basis of our studies, the company is presenting a plan to the FDA to license recombinant leptin. If approved, it will be the first novel therapy for extreme insulin resistance since the discovery of insulin over 85 years ago.
| Brown, Rebecca J; Oral, Elif A; Cochran, Elaine et al. (2018) Long-term effectiveness and safety of metreleptin in the treatment of patients with generalized lipodystrophy. Endocrine 60:479-489 |
| Brown, Rebecca J; Meehan, Cristina Adelia; Cochran, Elaine et al. (2017) Effects of Metreleptin in Pediatric Patients With Lipodystrophy. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 102:1511-1519 |
| Muniyappa, Ranganath; Abel, Brent S; Asthana, Asha et al. (2017) Metreleptin therapy lowers plasma angiopoietin-like protein 3 in patients with generalized lipodystrophy. J Clin Lipidol 11:543-550 |
| Gupta, Nidhi; Asi, Noor; Farah, Wigdan et al. (2017) Clinical Features and Management of Non-HIV-Related Lipodystrophy in Children: A Systematic Review. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 102:363-374 |
| Brown, Rebecca J; Araujo-Vilar, David; Cheung, Pik To et al. (2016) The Diagnosis and Management of Lipodystrophy Syndromes: A Multi-Society Practice Guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 101:4500-4511 |
| Brown, Rebecca J; Chan, Jean L; Jaffe, Elaine S et al. (2016) Lymphoma in acquired generalized lipodystrophy. Leuk Lymphoma 57:45-50 |
| Meehan, Cristina Adelia; Cochran, Elaine; Kassai, Andrea et al. (2016) Metreleptin for injection to treat the complications of leptin deficiency in patients with congenital or acquired generalized lipodystrophy. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol 9:59-68 |
| Kassai, Andrea; Muniyappa, Ranganath; Levenson, Amy E et al. (2016) Effect of Leptin Administration on Circulating Apolipoprotein CIII levels in Patients With Lipodystrophy. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 101:1790-7 |
| Levenson, Amy E; Haas, Mary E; Miao, Ji et al. (2016) Effect of Leptin Replacement on PCSK9 in ob/ob Mice and Female Lipodystrophic Patients. Endocrinology 157:1421-9 |
| Cochran, Elaine; Brown, Rebecca J; Gorden, Phillip (2016) COMMENTARY. Endocr Pract : |
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