Advances in understanding the interrelations between leptin resistance and obesity

- Leptin resistance is probably not only a significant symbol for obesity but is also an important risk factor for it.
- The major advances that led to our current understanding of the possible mechanisms underlying leptin resistance
- The role of leptin signals and leptin resistance in the regulation of the pathophysiological processes of obesity
- Some effective treatments of leptin resistance are also discussed.

Obesity, which has developed into a global epidemic, is a risk factor in most chronic diseases and some forms of malignancy. The discovery of leptin in 1994 has opened a new field in obesity research. Currently, we know that leptin is the primary signal from energy stores and exerts negative feedback effects on energy intake. However, most individuals with diet-induced obesity (DIO) develop leptin resistance, which is characterized by elevated circulating leptin levels and decreased leptin sensitivity. To date, though various mechanisms have been proposed to explain leptin resistance, the exact mechanisms of leptin resistance in obesity are poorly understood. Consequently, it's an important issue worth discussing regarding what the exact interrelations between leptin resistance and obesity are. Here, we review the latest advancements in the molecular mechanisms of leptin resistance and the exact interrelations between leptin resistance, obesity, and obesity-related diseases, in order to supply new ideas for the study of obesity.