Insulin sensitizer FSTL1 reverses diet-induced obesity
Signaling molecule, follistatin-like 1 (FSTL1), modulates energy metabolism in peripheral tissues and is also expressed in the brain but its role in hypothalamus is bot known.
The researchers reported that hypothalamic FSTL1 is downregulated in obese mice.
FSTL1 signaling in AgRP neurons prevents diet induced obesity and related metabolic disorders. Hypothalamic FSTL1 plays a metabolic regulatory role through the insulin signaling cascade by interacting with Akt, to inhibit forkhead box protein O1 (FoxO1) nuclear translocation.
Intranasal targeting of FSTL1 improves insulin sensitivity and promotes weight loss in diet-induced obesity.
