[Novel therapeutic approach based on recent understanding of the development of metabolic syndrome]

Obesity is associated with metabolic syndrome, a cluster of symptoms including diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and arteriosclerosis, which can cause serious health problems. Accumulating evidence suggests that endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress) is associated with metabolic syndrome. Leptin is an anti-obesity hormone, which is secreted from adipose tissue. Circulating leptin acts at the brain hypothalamus and reduces food intake. As most forms of obesity indicate a state of leptin resistance, elucidation of the mechanisms of leptin resistance would be an important subject. We and other groups have recently suggested that leptin resistance may be derived from ER stress. These results raised the possibility that attenuating ER stress would be effective treatment for the disease. In the present review article, recent understanding of the mechanisms of the development of obesity and the potential novel therapeutic approaches targeting ER stress are discussed.