Study summary · research use only
A peptidomimetic targeting white fat causes weight loss and improved insulin resistance in obese monkeys
Plain-language summary
Paraphrased from the published abstract below — not a verdict on whether anything works.
This study evaluated the ligand-directed peptidomimetic CKGGRAKDC-GG-(D)(KLAKLAK)(2) (termed adipotide) in obese Old World monkeys as a candidate approach for obesity. Adipotide treatment was reported to induce targeted apoptosis within blood vessels of white adipose tissue and to result in rapid weight loss and improved insulin resistance in the obese monkeys, with magnetic resonance imaging and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry confirming a marked reduction in white adipose tissue. At experimentally determined optimal doses, monkeys from three species displayed predictable and reversible changes in renal proximal tubule function. The authors describe these primate data as establishing adipotide as a prototype in a new class of candidate drugs that may be relevant to obesity treatment in humans.
Abstract
Obesity, defined as body mass index greater than 30, is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality and a financial burden worldwide. Despite significant efforts in the past decade, very few drugs have been successfully developed for the treatment of obese patients. Biological differences between rodents and primates are a major hurdle for translation of anti-obesity strategies either discovered or developed in rodents into effective human therapeutics. Here, we evaluate the ligand-directed peptidomimetic CKGGRAKDC-GG-(D)(KLAKLAK)(2) (henceforth termed adipotide) in obese Old World monkeys. Treatment with adipotide induced targeted apoptosis within blood vessels of white adipose tissue and resulted in rapid weight loss and improved insulin resistance in obese monkeys. Magnetic resonance imaging and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry confirmed a marked reduction in white adipose tissue. At experimentally determined optimal doses, monkeys from three different species displayed predictable and reversible changes in renal proximal tubule function. Together, these data in primates establish adipotide as a prototype in a new class of candidate drugs that may be useful for treating obesity in humans.
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