What is the primary link between obesity and type 2 diabetes?
Insulin resistance caused by obesity leads to B-cell dysfunction, which results in the
inability to regulate blood glucose levels properly
How do non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) contribute to insulin resistance?
NEFAs impair insulin signaling and B-cell function, contributing to insulin resistance
What role do pro-inflammatory cytokines play in insulin resistance?
They activate pathways like JNK and IKK-B/NF-kB, which impair insulin signaling
What is the role of β-cells in preventing hyperglycemia in insulin-resistant individuals
β-cells increase insulin secretion to compensate for reduced insulin sensitivity
What hormone released by adipose tissue acts as an insulin sensitizer?
Adiponectin
What is the primary function of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)?
GLP-1 stimulates insulin secretion, inhibits glucagon release, and slows gastric
emptying
How does GLP-1 influence appetite and food intake?
It reduces appetite and food intake by acting on the brain and gastrointestinal tract
What is the significance of GLP-1 receptor agonists in medicine?
They are used as treatments for type 2 diabetes and obesity
Where is GLP-1 primarily produced?
In the L-cells of the intestine
How does GLP-1 affect cardiovascular health?
It has cardio-protective effects, reducing inflammation and promoting heart function.
What are the two main forms of diabetes?
Type 1: Body is unable to produce insulin
Type 2: Body is resistant to insulin
How does insulin regulate glucose metabolism?
It facilitates glucose uptake into muscle and adipose tissue and promotes glycogen
storage in the liver
What role does GLP-1 play in insulin secretion?
,It enhances glucose-stimulation secretion from pancreatic β-cells
How does GLP-1 influence gastric emptying?
It slows gastric emptying ,which helps control postprandial glucose levels
What is leptin, and what is its primary function?
Leptin is an anorexigenic hormone that regulates energy balance by suppressing
appetite
How does serum leptin concentration correlate with body fat percentage?
Leptin levels are strongly correlated with body fat percentage and can be used as an
adiposity indicator
How do BMI and leptin together estimate body fat percentage?
They provide a better estimate of total body far than either measure alone
Why is leptin an important hormone for energy balance?
It signals the brain to regulate appetite and metabolism based on fat stores
How does obesity affect leptin levels?
Obese individuals have higher circulating leptin levels but may develop leptin resistance
What is the significant of the Health ABC Study in leptin research?
It provided evidence that BMI and leptin are independent predictors of body fat
percentage in adults
Why do most insulin-resistant individuals not develop type 2 diabetes?
Because pancreatic β-cells compensate by increasing insulin secretion to maintain
normal glucose tolerance
What role does retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP4) play in insulin resistance?
RBP4 contribute to insulin resistance by reducing PI93)K signaling in muscle and
increasing gluconeogenesis in the liver
How does tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-α) contribute to insulin resistance?
TNF-α stimulates inflammatory pathways that interfere with insulin signaling
What is the relationship between obesity, B-cell dysfunction, and type 2 diabetes?
Obesity leads to insulin resistance; if β-cells fail to compensate with increased insulin
secretion, type 2 diabetes develops
Why is B-cell dysfunction considered a critical factor in the development of type 2
diabetes?
Because without sufficient insulin secretion, glucose levels cannot be properly regulated
How does GLP-1 regulate glucose metabolism beyond insulin secretion?
, It suppresses glucagon secretion, slows gastric emptying, and promote satiety
What are the two main forms of GLP-1 found in circulation?
GLP-1 (7-36 amide)
GLP-1 (7-37)
How does GLP-1 interaction with the brain to influence appetite?
It acts on the hypothalamus and vagus nerve to reduce food intake
What is the primary enzyme responsible for degrading GLP-1?
Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4)
How do GLP-1 receptor agonists help in treating obesity?
They enhance insulin secretion, suppress appetite, and slow gastric emptying
How does insulin signaling affect food intake?
Insulin acts as an anorexigenic signal, reducing food intake and preventing excessive
weight gain
What is the relationship between insulin and glucose tolerance?
Insulin helps clear glucose from the blood stream
Impaired insulin signaling leads to glucose intolerance
How does the glucose tolerance test assess insulin function?
It measures how quickly glucose is cleared from the blood after ingestion
What happens when insulin receptors (IRS-1 and IRS-2) are deleted in mice?
It leads to increased food intake and body weight gain
How does high-fat diet consumption contribute to insulin resistance?
It disrupts glucose metabolism and decreases insulin sensitivity
What is leptin's primary function in energy homeostasis?
It signals the brain to regulate appetite and metabolism based on fat store
How does leptin resistance develop in obesity?
Despite high leptin levels, the brain fails to respond to its appetite-suppressing effects
Why might serum leptin be a better indicator of body fat than BMI?
Leptin directly reflect adipocyte activity, while BMI does not distinguish between fat and
lean mass
What is the relationship between leptin levels and gender?
Women typically have higher leptin levels than men due to higher body fat percentages
How does aging affect leptin levels and fat distribution?