Glucagon plays an important role in the modification of insulin secretion by leptin.

Obese people show marked hyerinsulinemia, but the exact mechanism has not been clarified. Hyperleptinemia is one of possible candidates, although there is an obvious difference in the effect of leptin on insulin secretion between isolated pancreatic islets and β-cell line. Since glucagon may modulate the effect of leptin on insulin secretion, we determined the influences of glucagon in the leptin effect on insulin secretion.

Fasting concentrations of nesfatin-1 are negatively correlated with body mass index in non-obese males.

Background: We recently identified a novel anorexigenic protein, nesfatin-1, which is processed from nesfatin/nucleobindin-2 (NUCB2). However, the clinical importance of this protein has not been determined.

Objective: To investigate its clinical significance in humans, we have established a new specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for human nesfatin-1 in peripheral blood and measured its circulating concentration in healthy subjects.

The role of CHOP messenger RNA expression in the link between oxidative stress and apoptosis.

Low expression of antioxidant enzymes makes pancreatic beta-cells susceptible to cell damage by oxidative stress. Pancreatic beta-cell loss caused by endoplasmic reticulum stress is associated with the onset of diabetes mellitus. The present studies were undertaken to investigate a possible involvement of proapoptotic gene CHOP in pancreatic beta-cells damage by oxidative stress.

Chop-deficient mice showed increased adiposity but no glucose intolerance.

Objective: CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) homologous protein (CHOP)-10/growth arrest and DNA damage 153 is a dominant-negative member of the C/EBP transcription family and inhibits adipogenesis in vitro. The study was undertaken to determine the role of CHOP in obesity in vivo.

Research Methods And Procedures: Changes in daily food consumption and body weight were measured.

HGF ameliorates a high-fat diet-induced fatty liver.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has various effects especially on epithelial cells. However, the precise role of HGF on lipogenesis is still not fully understood. A high-fat diet was administered to HGF transgenic mice and wild-type control mice in vivo.