Method for activating efferent sympathetic nerves innervating adipose tissues to improve obesity and symptoms associated therewith

• US 7,815,895 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2007
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tohoku University National Universities Corporation
• Original Assignee: Tohoku University National Universities Corporation
• Inventors: Yamada, Tetsuya, Oka, Yoshitomo, Uno, Kenji, Katagiri, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Kemmerer; Elizabeth C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BALLARD, KIMBERLY
• Application Number:
  US11/751,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20080293830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 424/9.2
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 2207/05 Animals modified by non-integrating nucleic acids, e.g. antisense, RNAi, morpholino, episomal vector, for non-therapeutic purpose
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 2267/0362 Animal model for lipid/glucose metabolism, e.g. obesity, type-2 diabetes
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 3/04 Anorexiants; Antiobesity agents
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 14/70567 Nuclear receptors, e.g. retinoic acid receptor [RAR], RXR, nuclear orphan receptors
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8509 for producing genetically modified animals, e.g. transgenic
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2799/022 where the vector is derived from an adenovirus
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2799/04 in vivo
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2500/00 Screening for compounds of potential therapeutic value
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/042 Disorders of carbohydrate metabolism, e.g. diabetes, glucose metabolism
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/044 Hyperlipemia or hypolipemia, e.g. dyslipidaemia, obesity

Abstract

A method for activating an efferent sympathetic nerve innervating an adipose tissue and improving obesity-associated symptoms is provided, comprising stimulating an afferent vagal nerve from the liver without directly enhancing peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ2 function in the liver.

Claims

1. A method for screening for a substance for weight reduction, comprising the steps of:

screening for a substance that excites an afferent vagal nerve from the liver, wherein the substance is comprised in culture supernatant of a hepatocyte in which PPARγ

2 is overexpressed; and

examining if the substance can suppress weight gain or obesity in an animal.

2. A method for screening for a substance for improving an obesity-associated symptom, comprising the steps of:

screening for a substance that excites an afferent vagal nerve from the liver, wherein the substance is comprised in culture supernatant of a hepatocyte in which PPARγ

2 is overexpressed; and

examining if the substance can suppress an obesity-associated symptom in an animal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the obesity-associated symptom is selected from the group consisting of diabetes, hyperglycemia, glucose intolerance, and insulin resistance.

4. A method for screening for a substance for increasing systemic energy expenditure, comprising the steps of:

screening for a substance that excites an afferent vagal nerve from the liver, wherein the substance is comprised in culture supernatant of a hepatocyte in which PPARγ

2 is overexpressed; and

examining if the substance can increase systemic energy expenditure in an animal.