Anti-ghrelin Therapeutic Vaccine: A Novel Approach for Obesity Treatment

Abstract

Obesity is currently a major public health problem, due to the worldwide increasing rates of the disease and burden of the associated comorbilities, such as, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Despite its increasing clinical relevance, there are still very few tools to treat obesity. The cornerstones for obesity treatment are still diet and exercise; antiobesity drugs, which cause anorexia or malabsorption of nutrients, can be used as adjuvant therapy, however achieve only a modest weight loss and often short-term due to weight regain. For severe obesity the only proven effective therapy is bariatric surgery, an invasive procedure that carries inherent risks and is only recommended for selected patients.Ghrelin is the only known hormone that stimulates food intake. In physiological conditions, ghrelin levels rise with fasting and decrease after meals. Most obese individuals have low fasting ghrelin levels that rise after food restriction and weigh loss, an explanation for the diffi culty of weight loss maintenance. In contrast, in spite of major weight loss, the increase in ghrelin levels is prevented by some bariatric surgery techniques, which could contribute to sustain weight loss.As ghrelin is the only known orexigenic hormone, it has been hypothesized that blocking reactive ghrelin increase could induce a sustained weight control.Previous attempts to neutralize ghrelin orexigenic effects included passive immunizations

Potential anti-obesity effects of a long-acting cocaine hydrolase

“…Obesity is related to the worldwide increasing rates of the disease and burden of the associated co-morbidities, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer [1]. Over one third of adult population in the world are in the risk of overweight-caused diseases, e.g.…”

“…In the brain, ghrelin interacts with both hypothalamus (physiological eating center) and pleasure centers of the brain to arouse hunger [13]. So far, ghrelin is the only known hormone stimulating hunger and food intake [1], telling you when to eat. In addition, ghrelin level naturally changes dramatically during the course of a day.…”

Unexpected Reaction Pathway for butyrylcholinesterase-catalyzed inactivation of “hunger hormone” ghrelin

“…Obesity is well known as a major public health problem, and it is related to the worldwide increasing rates of the disease and burden of the associated co-morbidities, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer 1 . More than one third of adult population in the world are reported to be in the risk of overweight-caused diseases, e.g.…”

“…In the brain, ghrelin interacts with both hypothalamus (the brain’s physiological eating center) and the brain’s pleasure centers to arouse hunger 14 . In fact, ghrelin is the only known hormone stimulating hunger and food intake 1 , telling you when to eat. Ghrelin level naturally changes dramatically during the course of a day.…”