Technologies

Overview

This technology can be used to predict a patient’s risk of obesity. It has been demonstrated that elevated fasting levels of neurotensin is a predictor of obesity and insulin resistance. Additionally, high levels of neurotensin in non-obese patients doubles the risk for the development of obesity later in life. Not only could neurotensin be used as a prognostic marker of future obesity, but it could also be a potential target for a pharmacological therapeutic of obesity.

Invention

Researchers at UK have shown that neurotensin is involved in fatty acid absorption and that levels of this peptide could be used to predict risk for obesity in patients. In animals deficient in neurotensin, there was a reduction in fatty acid absorption as well as protection against obesity. In obese humans, these researchers have shown that obese and insulin resistance patients have elevated plasma levels of neurotensin.