This technology involves pharmaceutical compositions for preventing and treating obesity, and food compositions for preventing and improving obesity-related metabolic disorders, containing peptides of SEQ ID NOs: 25–28 and 34 derived from the adipokine LGI3 protein as active ingredients. Peptides of SEQ ID NOs: 25–28 are designed to inhibit adipocyte differentiation, while peptides of SEQ ID NOs: 32–34 are designed to promote differentiation by blocking the inhibitory action of LGI3.
Among widely used obesity treatments, many appetite suppressants acting on the central nervous system, such as sibutramine, have had their approvals revoked due to cardiovascular and psychiatric side effects. Lipase inhibitors have shown inconsistent efficacy depending on fat intake along with side effects, and GLP-1 receptor agonists have been linked to thyroid cancer risks. While it was known that LGI3 regulates adipocyte differentiation and inflammation in adipose tissue, its large size (548 amino acids) made it difficult to use as a drug.
This technology utilizes short peptides derived from two specific regions of the LGI3 protein to precisely regulate adipocyte differentiation by increasing or decreasing the expression of PPARγ and C/EBPα, which are markers of adipocyte differentiation. It also targets obesity-related metabolic disorders such as hyperglycemia, hepatic lipid abnormalities, blood lipid abnormalities, and liver damage. The structure acts locally in adipose tissue rather than in the brain or gastrointestinal tract. It can be applied to injectable peptide obesity treatments, functional foods for visceral fat management, and research reagents for adipocyte differentiation, enabling an obesity treatment strategy that targets adipose tissue directly without the psychiatric side effects or gastrointestinal issues associated with appetite suppressants.
This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Education for research on the cytokine LGI3 network control.
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