Oxytocin as an Anti-obesity Treatment

Abstract

Obesity is a growing health concern, as it increases risk for heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cancer, COVID-19 related hospitalizations and mortality. However, current weight loss therapies are often associated with psychiatric or cardiovascular side effects or poor tolerability that limit their long-term use. The hypothalamic neuropeptide, oxytocin (OT), mediates a wide range of physiologic actions, which include reproductive behavior, formation of prosocial behaviors and control of body weight. We and others have shown that OT circumvents leptin resistance and elicits weight loss in diet-induced obese rodents and non-human primates by reducing both food intake and increasing energy expenditure (EE). Chronic intranasal OT also elicits promising effects on weight loss in obese humans. This review evaluates the potential use of OT as a therapeutic strategy to treat obesity in rodents, non-human primates, and humans, and identifies potential mechanisms that mediate this effect.

The relationships of oxytocin receptor gene variants (rs53576 and rs2254298) and serum oxytocin levels with psychiatric symptoms and psychiatric diagnosis in adolescents with obesity

“…Previous studies suggest that OXT may have anti-depressant, anxiolytic and appetite suppressing effects [12][13][14][15][16]42]. Also, available data suggest that rs2254298 G/ A and rs53576 A/A alleles may be related with neuroticism and various psychopathologies [12][13][14][15][16]. Partially supporting those results, we found that OXT levels were signi cantly reduced among obese youth while rs53576 G/ G allele was signi cantly elevated and rs2254298 allele displayed no signi cant difference.…”

“…The rs53576 and rs2254298 polymorphisms in oxytocin receptor may be especially important in this regard [14]. Previous studies suggest that OXT may have anti-depressant, anxiolytic and appetite suppressing effects [12][13][14][15][16]42]. Also, available data suggest that rs2254298 G/ A and rs53576 A/A alleles may be related with neuroticism and various psychopathologies [12][13][14][15][16].…”

“…Oxytocin (OXT) is a hypothalamic neuropeptide mediating reproduction, prosocial behaviors, and control of body weight [12,13]. It may reduce both food intake and energy expenditure and is being investigated as a potential anti-obesity agent [12,13].…”

“…Oxytocin (OXT) is a hypothalamic neuropeptide mediating reproduction, prosocial behaviors, and control of body weight [12,13]. It may reduce both food intake and energy expenditure and is being investigated as a potential anti-obesity agent [12,13]. Variations in oxytocin levels and polymorphisms of its receptors have been linked with stress, stress-related psychopathology, anxiety, depression and eating disorders [14][15][16].…”

Mapping the network biology of metabolic response to stress in posttraumatic stress disorder and obesity

“…Importantly, a hybrid intervention with OXT and psychotherapy has been shown to have a potent effect on PTSD severity ( Flanagan et al, 2018 ), though these effects reportedly vary across the sexes ( Frijling et al, 2015 ). Likewise, OXT, being anorectic, functions as a “nutrient status sensor” ( McCormack et al, 2020 , p. 122), and is found to reduce obesity across humans, rodents, and non-human primates ( Niu et al, 2021 ), through its effect on consumptive behaviors by simultaneously regulating cognitive control as well as food reward processing ( Spetter et al, 2018 ). Importantly, increased OXT signaling and secretion are known to regulate both energy intake and energy expenditure which result in weight loss by its effect on fat mass loss (as opposed to lean mass loss) ( McCormack et al, 2020 ).…”