At the level of the brain, the delay of insulin signaling was associated with decreased levels of hypothalamic proopiomelanocortin, leading to increased food intake and obesity accompanied with hyperinsulinemia and hyperleptinemia.
This study demonstrates that targeted POMC gene delivery in the hypothalamus suppresses food intake and weight gain and reduces visceral adiposity and hyperinsulinemia in leptin-resistant obese Zucker rats.