In animal trials, a compound called m-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP) which triggers serotonin receptors in the brain has been found to improve glucose tolerance and lower insulin levels in obese and diabetic mice. The findings suggest a new strategy for treating type 2 diabetes via targeting the so-called serotonin 2C (5-HT2C) receptors.

In the current study, the researchers examined whether a drug that acts on 5-HT2C receptors could improve glucose tolerance. They show in mouse models of obesity and insulin resistance that the drug does improve blood sugar levels. Moreover, it does so even at concentrations that do not lead to reductions in food intake or body weight.

The researchers further report evidence that the serotonin-acting drug may work by stimulating "a-melanocyte-stimulating hormone" (a-MSH) in the brain's arcuate nucleus, a portion of the hypothalamus important for appetite control. They show that the primary effect of the drug on glucose balance requires activation of one type of a-MSH receptor, called melanocortin-4 receptors (MC4R).

The results of the study appears in the November issue of Cell Metabolism.

Source: EurekAlert