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Postpartum (PP) maternal mortality remains alarmingly high, with a rate of 32.9 per 100,000 live births in 2021 in the United States. Cardiovascular diseases, including peripartum/postpartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) and coronary heart disease, are among the leading causes of PP morbidity and mortality. Although socioeconomic status and the level of PP care can influence the mortality rate, the underlying mechanisms leading to PPCM are not well understood. PPCM is clinically defined as (1) the development of the disease in the last month of pregnancy or within 5 months of delivery, (2) absence of pre-existing heart disease prior to the last month of pregnancy, (3) unknown cause of heart failure, and (4) left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Prognosis remains poor, with full recovery reported in only 23% of affected individuals and 50% experiencing heart failure-related mortality due to limited therapeutic options. Limited studies in both humans and mouse models of PPCM have proposed several potential mechanisms, including inflammation, viral myocarditis, autoimmune reactions, oxidative stress, and apoptosis, resulting from environmental as well as genetic factors. Studying these mechanisms in animal models, particularly those involving genetic causes, has been difficult due to the lack of severity or relevance of existing mouse models of PPCM to the human disease.

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Current Issue

Genetic variability in the leptin-melanocortin pathway and its role in weight loss

Genetic variability in the leptin-melanocortin pathway and its role in weight loss

Obesity is a multifactorial disease characterized by an excessive and abnormal accumulation of body fat that results from both genetic and environmental factors. In this review, we revisited the literature on the variability of obesity-associated genes and their impact on the effectiveness of obesity treatment interventions. Individuals harboring variants of these genes were found to have either better or worse outcomes after weight loss therapies. The majority of the genetic variants were identified in genes that play a role in the leptin-melanocortin pathway (LEPR, NPY, POMC, MC4R, GHRL, GHSR, GLP-1R, BDNF), which regulates food intake and energy expenditure. Both these processes are key elements for energy homeostasis, therefore relevant for the success/failure of weight loss strategies. Some genetic alterations were found to modulate the outcomes of different weight loss interventions, while others were only linked to the effectiveness of bariatric surgery, according to the studies here included and available. Herein, we revisited the most relevant molecular data, with a primarily focus on human studies, concerning how the genetic background influences the outcomes of weight loss interventions. Our aim is to gather relevant information on the genetic data related to weight loss strategies that can be compelling to guide clinical decisions, setting realistic expectations, and ultimately improving the long-term health conditions of individuals with obesity.

 

Articles in Press

Genetic variability in the leptin-melanocortin pathway and its role in weight loss

Genetic variability in the leptin-melanocortin pathway and its role in weight loss

Obesity is a multifactorial disease characterized by an excessive and abnormal accumulation of body fat that results from both genetic and environmental factors. In this review, we revisited the literature on the variability of obesity-associated genes and their impact on the effectiveness of obesity treatment interventions. Individuals harboring variants of these genes were found to have either better or worse outcomes after weight loss therapies. The majority of the genetic variants were identified in genes that play a role in the leptin-melanocortin pathway (LEPR, NPY, POMC, MC4R, GHRL, GHSR, GLP-1R, BDNF), which regulates food intake and energy expenditure. Both these processes are key elements for energy homeostasis, therefore relevant for the success/failure of weight loss strategies. Some genetic alterations were found to modulate the outcomes of different weight loss interventions, while others were only linked to the effectiveness of bariatric surgery, according to the studies here included and available. Herein, we revisited the most relevant molecular data, with a primarily focus on human studies, concerning how the genetic background influences the outcomes of weight loss interventions. Our aim is to gather relevant information on the genetic data related to weight loss strategies that can be compelling to guide clinical decisions, setting realistic expectations, and ultimately improving the long-term health conditions of individuals with obesity.

 

Opening Abstract Submission & Registration

13th
Helmholtz Diabetes Conference 
Munich, 21-23. Sep 2026                                                                                                                             

2024 impact factor: 6.6

You are what you eat

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