Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Sci. Signal., 14 June 2011
Vol. 4, Issue 177, p. ec166
[DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.4177ec166]

EDITORS' CHOICE

Physiology Smoking and Body Weight

Peter R. Stern

Science, AAAS, Cambridge CB2 1LQ, UK

Smokers are on average thinner than nonsmokers, and many smokers gain weight when they quit. However, the specific cellular mechanisms of nicotinic receptors responsible for the effects of nicotinic agents on feeding are unclear. Now, Mineur et al. show that nicotine acts through α3β4-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors to increase hypothalamic pro-opiomelanocortin neuron activity, which then decreases feeding and body weight. Thus, nicotinic agonists may be useful for limiting weight gain after smoking cessation, and nicotinic drugs could also help control obesity and related metabolic disorders.

Y. S. Mineur, A. Abizaid, Y. Rao, R. Salas, R. J. DiLeone, D. Gündisch, S. Diano, M. De Biasi, T. L. Horvath, X.-B. Gao, M. R. Picciotto, Nicotine decreases food intake through activation of POMC neurons. Science 332, 1330–1332 (2011). [Abstract] [Full Text]

Citation: P. R. Stern, Smoking and Body Weight. Sci. Signal. 4, ec166 (2011).

To Advertise     Find Products

Science Signaling. ISSN 1937-9145 (online), 1945-0877 (print). Pre-2008: Science's STKE. ISSN 1525-8882