Abstract
Summary
Hyperphagia and subsequent obesity were induced in mice by gold thioglucose, and pooled serum was injected into other mice (Group I). Control mice were injected with normal mouse serum (Group II) or saline (Group III). The injections were administered during an initial 2-week period, followed by 5 weeks of no treatment, a second 2-week injection period, and a final 3-week period off treatment. After the first period, Group I lost significantly more than Groups II and III (P < 0.01). Weight gains of equal magnitude were observed in all groups during the second period (off treatment). During the last period of injections, Group I lost weight, while Groups II and III gained, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. A similar study was undertaken using serum from a human subject with documented hypothalamic obesity. At the end of 2 weeks, injected mice lost significantly more weight than controls (P < 0.02). These results suggest the presence of a humoral substance in the serum of hypothalamic obese mice and in the human counterpart which may be passively transferred to normal mice and suppress food intake.
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