Big news! A team from Xiangya Hospital discovered a new hormone, revealing the truth about why staying up late makes you fat

In the fast-paced modern life, lack of sleep has become the norm for many people. Accompanying this is often the quiet increase in weight. The link between lack of sleep and weight gain has always been the focus of medical attention. Past studies have shown that lack of sleep can affect the levels of multiple hormones, including insulin, glucose, and leptin, thereby affecting appetite and metabolism. However, these studies have not fully revealed the specific mechanism by which lack of sleep leads to weight gain.

Recently, a research team from Xiangya Hospital of Central South University published a study in Cell Research. They discovered a new type of hypothalamic hormone named Raptin, whose level is affected by sleep. If the sleep quality is good, the expression level of Raptin is high. Through interaction with neurons, it can reduce appetite, reduce food intake, and prevent obesity. If the sleep is not good, Raptin expression is inhibited, which will increase appetite, food intake, and weight.

Research process and findings

The research team used a variety of advanced technical means to explore the relationship between sleep and weight management. Through proteomic analysis, they found that the amount or concentration of proteins encoded by a gene called RCN2 in the hypothalamus of fragmented sleep mice had changed significantly. Further studies have shown that RCN2 is mainly expressed in neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, and its expression level is regulated by sleep. Based on this discovery, the researchers named RCN2 Raptin and speculated that it may be a new type of hypothalamic hormone. To verify this hypothesis, the team gradually revealed the mechanism of action of Raptin through experiments such as fluorescent labeling, retrograde tracing, and gene knockout.

The research team also verified it in humans. They recruited a group of volunteers and observed the changes in Raptin levels by controlling their sleep time. The results showed that when the volunteers had enough sleep, the expression level of Raptin was high, which could effectively suppress appetite and slow down the speed at which food enters the small intestine from the stomach; when they did not get enough sleep, the level of Raptin decreased, leading to increased appetite and weight gain.

Through data analysis of nearly 300 subjects, the team further found that Raptin level disorders are closely related to obesity caused by lack of sleep. At the same time, the experiment proved that sleep restriction therapy can significantly improve the sleep quality of subjects, reduce body weight, reduce energy intake, and increase plasma Raptin levels.

At the end of the study, the team analyzed the genetic data of 2,000 obese patients in China and found a nonsense mutation in RCN2 (a specific type of gene mutation occurring on the RCN2 gene) associated with night eating syndrome. Patients with this mutation have lower levels of Raptin at night and significantly increased food intake. These findings not only deepen our understanding of the relationship between sleep and obesity, but also provide a very promising research direction for the development of new weight loss drugs such as Raptin receptor agonists.

Future Outlook and Sleep Advice

This study provides a new idea for obesity treatment. In the future, drug development targeting Raptin and its receptors may become a new direction for obesity treatment. At the same time, this study also emphasizes the importance of sleep in weight management.

For the public, getting enough high-quality sleep is key to maintaining a healthy weight. Here are some practical sleep tips:

1. Establish regular sleeping habits: Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day to help your body establish a stable biological clock.

2. Create a good sleeping environment: keep the bedroom quiet, dark and at a moderate temperature, and use comfortable bedding.

3. Avoid stimulation before bedtime: Avoid excessive use of electronic devices, drinking coffee, or strenuous exercise before bedtime, as these activities may interfere with sleep.

4. Pay attention to sleep quality: Pay attention not only to sleep time, but also to sleep quality to avoid waking up frequently. You can use sleep monitoring equipment to understand your sleep status.

In short, this study by the Xiangya team has revealed a new mechanism between sleep and weight, and also provided us with practical health advice. Let us start from today, pay attention to sleep, care about health, and let Raptin, a natural appetite regulating hormone, play its due role, helping us maintain a healthy weight and enjoy a good life.

References:.XieLQ, Hu B, Lu RB, et al.Raptin, a sleep-induced hypothalamichormone, suppresses appetite and obesity.Cell Res.Publishedonline January 29, 2025.doi:10.1038/s41422-025-01078-8