From fat fruit fly to human obesity

Abstract

Obesity is a chronic metabolic disease that has become a global problem. Although a tremendous amount of effort has been spent to prevent and treat obesity, its etiology is still largely unknown and there are not yet sufficient strategies to control obesity. Recently, the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has become a useful model for studying metabolic homeostasis and obesity related disorders. The goal of this mini-review is to summarize the recent achievements of Drosophila models and to highlight the experimental protocols used in studying feeding behavior and energy homeostasis in the fly. The Drosophila models provide useful tools to understand obesity pathogenesis and to develop novel therapeutics.

Keywords: Drosophila melanogaster; Fat deposition; Feeding behavior; Genetic tools; Metabolic homeostasis; Obesity.