Why can JAK inhibitors cause weight gain?

A majority of patients at the Weill Cornell Medicine Richard T. Silver Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Center report weight gain and increased appetite when taking JAK inhibitors. Normally, a signaling molecule called leptin, tells your brain you aren’t hungry after eating. It has been determined that the leptin signals in your brain go through JAK2, therefore, taking JAK inhibitors disrupts leptin’s ability to signal leading to abnormal eating and hunger. The Silver MPN Center has a variety of resources and treatment plans such as exercise regimens, nutritional intervention, and counseling to help mitigate the effects of these drugs.

Learn more about the JAK2 mutation: https://silvermpncenter.weill.cornell...