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Ye H, Yang X, Feng B, Luo P, Torres Irizarry VC, Carrillo-Sáenz L, Yu M, Yang Y, Eappen BP, Munoz MD, Patel N, Schaul S, Ibrahimi L, Lai P, Qi X, Zhou Y, Kota M, Dixit D, Mun M, Liew CW, Jiang Y, Wang C, He Y, Xu P. 27-Hydroxycholesterol acts on estrogen receptor α expressed by POMC neurons in the arcuate nucleus to modulate feeding behavior. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadi4746. [PMID: 38996023 PMCID: PMC11244552 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi4746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
Oxysterols are metabolites of cholesterol that regulate cholesterol homeostasis. Among these, the most abundant oxysterol is 27-hydroxycholesterol (27HC), which can cross the blood-brain barrier. Because 27HC functions as an endogenous selective estrogen receptor modulator, we hypothesize that 27HC binds to the estrogen receptor α (ERα) in the brain to regulate energy balance. Supporting this view, we found that delivering 27HC to the brain reduced food intake and activated proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (POMCARH) in an ERα-dependent manner. In addition, we observed that inhibiting brain ERα, deleting ERα in POMC neurons, or chemogenetic inhibition of POMCARH neurons blocked the anorexigenic effects of 27HC. Mechanistically, we further revealed that 27HC stimulates POMCARH neurons by inhibiting the small conductance of the calcium-activated potassium (SK) channel. Together, our findings suggest that 27HC, through its interaction with ERα and modulation of the SK channel, inhibits food intake as a negative feedback mechanism against a surge in circulating cholesterol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Ye
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Xiaohua Yang
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Animal Nutritional Regulation, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wushan Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510642, China
| | - Bing Feng
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA
| | - Pei Luo
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Animal Nutritional Regulation, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wushan Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510642, China
| | - Valeria C. Torres Irizarry
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Leslie Carrillo-Sáenz
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Meng Yu
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yongjie Yang
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Benjamin P. Eappen
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Marcos David Munoz
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Nirali Patel
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Sarah Schaul
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Lucas Ibrahimi
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Penghua Lai
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Xinyue Qi
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Yuliang Zhou
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Maya Kota
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Devin Dixit
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Madeline Mun
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Chong Wee Liew
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Yuwei Jiang
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Chunmei Wang
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yanlin He
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA
| | - Pingwen Xu
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
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2
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Li AH, Kuo YY, Yang SB, Chen PC. Central Channelopathies in Obesity. CHINESE J PHYSIOL 2024; 67:15-26. [PMID: 38780269 DOI: 10.4103/ejpi.ejpi-d-23-00029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
As obesity has raised heightening awareness, researchers have attempted to identify potential targets that can be treated for therapeutic intervention. Focusing on the central nervous system (CNS), the key organ in maintaining energy balance, a plethora of ion channels that are expressed in the CNS have been inspected and determined through manipulation in different hypothalamic neural subpopulations for their roles in fine-tuning neuronal activity on energy state alterations, possibly acting as metabolic sensors. However, a remaining gap persists between human clinical investigations and mouse studies. Despite having delineated the pathways and mechanisms of how the mouse study-identified ion channels modulate energy homeostasis, only a few targets overlap with the obesity-related risk genes extracted from human genome-wide association studies. Here, we present the most recently discovered CNS-specific metabolism-correlated ion channels using reverse and forward genetics approaches in mice and humans, respectively, in the hope of illuminating the prospects for future therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athena Hsu Li
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ying Kuo
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Shi-Bing Yang
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Chun Chen
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
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3
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Oh Y, Yoo ES, Ju SH, Kim E, Lee S, Kim S, Wickman K, Sohn JW. GIRK2 potassium channels expressed by the AgRP neurons decrease adiposity and body weight in mice. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002252. [PMID: 37594983 PMCID: PMC10468093 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023] Open
Abstract
It is well known that the neuropeptide Y (NPY)/agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons increase appetite and decrease thermogenesis. Previous studies demonstrated that optogenetic and/or chemogenetic manipulations of NPY/AgRP neuronal activity alter food intake and/or energy expenditure (EE). However, little is known about intrinsic molecules regulating NPY/AgRP neuronal excitability to affect long-term metabolic function. Here, we found that the G protein-gated inwardly rectifying K+ (GIRK) channels are key to stabilize NPY/AgRP neurons and that NPY/AgRP neuron-selective deletion of the GIRK2 subunit results in a persistently increased excitability of the NPY/AgRP neurons. Interestingly, increased body weight and adiposity observed in the NPY/AgRP neuron-selective GIRK2 knockout mice were due to decreased sympathetic activity and EE, while food intake remained unchanged. The conditional knockout mice also showed compromised adaptation to coldness. In summary, our study identified GIRK2 as a key determinant of NPY/AgRP neuronal excitability and driver of EE in physiological and stress conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youjin Oh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Eun-Seon Yoo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Sang Hyeon Ju
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Eunha Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Seulgi Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Seyun Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Kevin Wickman
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Jong-Woo Sohn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
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4
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Han Y, He Y, Harris L, Xu Y, Wu Q. Identification of a GABAergic neural circuit governing leptin signaling deficiency-induced obesity. eLife 2023; 12:e82649. [PMID: 37043384 PMCID: PMC10097419 DOI: 10.7554/elife.82649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The hormone leptin is known to robustly suppress food intake by acting upon the leptin receptor (LepR) signaling system residing within the agouti-related protein (AgRP) neurons of the hypothalamus. However, clinical studies indicate that leptin is undesirable as a therapeutic regiment for obesity, which is at least partly attributed to the poorly understood complex secondary structure and key signaling mechanism of the leptin-responsive neural circuit. Here, we show that the LepR-expressing portal neurons send GABAergic projections to a cohort of α3-GABAA receptor expressing neurons within the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (DMH) for the control of leptin-mediated obesity phenotype. We identified the DMH as a key brain region that contributes to the regulation of leptin-mediated feeding. Acute activation of the GABAergic AgRP-DMH circuit promoted food intake and glucose intolerance, while activation of post-synaptic MC4R neurons in the DMH elicited exactly opposite phenotypes. Rapid deletion of LepR from AgRP neurons caused an obesity phenotype which can be rescued by blockage of GABAA receptor in the DMH. Consistent with behavioral results, these DMH neurons displayed suppressed neural activities in response to hunger or hyperglycemia. Furthermore, we identified that α3-GABAA receptor signaling within the DMH exerts potent bi-directional regulation of the central effects of leptin on feeding and body weight. Together, our results demonstrate a novel GABAergic neural circuit governing leptin-mediated feeding and energy balance via a unique α3-GABAA signaling within the secondary leptin-responsive neural circuit, constituting a new avenue for therapeutic interventions in the treatment of obesity and associated comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Han
- USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Yang He
- USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Lauren Harris
- USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Yong Xu
- USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Qi Wu
- USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
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5
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Fang X, Chen Y, Wang J, Zhang Z, Bai Y, Denney K, Gan L, Guo M, Weintraub NL, Lei Y, Lu XY. Increased intrinsic and synaptic excitability of hypothalamic POMC neurons underlies chronic stress-induced behavioral deficits. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:1365-1382. [PMID: 36473997 PMCID: PMC10005948 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01872-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Chronic stress exposure induces maladaptive behavioral responses and increases susceptibility to neuropsychiatric conditions. However, specific neuronal populations and circuits that are highly sensitive to stress and trigger maladaptive behavioral responses remain to be identified. Here we investigate the patterns of spontaneous activity of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of the hypothalamus following exposure to chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) for 10 days, a stress paradigm used to induce behavioral deficits such as anhedonia and behavioral despair [1, 2]. CUS exposure increased spontaneous firing of POMC neurons in both male and female mice, attributable to reduced GABA-mediated synaptic inhibition and increased intrinsic neuronal excitability. While acute activation of POMC neurons failed to induce behavioral changes in non-stressed mice of both sexes, subacute (3 days) and chronic (10 days) repeated activation of POMC neurons was sufficient to induce anhedonia and behavioral despair in males but not females under non-stress conditions. Acute activation of POMC neurons promoted susceptibility to subthreshold unpredictable stress in both male and female mice. Conversely, acute inhibition of POMC neurons was sufficient to reverse CUS-induced anhedonia and behavioral despair in both sexes. Collectively, these results indicate that chronic stress induces both synaptic and intrinsic plasticity of POMC neurons, leading to neuronal hyperactivity. Our findings suggest that POMC neuron dysfunction drives chronic stress-related behavioral deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Fang
- Department of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Yuting Chen
- Department of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Jiangong Wang
- Department of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Ziliang Zhang
- Department of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Yu Bai
- Department of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Kirstyn Denney
- Department of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Lin Gan
- Department of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Ming Guo
- Department of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Neal L Weintraub
- Department of Medicine, Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Yun Lei
- Department of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Xin-Yun Lu
- Department of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA.
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6
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Tang D, Tang Q, Huang W, Zhang Y, Tian Y, Fu X. Fasting: From Physiology to Pathology. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2204487. [PMID: 36737846 PMCID: PMC10037992 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202204487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Overnutrition is a risk factor for various human diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic disorders, and cancers. Therefore, targeting overnutrition represents a simple but attractive strategy for the treatment of these increasing public health threats. Fasting as a dietary intervention for combating overnutrition has been extensively studied. Fasting has been practiced for millennia, but only recently have its roles in the molecular clock, gut microbiome, and tissue homeostasis and function emerged. Fasting can slow aging in most species and protect against various human diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic disorders, and cancers. These centuried and unfading adventures and explorations suggest that fasting has the potential to delay aging and help prevent and treat diseases while minimizing side effects caused by chronic dietary interventions. In this review, recent animal and human studies concerning the role and underlying mechanism of fasting in physiology and pathology are summarized, the therapeutic potential of fasting is highlighted, and the combination of pharmacological intervention and fasting is discussed as a new treatment regimen for human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongmei Tang
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China HospitalSichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of BiotherapyChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Qiuyan Tang
- Neurology Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, School of Clinical MedicineChengdu University of Traditional Chinese MedicineChengduSichuan610075China
| | - Wei Huang
- West China Centre of Excellence for PancreatitisInstitute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western MedicineWest China‐Liverpool Biomedical Research CentreWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Yuwei Zhang
- Division of Endocrinology and MetabolismWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Yan Tian
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China HospitalSichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of BiotherapyChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Xianghui Fu
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China HospitalSichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of BiotherapyChengduSichuan610041China
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7
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Hernandez CC, Gimenez LE, Dahir NS, Peisley A, Cone RD. The unique structural characteristics of the Kir 7.1 inward rectifier potassium channel: a novel player in energy homeostasis control. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2023; 324:C694-C706. [PMID: 36717105 PMCID: PMC10026989 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00335.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The inward rectifier potassium channel Kir7.1, encoded by the KCNJ13 gene, is a tetramer composed of two-transmembrane domain-spanning monomers, closer in homology to Kir channels associated with potassium transport such as Kir1.1, 1.2, and 1.3. Compared with other channels, Kir7.1 exhibits small unitary conductance and low dependence on external potassium. Kir7.1 channels also show a phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) dependence for opening. Accordingly, retinopathy-associated Kir7.1 mutations mapped at the binding site for PIP2 resulted in channel gating defects leading to channelopathies such as snowflake vitreoretinal degeneration and Leber congenital amaurosis in blind patients. Lately, this channel's role in energy homeostasis was reported due to the direct interaction with the melanocortin type 4 receptor (MC4R) in the hypothalamus. As this channel seems to play a multipronged role in potassium homeostasis and neuronal excitability, we will discuss what is predicted from a structural viewpoint and its possible implications for hunger control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciria C Hernandez
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| | - Luis E Gimenez
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| | - Naima S Dahir
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| | - Alys Peisley
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| | - Roger D Cone
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
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8
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Feng B, Liu H, Mishra I, Duerrschmid C, Gao P, Xu P, Wang C, He Y. Asprosin promotes feeding through SK channel-dependent activation of AgRP neurons. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eabq6718. [PMID: 36812308 PMCID: PMC9946352 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abq6718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Asprosin, a recently identified adipokine, activates agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARH) via binding to protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor δ (Ptprd) to increase food intake. However, the intracellular mechanisms responsible for asprosin/Ptprd-mediated activation of AgRPARH neurons remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the small-conductance calcium-activated potassium (SK) channel is required for the stimulatory effects of asprosin/Ptprd on AgRPARH neurons. Specifically, we found that deficiency or elevation of circulating asprosin increased or decreased the SK current in AgRPARH neurons, respectively. AgRPARH-specific deletion of SK3 (an SK channel subtype highly expressed in AgRPARH neurons) blocked asprosin-induced AgRPARH activation and overeating. Furthermore, pharmacological blockade, genetic knockdown, or knockout of Ptprd abolished asprosin's effects on the SK current and AgRPARH neuronal activity. Therefore, our results demonstrated an essential asprosin-Ptprd-SK3 mechanism in asprosin-induced AgRPARH activation and hyperphagia, which is a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Feng
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Hesong Liu
- USDA-ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ila Mishra
- Harrington Discovery Institute, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Clemens Duerrschmid
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Peiyu Gao
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Pingwen Xu
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Chunmei Wang
- USDA-ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yanlin He
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
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9
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Yu M, Bean JC, Liu H, He Y, Yang Y, Cai X, Yu K, Pei Z, Liu H, Tu L, Conde KM, Wang M, Li Y, Yin N, Zhang N, Han J, Scarcelli NA, Xu P, He Y, Xu Y, Wang C. SK3 in POMC neurons plays a sexually dimorphic role in energy and glucose homeostasis. Cell Biosci 2022; 12:170. [PMID: 36210455 PMCID: PMC9549684 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-022-00907-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons play a sexually dimorphic role in body weight and glucose balance. However, the mechanisms for the sex differences in POMC neuron functions are not fully understood. RESULTS We detected small conductance calcium-activated potassium (SK) current in POMC neurons. Secondary analysis of published single-cell RNA-Seq data showed that POMC neurons abundantly express SK3, one SK channel subunit. To test whether SK3 in POMC neurons regulates POMC neuron functions on energy and glucose homeostasis, we used a Cre-loxP strategy to delete SK3 specifically from mature POMC neurons. POMC-specific deletion of SK3 did not affect body weight in either male or female mice. Interestingly, male mutant mice showed not only decreased food intake but also decreased physical activity, resulting in unchanged body weight. Further, POMC-specific SK3 deficiency impaired glucose balance specifically in female mice but not in male mice. Finally, no sex differences were detected in the expression of SK3 and SK current in total POMC neurons. However, we found higher SK current but lower SK3 positive neuron population in male POMC neurons co-expressing estrogen receptor α (ERα) compared to that in females. CONCLUSION These results revealed a sexually dimorphic role of SK3 in POMC neurons in both energy and glucose homeostasis independent of body weight control, which was associated with the sex difference of SK current in a subpopulation of POMC + ERα + neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Yu
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XChildren’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Jonathan C. Bean
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XChildren’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Hailan Liu
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XChildren’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Yang He
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XChildren’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Yongjie Yang
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XChildren’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Xing Cai
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XChildren’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Kaifan Yu
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XChildren’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Zhou Pei
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XChildren’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Hesong Liu
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XChildren’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Longlong Tu
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XChildren’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Kristine M. Conde
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XChildren’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Mengjie Wang
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XChildren’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Yongxiang Li
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XChildren’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Na Yin
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XChildren’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Nan Zhang
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XChildren’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Junying Han
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XChildren’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Nikolas A. Scarcelli
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XChildren’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Pingwen Xu
- grid.185648.60000 0001 2175 0319Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612 USA
| | - Yanlin He
- grid.64337.350000 0001 0662 7451Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Brain glycemic and metabolism control department, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70808 USA
| | - Yong Xu
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XChildren’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030 USA ,grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XDepartment of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Chunmei Wang
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XChildren’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030 USA
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10
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Endle H, Horta G, Stutz B, Muthuraman M, Tegeder I, Schreiber Y, Snodgrass IF, Gurke R, Liu ZW, Sestan-Pesa M, Radyushkin K, Streu N, Fan W, Baumgart J, Li Y, Kloss F, Groppa S, Opel N, Dannlowski U, Grabe HJ, Zipp F, Rácz B, Horvath TL, Nitsch R, Vogt J. AgRP neurons control feeding behaviour at cortical synapses via peripherally derived lysophospholipids. Nat Metab 2022; 4:683-692. [PMID: 35760867 PMCID: PMC9940119 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-022-00589-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Phospholipid levels are influenced by peripheral metabolism. Within the central nervous system, synaptic phospholipids regulate glutamatergic transmission and cortical excitability. Whether changes in peripheral metabolism affect brain lipid levels and cortical excitability remains unknown. Here, we show that levels of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) species in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid are elevated after overnight fasting and lead to higher cortical excitability. LPA-related cortical excitability increases fasting-induced hyperphagia, and is decreased following inhibition of LPA synthesis. Mice expressing a human mutation (Prg-1R346T) leading to higher synaptic lipid-mediated cortical excitability display increased fasting-induced hyperphagia. Accordingly, human subjects with this mutation have higher body mass index and prevalence of type 2 diabetes. We further show that the effects of LPA following fasting are under the control of hypothalamic agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons. Depletion of AgRP-expressing cells in adult mice decreases fasting-induced elevation of circulating LPAs, as well as cortical excitability, while blunting hyperphagia. These findings reveal a direct influence of circulating LPAs under the control of hypothalamic AgRP neurons on cortical excitability, unmasking an alternative non-neuronal route by which the hypothalamus can exert a robust impact on the cortex and thereby affect food intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiko Endle
- Department of Molecular and Translational Neuroscience of Anatomy II, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence-Cellular Stress Response in Aging-Associated Diseases, Center of Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Neurology, Focus Program Translational Neuroscience (FTN) and Immunotherapy (FZI), Rhine Main Neuroscience Network (rmn2), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Guilherme Horta
- Focus Program Translational Neuroscience, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
- Translational Animal Research Center, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
- Institute for Microscopic Anatomy and Neurobiology, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Bernardo Stutz
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Muthuraman Muthuraman
- Department of Neurology, Focus Program Translational Neuroscience (FTN) and Immunotherapy (FZI), Rhine Main Neuroscience Network (rmn2), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Irmgard Tegeder
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Yannick Schreiber
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Immune Mediated Diseases, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Isabel Faria Snodgrass
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Immune Mediated Diseases, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Robert Gurke
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Immune Mediated Diseases, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Zhong-Wu Liu
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Matija Sestan-Pesa
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Konstantin Radyushkin
- Focus Program Translational Neuroscience, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
- Translational Animal Research Center, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Nora Streu
- Focus Program Translational Neuroscience, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Wei Fan
- Focus Program Translational Neuroscience, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jan Baumgart
- Translational Animal Research Center, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Yan Li
- Transfer Group Antiinfectives, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Florian Kloss
- Transfer Group Antiinfectives, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Sergiu Groppa
- Department of Neurology, Focus Program Translational Neuroscience (FTN) and Immunotherapy (FZI), Rhine Main Neuroscience Network (rmn2), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Nils Opel
- Institute of Translational Psychiatry, Westfälische Wilhelms University, Münster, Germany
| | - Udo Dannlowski
- Institute of Translational Psychiatry, Westfälische Wilhelms University, Münster, Germany
| | - Hans J Grabe
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Frauke Zipp
- Department of Neurology, Focus Program Translational Neuroscience (FTN) and Immunotherapy (FZI), Rhine Main Neuroscience Network (rmn2), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Bence Rácz
- Department of Anatomy and Histology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tamas L Horvath
- Cluster of Excellence-Cellular Stress Response in Aging-Associated Diseases, Center of Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Anatomy and Histology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Robert Nitsch
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Westfälische Wilhelms University, Münster, Germany.
| | - Johannes Vogt
- Department of Molecular and Translational Neuroscience of Anatomy II, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Cluster of Excellence-Cellular Stress Response in Aging-Associated Diseases, Center of Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Department of Neurology, Focus Program Translational Neuroscience (FTN) and Immunotherapy (FZI), Rhine Main Neuroscience Network (rmn2), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany.
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11
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Cai X, Liu H, Feng B, Yu M, He Y, Liu H, Liang C, Yang Y, Tu L, Zhang N, Wang L, Yin N, Han J, Yan Z, Wang C, Xu P, Wu Q, Tong Q, He Y, Xu Y. A D2 to D1 shift in dopaminergic inputs to midbrain 5-HT neurons causes anorexia in mice. Nat Neurosci 2022; 25:646-658. [PMID: 35501380 PMCID: PMC9926508 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01062-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Midbrain dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) neurons regulate motivated behaviors, including feeding, but less is known about how these circuits may interact. In this study, we found that DA neurons in the mouse ventral tegmental area bidirectionally regulate the activity of 5-HT neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), with weaker stimulation causing DRD2-dependent inhibition and overeating, while stronger stimulation causing DRD1-dependent activation and anorexia. Furthermore, in the activity-based anorexia (ABA) paradigm, which is a mouse model mimicking some clinical features of human anorexia nervosa (AN), we observed a DRD2 to DRD1 shift of DA neurotransmission on 5-HTDRN neurons, which causes constant activation of these neurons and contributes to AN-like behaviors. Finally, we found that systemic administration of a DRD1 antagonist can prevent anorexia and weight loss in ABA. Our results revealed regulation of feeding behavior by stimulation strength-dependent interactions between DA and 5-HT neurons, which may contribute to the pathophysiology of AN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Cai
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Present address: Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,These authors contributed equally: Xing Cai, Hailan Liu
| | - Hailan Liu
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,These authors contributed equally: Xing Cai, Hailan Liu
| | - Bing Feng
- Brain Glycemic and Metabolism Control Department, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Meng Yu
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yang He
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hesong Liu
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Chen Liang
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yongjie Yang
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Longlong Tu
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Nan Zhang
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Lina Wang
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Na Yin
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Junying Han
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Zili Yan
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Chunmei Wang
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Pingwen Xu
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Present address: Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Qi Wu
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Qingchun Tong
- Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yanlin He
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. .,Brain Glycemic and Metabolism Control Department, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
| | - Yong Xu
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. .,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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12
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Mishra I, Xie WR, Bournat JC, He Y, Wang C, Silva ES, Liu H, Ku Z, Chen Y, Erokwu BO, Jia P, Zhao Z, An Z, Flask CA, He Y, Xu Y, Chopra AR. Protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor δ serves as the orexigenic asprosin receptor. Cell Metab 2022; 34:549-563.e8. [PMID: 35298903 PMCID: PMC8986618 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2022.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Asprosin is a fasting-induced glucogenic and centrally acting orexigenic hormone. The olfactory receptor Olfr734 is known to be the hepatic receptor for asprosin that mediates its effects on glucose production, but the receptor for asprosin's orexigenic function has been unclear. Here, we have identified protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor δ (Ptprd) as the orexigenic receptor for asprosin. Asprosin functions as a high-affinity Ptprd ligand in hypothalamic AgRP neurons, regulating the activity of this circuit in a cell-autonomous manner. Genetic ablation of Ptprd results in a strong loss of appetite, leanness, and an inability to respond to the orexigenic effects of asprosin. Ablation of Ptprd specifically in AgRP neurons causes resistance to diet-induced obesity. Introduction of the soluble Ptprd ligand-binding domain in the circulation of mice suppresses appetite and blood glucose levels by sequestering plasma asprosin. Identification of Ptprd as the orexigenic asprosin receptor creates a new avenue for the development of anti-obesity therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ila Mishra
- Harrington Discovery Institute, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Wei Rose Xie
- Harrington Discovery Institute, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Juan C Bournat
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yang He
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; USDA-ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Chunmei Wang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; USDA-ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Hailan Liu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; USDA-ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Zhiqiang Ku
- Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yinghua Chen
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Bernadette O Erokwu
- Departments of Radiology, Biomedical Engineering, and Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Peilin Jia
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Zhongming Zhao
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Zhiqiang An
- Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Chris A Flask
- Departments of Radiology, Biomedical Engineering, and Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Yanlin He
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; USDA-ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Yong Xu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; USDA-ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Atul R Chopra
- Harrington Discovery Institute, Cleveland, OH, USA; Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA; Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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13
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He Y, Cai X, Liu H, Conde KM, Xu P, Li Y, Wang C, Yu M, He Y, Liu H, Liang C, Yang T, Yang Y, Yu K, Wang J, Zheng R, Liu F, Sun Z, Heisler L, Wu Q, Tong Q, Zhu C, Shu G, Xu Y. 5-HT recruits distinct neurocircuits to inhibit hunger-driven and non-hunger-driven feeding. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:7211-7224. [PMID: 34290371 PMCID: PMC8776930 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01220-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Obesity is primarily a consequence of consuming calories beyond energetic requirements, but underpinning drivers have not been fully defined. 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) neurons in the dorsal Raphe nucleus (5-HTDRN) regulate different types of feeding behavior, such as eating to cope with hunger or for pleasure. Here, we observed that activation of 5-HTDRN to hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (5-HTDRN → ARH) projections inhibits food intake driven by hunger via actions at ARH 5-HT2C and 5-HT1B receptors, whereas activation of 5-HTDRN to ventral tegmental area (5-HTDRN → VTA) projections inhibits non-hunger-driven feeding via actions at 5-HT2C receptors. Further, hunger-driven feeding gradually activates ARH-projecting 5-HTDRN neurons via inhibiting their responsiveness to inhibitory GABAergic inputs; non-hunger-driven feeding activates VTA-projecting 5-HTDRN neurons through reducing a potassium outward current. Thus, our results support a model whereby parallel circuits modulate feeding behavior either in response to hunger or to hunger-independent cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlin He
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Brain Glycemic and Metabolism Control Department, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Xing Cai
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Hailan Liu
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Krisitine M Conde
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Pingwen Xu
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Yongxiang Li
- Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Animal Nutritional Regulation, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangdong, China
| | - Chunmei Wang
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Meng Yu
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yang He
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hesong Liu
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Chen Liang
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Tingting Yang
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yongjie Yang
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kaifan Yu
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Julia Wang
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Rong Zheng
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Feng Liu
- Departments of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Zheng Sun
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Lora Heisler
- Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Qi Wu
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Qingchun Tong
- Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Canjun Zhu
- Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Animal Nutritional Regulation, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangdong, China
| | - Gang Shu
- Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Animal Nutritional Regulation, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangdong, China.
| | - Yong Xu
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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14
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Targeting the T-type calcium channel Cav3.2 in GABAergic arcuate nucleus neurons to treat obesity. Mol Metab 2021; 54:101391. [PMID: 34767997 PMCID: PMC8640109 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2021.101391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cav3.2, a T-type low voltage-activated calcium channel widely expressed throughout the central nervous system, plays a vital role in neuronal excitability and various physiological functions. However, the effects of Cav3.2 on energy homeostasis remain unclear. Here, we examined the role of Cav3.2 expressed by hypothalamic GABAergic neurons in the regulation of food intake and body weight in mice and explored the underlying mechanisms. METHODS Male congenital Cana1h (the gene coding for Cav3.2) global knockout (Cav3.2KO) mice and their wild type (WT) littermates were first used for metabolic phenotyping studies. By using the CRISPR-Cas9 technique, Cav3.2 was selectively deleted from GABAergic neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARH) by specifically overexpressing Cas9 protein and Cav3.2-targeting sgRNAs in ARH Vgat (VgatARH) neurons. These male mutants (Cav3.2KO-VgatARH) were used to determine whether Cav3.2 expressed by VgatARH neurons is required for the proper regulation of energy balance. Subsequently, we used an electrophysiological patch-clamp recording in ex vivo brain slices to explore the impact of Cav3.2KO on the cellular excitability of VgatARH neurons. RESULTS Male Cav3.2KO mice had significantly lower food intake than their WT littermate controls when fed with either a normal chow diet (NCD) or a high-fat diet (HFD). This hypophagia phenotype was associated with increased energy expenditure and decreased fat mass, lean mass, and total body weight. Selective deletion of Cav3.2 in VgatARH neurons resulted in similar feeding inhibition and lean phenotype without changing energy expenditure. These data provides an intrinsic mechanism to support the previous finding on ARH non-AgRP GABA neurons in regulating diet-induced obesity. Lastly, we found that naringenin extract, a predominant flavanone found in various fruits and herbs and known to act on Cav3.2, decreased the firing activity of VgatARH neurons and reduced food intake and body weight. These naringenin-induced inhibitions were fully blocked in Cav3.2KO-VgatARH mice. CONCLUSION Our results identified Cav3.2 expressed by VgatARH neurons as an essential intrinsic modulator for food intake and energy homeostasis, which is a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of obesity.
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15
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Xia G, Han Y, Meng F, He Y, Srisai D, Farias M, Dang M, Palmiter RD, Xu Y, Wu Q. Reciprocal control of obesity and anxiety-depressive disorder via a GABA and serotonin neural circuit. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:2837-2853. [PMID: 33767348 PMCID: PMC8505263 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01053-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The high comorbidity between obesity and mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety, often exacerbates metabolic and neurological symptoms significantly. However, neural mechanisms that underlie reciprocal control of feeding and mental states are largely elusive. Here we report that melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) neurons located in the dorsal bed nucleus of the stria terminus (dBNST) engage in the regulation of mentally associated weight gain by receiving GABAergic projections from hypothalamic AgRP neurons onto α5-containing GABAA receptors and serotonergic afferents onto 5-HT3 receptors. Chronic treatment with a high-fat diet (HFD) significantly blunts the hyperexcitability of AgRP neurons in response to not only hunger but also anxiety and depression-like stimuli. Such HFD-mediated desensitization reduces GABAergic outputs from AgRP neurons to downstream MC4RdBNST neurons, resulting in severe mental dysregulation. Genetic enhancement of the GABAAR-α5 or suppression of the 5-HT3R within the MC4RdBNST neurons not only abolishes HFD-induced anxiety and depression but also robustly reduces body weight by suppression of food intake. To gain further translational insights, we revealed that combined treatment of zonisamide (enhancing the GABAAR-α5 signaling) and granisetron (a selective 5-HT3R antagonist) alleviates mental dysfunction and yields a robust reversal of diet-induced obesity by reducing total calorie intake and altering food preference towards a healthy low-fat diet. Our results unveil a neural mechanism for reciprocal control of appetite and mental states, which culminates in a novel zonisamide-granisetron cocktail therapy for potential tackling the psychosis-obesity comorbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guobin Xia
- USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yong Han
- USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Fantao Meng
- USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yanlin He
- USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Brain Glycemic and Metabolism Control Department, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Dollada Srisai
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Monica Farias
- USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Minghao Dang
- Department of Genomic Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Richard D Palmiter
- Departments of Biochemistry and Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Yong Xu
- USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Qi Wu
- USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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16
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Park YJ, Cominguez DC, Kim HJ, Jin JS, Koh DJ, Kim SY, Lim YW, Park YB, An HJ. Therapeutic effects of Gambi-jung for the treatment of obesity. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 141:111838. [PMID: 34182414 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity is known as metabolic syndrome and it affects many tissues including adipose tissue, liver, and central nervous system (CVS). Gambi-jung (GBJ) is a modified prescription of Taeumjowi-tang (TJT), which has been used to treat obesity in Korea. GBJ is composed of 90% Ephedra sinica Stapf (ES). Therefore, the present study was designed to assess the antiobesity effects of GBJ and to compare the effects of GBJ and ES on obesity. GBJ administration remarkably reduced the body weight, Body mass index (BMI), and body fat percentage compared to the ES administration in human subjects. GBJ-treated mice had lower white adipose tissue (WAT) amounts than ES-treated mice. GBJ and ES administration enhanced adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, epididymal WAT and liver of HFD-induced obese mice. Moreover, GBJ and ES reduced food intake by suppressing the mRNA levels of orexigenic peptides, agouti-related protein (AgRP) and neuropeptide-Y (NPY), as well as AMPK in the brain of HFD-induced obese mice. Furthermore, GBJ-treated mice had dramatically lower expression of macrophage marker F4/80 in epididymal WAT than those of ES-treated mice. Based on these results, we suggest the use of GBJ as a natural drug to control weight gain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yea-Jin Park
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Korean Medicine, Sangji University, Wonju, Gangwon-do 26339, Republic of Korea.
| | - Divina C Cominguez
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Korean Medicine, Sangji University, Wonju, Gangwon-do 26339, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hyo-Jung Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Korean Medicine, Sangji University, Wonju, Gangwon-do 26339, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jong-Sik Jin
- Department of Oriental Medicine Resources, Chonbuk National University, Iksan, Republic of Korea.
| | - Duck-Jae Koh
- Nubebe Korean Medical Clinic, Republic of Korea.
| | | | - Young-Woo Lim
- Nubebe Mibyeong Research Institute, Republic of Korea.
| | | | - Hyo-Jin An
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Korean Medicine, Sangji University, Wonju, Gangwon-do 26339, Republic of Korea.
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17
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Han Y, Xia G, He Y, He Y, Farias M, Xu Y, Wu Q. A hindbrain dopaminergic neural circuit prevents weight gain by reinforcing food satiation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabf8719. [PMID: 34039606 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf8719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The neural circuitry mechanism that underlies dopaminergic (DA) control of innate feeding behavior is largely uncharacterized. Here, we identified a subpopulation of DA neurons situated in the caudal ventral tegmental area (cVTA) directly innervating DRD1-expressing neurons within the lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPBN). This neural circuit potently suppresses food intake via enhanced satiation response. Notably, this cohort of DAcVTA neurons is activated immediately before the cessation of each feeding bout. Acute inhibition of these DA neurons before bout termination substantially suppresses satiety and prolongs the consummatory feeding. Activation of postsynaptic DRD1LPBN neurons inhibits feeding, whereas genetic deletion of Drd1 within the LPBN causes robust increase in food intake and subsequent weight gain. Furthermore, the DRD1LPBN signaling manifests the central mechanism in methylphenidate-induced hypophagia. In conclusion, our study illuminates a hindbrain DAergic circuit that controls feeding through dynamic regulation in satiety response and meal structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Han
- USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Guobin Xia
- USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yanlin He
- USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yang He
- USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Monica Farias
- USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yong Xu
- USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Qi Wu
- USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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18
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Wang C, Zhou W, He Y, Yang T, Xu P, Yang Y, Cai X, Wang J, Liu H, Yu M, Liang C, Yang T, Liu H, Fukuda M, Tong Q, Wu Q, Sun Z, He Y, Xu Y. AgRP neurons trigger long-term potentiation and facilitate food seeking. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:11. [PMID: 33414382 PMCID: PMC7791100 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-01161-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Sufficient feeding is essential for animals' survival, which requires a cognitive capability to facilitate food seeking, but the neurobiological processes regulating food seeking are not fully understood. Here we show that stimulation of agouti-related peptide-expressing (AgRP) neurons triggers a long-term depression (LTD) of spontaneous excitatory post-synaptic current (sEPSC) in adjacent pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons and in most of their distant synaptic targets, including neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT). The AgRP-induced sEPCS LTD can be enhanced by fasting but blunted by satiety signals, e.g. leptin and insulin. Mice subjected to food-seeking tasks develop similar neural plasticity in AgRP-innervated PVT neurons. Further, ablation of the majority of AgRP neurons, or only a subset of AgRP neurons that project to the PVT, impairs animals' ability to associate spatial and contextual cues with food availability during food seeking. A similar impairment can be also induced by optogenetic inhibition of the AgRP→PVT projections. Together, these results indicate that the AgRP→PVT circuit is necessary for food seeking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunmei Wang
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Wenjun Zhou
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yang He
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Tiffany Yang
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Pingwen Xu
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yongjie Yang
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Xing Cai
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Julia Wang
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Hesong Liu
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Meng Yu
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Chen Liang
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Tingting Yang
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Hailan Liu
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Makoto Fukuda
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Qingchun Tong
- Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Qi Wu
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Zheng Sun
- Department of Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yanlin He
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University System, Baton Rouge, LA, 70808, USA.
| | - Yong Xu
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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Chronic unpredictable stress induces depression-related behaviors by suppressing AgRP neuron activity. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:2299-2315. [PMID: 33432188 PMCID: PMC8272726 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-01004-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that AgRP neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) respond to energy deficits and play a key role in the control of feeding behavior and metabolism. Here, we demonstrate that chronic unpredictable stress, an animal model of depression, decreases spontaneous firing rates, increases firing irregularity and alters the firing properties of AgRP neurons in both male and female mice. These changes are associated with enhanced inhibitory synaptic transmission and reduced intrinsic neuronal excitability. Chemogenetic inhibition of AgRP neurons increases susceptibility to subthreshold unpredictable stress. Conversely, chemogenetic activation of AgRP neurons completely reverses anhedonic and despair behaviors induced by chronic unpredictable stress. These results indicate that chronic stress induces maladaptive synaptic and intrinsic plasticity, leading to hypoactivity of AgRP neurons and subsequently causing behavioral changes. Our findings suggest that AgRP neurons in the ARC are a key component of neural circuitry involved in mediating depression-related behaviors and that increasing AgRP neuronal activity coule be a novel and effective treatment for depression.
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20
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Effects of metabolic state on the regulation of melanocortin circuits. Physiol Behav 2020; 224:113039. [PMID: 32610101 PMCID: PMC7387173 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.113039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Dysfunction in neurophysiological systems that regulate food intake and metabolism are at least partly responsible for obesity and related comorbidities. An important component of this process is the hypothalamic melanocortin system, where an imbalance can result in severe obesity and deficits in glucose metabolism. Exercise offers many health benefits related to cardiovascular improvements, hunger control, and blood glucose homeostasis. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the exercise-induced improvements to the melanocortin system remain undefined. Here, we review the role of the melanocortin system to sense hormonal, nutrient, and neuronal signals of energy status. This information is then relayed onto secondary neurons in order to regulate physiological parameters, which promote proper energy and glucose balance. We also provide an overview on the effects of physical exercise to induce biophysical changes in the melanocortin circuit which may regulate food intake, glucose metabolism and improve overall metabolic health.
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21
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Targeting AgRP neurons to maintain energy balance: Lessons from animal models. Biochem Pharmacol 2018; 155:224-232. [PMID: 30012460 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2018.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The current obesity epidemic is a major worldwide health and economic burden. In the modern environment, an increase in the intake of high-fat and high-sugar foods plays a crucial role in the development of obesity by disrupting the mechanisms governing food intake and energy balance. Food intake and whole-body energy balance are regulated by the central nervous system through a sophisticated neuronal network located mostly in the hypothalamus. In particular, the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) is a fundamental center that senses hormonal and nutrient-related signals informing about the energy state of the organism. The ARC contains two small, defined populations of neurons with opposite functions: anorexigenic proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-expressing neurons and orexigenic Agouti-related protein (AgRP)-expressing neurons. AgRP neurons, which also co-produce neuropeptide Y (NPY) and γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), are involved in an increase in hunger and a decrease in energy expenditure. In this review, we summarize the key findings from the most common animal models targeting AgRP neurons and the tools used to discern the role of this specific neuronal population in the control of peripheral metabolism, appetite, feeding-related behavior, and other complex behaviors. We also discuss how knowledge gained from these studies has revealed new pathways and key proteins that could be potential therapeutic targets to reduce appetite and food addictions in obesity and other diseases.
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22
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Ryvkin J, Bentzur A, Zer-Krispil S, Shohat-Ophir G. Mechanisms Underlying the Risk to Develop Drug Addiction, Insights From Studies in Drosophila melanogaster. Front Physiol 2018; 9:327. [PMID: 29740329 PMCID: PMC5928757 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to adapt to environmental changes is an essential feature of biological systems, achieved in animals by a coordinated crosstalk between neuronal and hormonal programs that allow rapid and integrated organismal responses. Reward systems play a key role in mediating this adaptation by reinforcing behaviors that enhance immediate survival, such as eating or drinking, or those that ensure long-term survival, such as sexual behavior or caring for offspring. Drugs of abuse co-opt neuronal and molecular pathways that mediate natural rewards, which under certain circumstances can lead to addiction. Many factors can contribute to the transition from drug use to drug addiction, highlighting the need to discover mechanisms underlying the progression from initial drug use to drug addiction. Since similar responses to natural and drug rewards are present in very different animals, it is likely that the central systems that process reward stimuli originated early in evolution, and that common ancient biological principles and genes are involved in these processes. Thus, the neurobiology of natural and drug rewards can be studied using simpler model organisms that have their systems stripped of some of the immense complexity that exists in mammalian brains. In this paper we review studies in Drosophila melanogaster that model different aspects of natural and drug rewards, with an emphasis on how motivational states shape the value of the rewarding experience, as an entry point to understanding the mechanisms that contribute to the vulnerability of drug addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Ryvkin
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Assa Bentzur
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Shir Zer-Krispil
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Galit Shohat-Ophir
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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23
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Melanocortin neurons: Multiple routes to regulation of metabolism. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2017; 1863:2477-2485. [PMID: 28499988 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2017.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Revised: 03/31/2017] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The burden of disability, premature death, escalating health care costs and lost economic productivity due to obesity and its associated complications including hypertension, stroke, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes is staggering [1,2]. A better understanding of metabolic homeostatic pathways will provide us with insights into the biological mechanisms of obesity and how to fundamentally address this epidemic [3-6]. In mammals, energy balance is maintained via a homeostatic system involving both peripheral and central melanocortin systems; changes in body weight reflect an unbalance of the energetic state [7-9]. Although the primary cause of obesity is unknown, there is significant effort to understand the role of the central melanocortin pathway in the brain as it has been shown that deficiency of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) [10,11] and melanocortin 4 receptors (MC4R) [12-15] in both rodents and humans results in severe hyperphagia and obesity [16-23]. In this review, we will summarize how the central melanocortin pathway helps regulate body mass and adiposity within a 'healthy' range through the 'nutrient sensing' network [24-28]. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Melanocortin Receptors - edited by Ya-Xiong Tao.
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