Neuropeptide Y activates phosphorylation of ERK and STAT3 in stromal vascular cells from brown adipose tissue, but fails to affect thermogenic function of brown adipocytes

The Bidirectional Relationship of NPY and Mitochondria in Energy Balance Regulation

Energy balance is regulated by several hormones and peptides, and neuropeptide Y is one of the most crucial in feeding and energy expenditure control. NPY is regulated by a series of peripheral nervous and humoral signals that are responsive to nutrient sensing, but its role in the energy balance is also intricately related to the energetic status, namely mitochondrial function. During fasting, mitochondrial dynamics and activity are activated in orexigenic neurons, increasing the levels of neuropeptide Y. By acting on the sympathetic nervous system, neuropeptide Y modulates thermogenesis and lipolysis, while in the peripheral sites, it triggers adipogenesis and lipogenesis instead. Moreover, both central and peripheral neuropeptide Y reduces mitochondrial activity by decreasing oxidative phosphorylation proteins and other mediators important to the uptake of fatty acids into the mitochondrial matrix, inhibiting lipid oxidation and energy expenditure. Dysregulation of the neuropeptide Y system, as occurs in metabolic diseases like obesity, may lead to mitochondrial dysfunction and, consequently, to oxidative stress and to the white adipose tissue inflammatory environment, contributing to the development of a metabolically unhealthy profile. This review focuses on the interconnection between mitochondrial function and dynamics with central and peripheral neuropeptide Y actions and discusses possible therapeutical modulations of the neuropeptide Y system as an anti-obesity tool.

Developmental exposure to DDT or DDE alters sympathetic innervation of brown adipose in adult female mice

BACKGROUND

Exposure to the bioaccumulative pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolite dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) has been associated with increased risk of insulin resistance and obesity in humans and experimental animals. These effects appear to be mediated by reduced brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis, which is regulated by the sympathetic nervous system. Although the neurotoxicity of DDT is well-established, whether DDT alters sympathetic innervation of BAT is unknown. We hypothesized that perinatal exposure to DDT or DDE promotes thermogenic dysfunction by interfering with sympathetic regulation of BAT thermogenesis.

METHODS

Pregnant C57BL/6 J mice were administered environmentally relevant concentrations of DDTs (p,p'-DDT and o,p'-DDT) or DDE (p,p'-DDE), 1.7 mg/kg and 1.31 mg/kg, respectively, from gestational day 11.5 to postnatal day 5 by oral gavage, and longitudinal body temperature was recorded in male and female offspring. At 4 months of age, metabolic parameters were measured in female offspring via indirect calorimetry with or without the β3 adrenergic receptor agonist, CL 316,243. Immunohistochemical and neurochemical analyses of sympathetic neurons innervating BAT were evaluated.

RESULTS

We observed persistent thermogenic impairment in adult female, but not male, mice perinatally exposed to DDTs or p,p'-DDE. Perinatal DDTs exposure significantly impaired metabolism in adult female mice, an effect rescued by treatment with CL 316,243 immediately prior to calorimetry experiments. Neither DDTs nor p,p'-DDE significantly altered BAT morphology or the concentrations of norepinephrine and its metabolite DHPG in the BAT of DDTs-exposed mice. However, quantitative immunohistochemistry revealed a 20% decrease in sympathetic axons innervating BAT in adult female mice perinatally exposed to DDTs, but not p,p'-DDE, and 48 and 43% fewer synapses in stellate ganglia of mice exposed to either DDTs or p,p'-DDE, respectively, compared to control.

CONCLUSIONS

These data demonstrate that perinatal exposure to DDTs or p,p'-DDE impairs thermogenesis by interfering with patterns of connectivity in sympathetic circuits that regulate BAT.

NPY and Gene Therapy for Epilepsy: How, When,... and Y

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a neuropeptide abundantly expressed in the mammalian central and peripheral nervous system. NPY is a pleiotropic molecule, which influences cell proliferation, cardiovascular and metabolic function, pain and neuronal excitability. In the central nervous system, NPY acts as a neuromodulator, affecting pathways that range from cellular (excitability, neurogenesis) to circuit level (food intake, stress response, pain perception). NPY has a broad repertoire of receptor subtypes, each activating specific signaling pathways in different tissues and cellular sub-regions. In the context of epilepsy, NPY is thought to act as an endogenous anticonvulsant that performs its action through Y2 and Y5 receptors. In fact, its overexpression in the brain with the aid of viral vectors can suppress seizures in animal models of epilepsy. Therefore, NPY-based gene therapy may represent a novel approach for the treatment of epilepsy patients, particularly for pharmaco-resistant and genetic forms of the disease. Nonetheless, considering all the aforementioned aspects of NPY signaling, the study of possible NPY applications as a therapeutic molecule is not devoid of critical aspects. The present review will summarize data related to NPY biology, focusing on its anti-epileptic effects, with a critical appraisal of key elements that could be exploited to improve the already existing NPY-based gene therapy approaches for epilepsy.

Platelet Lysate-Derived Neuropeptide y Influences Migration and Angiogenesis of Human Adipose Tissue-Derived Stromal Cells

Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a powerful neurotransmitter of the central nervous system, is a key regulator of angiogenesis and biology of adipose depots. Intriguingly, its peripheral vascular and angiogenic powerful activity is strictly associated to platelets, which are source of clinical hemoderivates, such as platelet lysate (PL), routinely employed in several clinical applications as wound healing, and to preserve ex vivo the progenitor properties of the adipose stromal cells pool. So far, the presence of NPY in PL and its biological effects on the adipose stromal cell fraction (ASCs) have never been investigated. Here, we aimed to identify endogenous sources of NPY such as PL-based preparations and to investigate which biological properties PL-derived NPY is able to exert on ASCs. The results show that PL contains a high amount of NPY, which is in part also excreted by ASCs when stimulated with PL. The protein levels of the three main NPY subtype receptors (Y1, Y2, Y5) are unaltered by stimulation of ASCs with PL, but their inhibition through selective pharmacological antagonists, considerably enhances migration, and a parallel reduction of angiogenic features of ASCs including decrease in VEGF mRNA and intracellular calcium levels, both downstream targets of NPY. The expression of VEGF and NPY is enhanced within the sites of neovascularisation of difficult wounds in patients after treatment with leuco-platelet concentrates. Our data highlight the presence of NPY in PL preparations and its peripheral effects on adipose progenitors.

Cell proliferation and apoptosis inhibition: essential processes for recruitment of the full thermogenic capacity of brown adipose tissue

In mice living under normal animal house conditions, the brown adipocytes in classical brown adipose tissue depots are already essentially fully differentiated: UCP1 mRNA and UCP1 protein levels are practically saturated. This means that any further recruitment - in response to cold exposure or any other browning agent - does not result in significant augmentation of these parameters. This may easily be construed to indicate that classical brown adipose tissue cannot be further recruited. However, this is far from the case: the capacity for further recruitment instead lies in the ability of the tissue to increase the number of brown-fat cells, a remarkable and highly controlled physiological recruitment process. We have compiled here the available data concerning the unique ability of norepinephrine to increase cell proliferation and inhibit apoptosis in brown adipocytes. Adrenergically stimulated cell proliferation is fully mediated via β₁-adrenoceptors and occurs through activation of stem cells in the tissue; intracellular mediation of the signal involves cAMP and protein kinase A activation, but activation of Erk1/2 is not part of the pathway. Apoptosis inhibition in brown adipocytes is induced by both β- and α₁-adrenergic receptors and here the intracellular pathway includes Erk1/2 activation. This unique ability of norepinephrine to increase cell number in an apparently mitogenically dormant tissue provides possibilities to augment the metabolic capacity of brown adipose tissue, also for therapeutic purposes.

Recent advances in the understanding of how neuropeptide Y and -melanocyte stimulating hormone function in adipose physiology

Communication between the brain and the adipose tissue has been the focus of many studies in recent years, with the "brain-fat axis" identified as a system that orchestrates the assimilation and usage of energy to maintain body mass and adequate fat stores. It is now well-known that appetite-regulating peptides that were studied as neurotransmitters in the central nervous system can act both on the hypothalamus to regulate feeding behavior and also on the adipose tissue to modulate the storage of energy. Energy balance is thus partly controlled by factors that can alter both energy intake and storage/expenditure. Two such factors involved in these processes are neuropeptide Y (NPY) and α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH). NPY, an orexigenic factor, is associated with promoting adipogenesis in both mammals and chickens, while α-MSH, an anorexigenic factor, stimulates lipolysis in rodents. There is also evidence of interaction between the 2 peptides. This review aims to summarize recent advances in the study of NPY and α-MSH regarding their role in adipose tissue physiology, with an emphasis on the cellular and molecular mechanisms. A greater understanding of the brain-fat axis and regulation of adiposity by bioactive peptides may provide insights on strategies to prevent or treat obesity and also enhance nutrient utilization efficiency in agriculturally-important species.

Neuropeptide Y Stimulates Proliferation and Migration of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells from Pregnancy Hypertensive Rats via Y1 and Y5 Receptors

The increased proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) play important roles in pathophysiological remodeling of arteries during hypertension in pregnancy. However, the mechanisms involved in this process remain unclear. We hypothesized that Neuropeptide Y (NPY), which is a potent mitogenic peptide, participates in modulating proliferation and migration of VSMCs during hypertension in pregnancy. Using pregnant hypertensive rats, induced by intraperitoneal injection of L-nitro-arginine methylester (L-NAME), the plasma concentration of NPY was detected. Open angle, which reflects the non-uniform remodeling with high sensitivity, was used to detect the pathophysiological vascular remodeling in vivo. The results revealed that NPY concentration and artery open angle were both significantly increased in rats with hypertension in pregnant. The underlying mechanism of elevated NPY on vascular remodeling were further analyzed by using cultured VSMCs in vitro. In cultured VSMCs, NPY most effectively stimulated the migration and proliferation of VSMCs at 10^-6 mol/L, similar to the plasma concentration in L-NAME hypertension in pregnant rats. NPY up-regulated the expressions of both Y1 and Y5 receptors, increased the phosphorylations of STAT3 on Tyr705 and Ser727 residues, and induced the expression of c-Fos. The NPY-induced VSMCs proliferation was reduced by Y5 receptor antagonist, and fully blocked by combinations with other antagonist, such as Y2+Y5, Y1+Y5, and Y1+Y2+Y5. In contrast, the NPY-induced VSMC migration was blocked by either Y receptor antagonist or any combination of Y receptor antagonists. These results suggest that the elevated plasma concentration of NPY during hypertension in pregnancy may induce VSMC proliferation mainly via Y5 receptor, which subsequently modulate STAT3 and c-Fos signaling pathways to result in the vascular remodeling. These results also suggest that NPY mainly acts on VSMCs in vitro via Y1, Y5 receptors and in vascular tissues in vivo via Y5 receptor.

Neuropeptide Y receptor mediates activation of ERK1/2 via transactivation of the IGF receptor

Neuropeptide Y binds to G-protein coupled receptors whose action results in inhibition of adenylyl cyclase activity. Using HEK293 cells stably expressing the native neuropeptide Y Y1 receptors, we found that the NPY agonist elicits a transient phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2). We first show that ERK1/2 activation following Y1 receptor stimulation is dependent on heterotrimeric Gi/o since it is completely inhibited by pre-treatment with pertussis toxin. In addition, ERK1/2 activation is internalization-independent since mutant Y1 receptors unable to recruit β-arrestins, can still activate ERK signaling to the same extent as wild-type receptors. We next show that this activation of the MAPK pathway is inhibited by the MEK inhibitor U0126, is not dependent on calcium signaling at the Y1 receptor (no effect upon inhibition of phospholipase C, protein kinase C or protein kinase D) but instead dependent on Gβ/γ and associated signaling pathways that activate PI3-kinase. Although inhibition of the epidermal-growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase did not influence NPY-induced ERK1/2 activation, we show that the inhibition of insulin growth factor receptor IGFR by AG1024 completely blocks activation of ERK1/2 by the Y1 receptor. This Gβ/γ-PI3K-AG1024-sensitive pathway does not involve activation of IGFR through the release of a soluble ligand by metalloproteinases since it is not affected by the metalloproteinase inhibitor marimastat. Finally, we found that a similar pathway, sensitive to wortmannin-AG1024 but insensitive to marimastat, is implicated in activation of ERK signaling in HEK293 cells by endogenously expressed GPCRs coupled to Gq-protein (muscarinic M3 receptors) or coupled to Gs-protein (endothelin ETB receptors). Our analysis is the first to show that β-arrestin recruitment to the NPY Y1 receptor is not necessary for MAPK activation by this receptor but that transactivation of the IGFR receptor is required.

Thermogenic ability of uncoupling protein 1 in beige adipocytes in mice

Chronic adrenergic activation leads to the emergence of beige adipocytes in some depots of white adipose tissue in mice. Despite their morphological similarities to brown adipocytes and their expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), a thermogenic protein exclusively expressed in brown adipocytes, the beige adipocytes have a gene expression pattern distinct from that of brown adipocytes. However, it is unclear whether the thermogenic function of beige adipocytes is different from that of classical brown adipocytes existing in brown adipose tissue. To examine the thermogenic ability of UCP1 expressed in beige and brown adipocytes, the adipocytes were isolated from the fat depots of C57BL/6J mice housed at 24°C (control group) or 10°C (cold-acclimated group) for 3 weeks. Morphological and gene expression analyses revealed that the adipocytes isolated from brown adipose tissue of both the control and cold-acclimated groups consisted mainly of brown adipocytes. These brown adipocytes contained large amounts of UCP1 and increased their oxygen consumption when stimulated with norepinephirine. Adipocytes isolated from the perigonadal white adipose tissues of both groups and the inguinal white adipose tissue of the control group were white adipocytes that showed no increase in oxygen consumption after norepinephrine stimulation. Adipocytes isolated from the inguinal white adipose tissue of the cold-acclimated group were a mixture of white and beige adipocytes, which expressed UCP1 and increased their oxygen consumption in response to norepinephrine. The UCP1 content and thermogenic ability of beige adipocytes estimated on the basis of their abundance in the cell mixture were similar to those of brown adipocytes. These results revealed that the inducible beige adipocytes have potent thermogenic ability comparable to classical brown adipocytes.

Towards improved receptor targeting: anterograde transport, internalization and postendocytic trafficking of neuropeptide Y receptors

The neuropeptide Y system is known to be involved in the regulation of many central physiological and pathophysiological processes, such as energy homeostasis, obesity, cancer, mood disorders and epilepsy. Four Y receptor subtypes have been cloned from human tissue (hY1, hY2, hY4 and hY5) that form a multiligand/multireceptor system together with their three peptidic agonists (NPY, PYY and PP). Addressing this system for medical application requires on the one hand detailed information about the receptor-ligand interaction to design subtype-selective compounds. On the other hand comprehensive knowledge about alternative receptor signaling, as well as desensitization, localization and downregulation is crucial to circumvent the development of undesired side-effects and drug resistance. By bringing such knowledge together, highly potent and long-lasting drugs with minimized side-effects can be engineered. Here, current knowledge about Y receptor export, internalization, recycling, and degradation is summarized, with a focus on the human Y receptor subtypes, and is discussed in terms of its impact on therapeutic application.

Intracellular mechanisms coupled to NPY Y2 and Y5 receptor activation and lipid accumulation in murine adipocytes

The formation of adipose tissue is a process that includes the pre-adipocyte proliferation and differentiation to adipocytes that are cells specialized in lipid accumulation. The adipocyte differentiation is a process driven by the coordinated expression of various transcription factors, such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR-γ). Neuropeptide Y (NPY) induces adipocyte proliferation and differentiation but the NPY receptors and the intracellular pathways involved in these processes are still not clear. In the present work we studied the role of NPY receptors and the intracellular pathways involved in the stimulatory effect of NPY on lipid accumulation. The murine pre-adipocyte cell line, 3T3-L1, was used as a cell model. Adipogenesis was evaluated by quantifying lipid accumulation by Oil red-O assay and by analyzing PPAR-γ expression using the Western blotting assay. Adipocytes were incubated with NPY (100nM) and a decrease on lipid accumulation and PPAR-γ expression was observed in the presence of NPY Y(2) receptor antagonist (BIIE0246, 1μM) or NPY Y(5) antagonist. Furthermore, NPY Y(2) (NPY(3-36), 100nM) or NPY Y(5) (NPY(19-23)(GLY(1), Ser(3), Gln(4), Thr(6), Ala(31), Aib(32), Gln(34)) PP, 100nM) receptor agonists increased lipid accumulation and PPAR-γ expression. We further investigate the intracellular pathways associated with NPY Y(2) and NPY Y(5) receptor activation. Our results show NPY induces PPAR-γ expression and lipid accumulation through NPY Y(2) and NPY Y(5) receptors activation. PKC and PLC inhibitors inhibit lipid accumulation induced by NPY Y(5) receptor agonist. Moreover, our results suggest that lipid accumulation induced by NPY Y(2) receptor activation occurs through PKA, MAPK and PI3K pathways. In conclusion, this study contributes to a step forward on the knowledge of intracellular mechanisms associated with NPY receptors activation on adipocytes and contributes to a better understanding and the development of new therapeutic targets for obesity treatment.