1
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Heaton EC, Seo EH, Butkovich LM, Yount ST, Gourley SL. Control of goal-directed and inflexible actions by dorsal striatal melanocortin systems, in coordination with the central nucleus of the amygdala. Prog Neurobiol 2024; 238:102629. [PMID: 38763506 PMCID: PMC11198735 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2024.102629] [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: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
The dorsomedial striatum (DMS) is associated with flexible goal seeking, as opposed to routinized habits. Whether local mechanisms brake this function, for instance when habits may be adaptive, is incompletely understood. We find that a sub-population of dopamine D1 receptor-containing striatal neurons express the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) for α-melanocyte stimulating hormone. These neurons within the DMS are necessary and sufficient for controlling the capacity of mice to flexibly adjust actions based on the likelihood that they will be rewarded. In investigating MC4R function, we found that it suppresses immediate-early gene levels in the DMS and concurrently, flexible goal seeking. MC4R+ neurons receive input from the central nucleus of the amygdala, and behavioral experiments indicate that they are functionally integrated into an amygdalo-striatal circuit that suppresses action flexibility in favor of routine. Publicly available spatial transcriptomics datasets were analyzed for gene transcript correlates of Mc4r expression across the striatal subregions, revealing considerable co-variation in dorsal structures. This insight led to the discovery that the function of MC4R in the dorsolateral striatum complements that in the DMS, in this case suppressing habit-like behavior. Altogether, our findings suggest that striatal MC4R controls the capacity for goal-directed and inflexible actions alike.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth C Heaton
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Emory University, United States; Emory National Primate Research Center, Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Esther H Seo
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Laura M Butkovich
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Sophie T Yount
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, United States; Graduate Program in Molecular and Systems Pharmacology, Emory University, United States
| | - Shannon L Gourley
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Emory University, United States; Emory National Primate Research Center, Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, United States; Graduate Program in Molecular and Systems Pharmacology, Emory University, United States; Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, United States.
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2
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Gozen O, Aypar B, Ozturk Bintepe M, Tuzcu F, Balkan B, Koylu EO, Kanit L, Keser A. Chronic Nicotine Consumption and Withdrawal Regulate Melanocortin Receptor, CRF, and CRF Receptor mRNA Levels in the Rat Brain. Brain Sci 2024; 14:63. [PMID: 38248278 PMCID: PMC10813117 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14010063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Alterations in the various neuropeptide systems in the mesocorticolimbic circuitry have been implicated in negative effects associated with drug withdrawal. The corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone are two peptides that may be involved. This study investigated the regulatory effects of chronic nicotine exposure and withdrawal on the mRNA levels of melanocortin receptors (MC3R, MC4R), CRF, and CRF receptors (CRFR1 and CRFR2) expressed in the mesocorticolimbic system. Rats were given drinking water with nicotine or without nicotine (control group) for 12 weeks, after which they continued receiving nicotine (chronic exposure) or were withdrawn from nicotine for 24 or 48 h. The animals were decapitated following behavioral testing for withdrawal signs. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis demonstrated that nicotine exposure (with or without withdrawal) increased levels of CRF and CRFR1 mRNA in the amygdala, CRF mRNA in the medial prefrontal cortex, and CRFR1 mRNA in the septum. Nicotine withdrawal also enhanced MC3R and MC4R mRNA levels in different brain regions, while chronic nicotine exposure was associated with increased MC4R mRNA levels in the nucleus accumbens. These results suggest that chronic nicotine exposure and withdrawal regulate CRF and melanocortin signaling in the mesocorticolimbic system, possibly contributing to negative affective state and nicotine addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oguz Gozen
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey; (O.G.)
- Center for Brain Research, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey
| | - Buket Aypar
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey; (O.G.)
| | - Meliha Ozturk Bintepe
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey; (O.G.)
| | - Fulya Tuzcu
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey; (O.G.)
| | - Burcu Balkan
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey; (O.G.)
- Center for Brain Research, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ersin O. Koylu
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey; (O.G.)
- Center for Brain Research, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey
| | - Lutfiye Kanit
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey; (O.G.)
- Center for Brain Research, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey
| | - Aysegul Keser
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey; (O.G.)
- Center for Brain Research, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey
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3
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Mori K, Okuma H, Nakamura S, Uchinuma H, Kaga S, Nakajima H, Ogawa Y, Tsuchiya K. Melanocortin-4 receptor in macrophages attenuated angiotensin II-induced abdominal aortic aneurysm in mice. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19768. [PMID: 37957201 PMCID: PMC10643430 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46831-4] [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: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity is recognized as an independent risk factor for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). While mutations in the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) gene is the most common cause of obesity caused by mutations in a single gene, the link between MC4R function and vascular disease has still remained unclear. Here, by using melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) deficient mice, we confirmed MC4R deficiency promotes AAA and atherosclerosis. We demonstrated the contribution of two novel factors towards vascular vulnerability in this model: leptin signaling in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and loss of MC4R signaling in macrophages. Leptin was shown to promote vascular vulnerability via PI3K-dependent upregulation of Spp1 expression in VSMC. Additionally, Ang II-induced AAA incidence was significantly reduced when MC4R gene expression was myeloid cell-specifically rescued in MC4R deficient (MC4RTB/TB) mice. Ex vivo analysis showed a suppression in NF-κB activity in bone marrow-derived macrophages from LysM(+);MC4RTB/TB mice compared to LysM(-);MC4RTB/TB mice, which exaggerates with endogenous MC4R ligand treatment; α-MSH. These results suggest that MC4R signaling in macrophages attenuates AAA by inhibiting NF-κB activity and subsequent vascular inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kentaro Mori
- Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi, 1110 Shimokato, Chuo, Yamanashi, 4093898, Japan.
| | - Hideyuki Okuma
- Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi, 1110 Shimokato, Chuo, Yamanashi, 4093898, Japan
| | - Suguru Nakamura
- Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi, 1110 Shimokato, Chuo, Yamanashi, 4093898, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Uchinuma
- Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi, 1110 Shimokato, Chuo, Yamanashi, 4093898, Japan
| | - Shigeaki Kaga
- Department of Surgery II, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Nakajima
- Department of Surgery II, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Ogawa
- Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Kyoichiro Tsuchiya
- Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi, 1110 Shimokato, Chuo, Yamanashi, 4093898, Japan.
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4
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Dunigan AI, Roseberry AG. Actions of feeding-related peptides on the mesolimbic dopamine system in regulation of natural and drug rewards. ADDICTION NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 2:100011. [PMID: 37220637 PMCID: PMC10201992 DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2022.100011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The mesolimbic dopamine system is the primary neural circuit mediating motivation, reinforcement, and reward-related behavior. The activity of this system and multiple behaviors controlled by it are affected by changes in feeding and body weight, such as fasting, food restriction, or the development of obesity. Multiple different peptides and hormones that have been implicated in the control of feeding and body weight interact with the mesolimbic dopamine system to regulate many different dopamine-dependent, reward-related behaviors. In this review, we summarize the effects of a selected set of feeding-related peptides and hormones acting within the ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens to alter feeding, as well as food, drug, and social reward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna I. Dunigan
- Department of Biology and Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
| | - Aaron G. Roseberry
- Department of Biology and Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
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5
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Li L, Yoo ES, Li X, Wyler SC, Chen X, Wan R, Arnold AG, Birnbaum SG, Jia L, Sohn JW, Liu C. The atypical antipsychotic risperidone targets hypothalamic melanocortin 4 receptors to cause weight gain. J Exp Med 2021; 218:212095. [PMID: 33978701 PMCID: PMC8126977 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20202484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Atypical antipsychotics such as risperidone cause drug-induced metabolic syndrome. However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we report a new mouse model that reliably reproduces risperidone-induced weight gain, adiposity, and glucose intolerance. We found that risperidone treatment acutely altered energy balance in C57BL/6 mice and that hyperphagia accounted for most of the weight gain. Transcriptomic analyses in the hypothalamus of risperidone-fed mice revealed that risperidone treatment reduced the expression of Mc4r. Furthermore, Mc4r in Sim1 neurons was necessary for risperidone-induced hyperphagia and weight gain. Moreover, we found that the same pathway underlies the obesogenic effect of olanzapine-another commonly prescribed antipsychotic drug. Remarkably, whole-cell patch-clamp recording demonstrated that risperidone acutely inhibited the activity of hypothalamic Mc4r neurons via the opening of a postsynaptic potassium conductance. Finally, we showed that treatment with setmelanotide, an MC4R-specific agonist, mitigated hyperphagia and obesity in both risperidone- and olanzapine-fed mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Li
- The Hypothalamic Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Eun-Seon Yoo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Xiujuan Li
- The Hypothalamic Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Steven C Wyler
- The Hypothalamic Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Xiameng Chen
- The Hypothalamic Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Rong Wan
- The Hypothalamic Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Amanda G Arnold
- The Hypothalamic Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Shari G Birnbaum
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.,Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Lin Jia
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX
| | - Jong-Woo Sohn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Chen Liu
- The Hypothalamic Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.,Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
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6
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Gawliński D, Gawlińska K, Frankowska M, Filip M. Maternal Diet Influences the Reinstatement of Cocaine-Seeking Behavior and the Expression of Melanocortin-4 Receptors in Female Offspring of Rats. Nutrients 2020; 12:E1462. [PMID: 32438560 PMCID: PMC7284813 DOI: 10.3390/nu12051462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have emphasized the role of the maternal diet in the development of mental disorders in offspring. Substance use disorder is a major global health and economic burden. Therefore, the search for predisposing factors for the development of this disease can contribute to reducing the health and social damage associated with addiction. In this study, we focused on the impact of the maternal diet on changes in melanocortin-4 (MC-4) receptors as well as on behavioral changes related to cocaine addiction. Rat dams consumed a high-fat diet (HFD), high-sugar diet (HSD, rich in sucrose), or mixed diet (MD) during pregnancy and lactation. Using an intravenous cocaine self-administration model, the susceptibility of female offspring to cocaine reward and cocaine-seeking propensities was evaluated. In addition, the level of MC-4 receptors in the rat brain structures related to cocaine reward and relapse was assessed. Modified maternal diets did not affect cocaine self-administration in offspring. However, the maternal HSD enhanced cocaine-seeking behavior in female offspring. In addition, we observed that the maternal HSD and MD led to increased expression of MC-4 receptors in the nucleus accumbens, while increased MC-4 receptor levels in the dorsal striatum were observed after exposure to the maternal HSD and HFD. Taken together, it can be concluded that a maternal HSD is an important factor that triggers cocaine-seeking behavior in female offspring and the expression of MC-4 receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Małgorzata Filip
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Smętna Street 12, 31-343 Kraków, Poland; (D.G.); (K.G.); (M.F.)
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7
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Gawliński D, Gawlińska K, Frankowska M, Filip M. Maternal high-sugar diet changes offspring vulnerability to reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior: Role of melanocortin-4 receptors. FASEB J 2020; 34:9192-9206. [PMID: 32421249 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202000163r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Maternal diet significantly influences the proper development of offspring in utero. Modifications of diet composition may lead to metabolic and mental disorders that may predispose offspring to a substance use disorder. We assessed the impact of a maternal high-sugar diet (HSD, rich in sucrose) consumed during pregnancy and lactation on the offspring phenotype in the context of the rewarding and motivational effects of cocaine and changes within the central melanocortin (MC) system. Using an intravenous cocaine self-administration model, we showed that maternal HSD leads to increased relapse of cocaine-seeking behavior in male offspring. In addition, we demonstrated that cocaine induces changes in the level of MC-4 receptors in the offspring brain, and these changes depend on maternal diet. These studies also reveal that an MC-4 receptor antagonist reduces the reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior, and offspring exposed to maternal HSD are more sensitive to its effects than offspring exposed to the maternal control diet. Taken together, the results suggest that a maternal HSD and MC-4 receptors play an important role in cocaine relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawid Gawliński
- Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | - Kinga Gawlińska
- Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Frankowska
- Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Filip
- Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
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8
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Davis KC, Saito K, Rodeghiero SR, Toth BA, Lutter M, Cui H. Behavioral Alterations in Mice Carrying Homozygous HDAC4 A778T Missense Mutation Associated With Eating Disorder. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:139. [PMID: 32153359 PMCID: PMC7046559 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00139] [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: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Eating disorders (EDs) are serious mental illnesses thought to arise from the complex gene-environment interactions. DNA methylation patterns in histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) locus have been associated with EDs and we have previously identified a missense mutation in the HDAC4 gene (HDAC4A786T) that increases the risk of developing an ED. In order to evaluate the biological consequences of this variant and establish a useful mouse model of EDs, here we performed behavioral characterization of mice homozygous for Hdac4A778T (corresponding to human HDAC4A786T) that were further backcrossed onto C57BL/6 background. When fed high-fat diet, male, but not female, homozygous mice showed a trend toward decreased weight gain compared to their wild-type littermates. Behaviorally, male, but not female, homozygous mice spent less time in eating and exhibited reduced motivation to work for palatable food and light phase-specific decrease in locomotor activity. Additionally, homozygous Hdac4A778T female, but not male, mice display social subordination when subjected to a tube dominance test. Collectively, these results reveal a complex sex- and circadian-dependent role of ED-associated Hdac4A778T mutation in affecting mouse behaviors. Homozygous Hdac4A778T mice could therefore be a useful animal model to gain insight into the neurobiological basis of EDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin C Davis
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Kenji Saito
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Samuel R Rodeghiero
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Brandon A Toth
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Michael Lutter
- Eating Recovery Center of San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Huxing Cui
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States.,F.O.E. Diabetes Research Center, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States.,Obesity Research and Educational Initiative, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States.,Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States
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9
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Brandt S, von Schnurbein J, Lennerz B, Kohlsdorf K, Vollbach H, Denzer C, Bode H, Hebebrand J, Wabitsch M. Methylphenidate in children with monogenic obesity due to LEPR or MC4R deficiency improves feeling of satiety and reduces BMI-SDS-A case series. Pediatr Obes 2020; 15:e12577. [PMID: 31670905 DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.12577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The clinical phenotype of patients with monogenic obesity due to mutations in the leptin receptor (LEPR) or melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) gene is characterized by impaired satiety and hyperphagia, leading to extreme, sometimes life-threatening weight gain. SUBJECTS/METHODS In a case series, we analysed the effect of an off-label methylphenidate (MPH) use for 1 year as an individual treatment approach on eating behaviour (Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire [CEBQ]), appetite (visual analogue scales) and body mass index (BMI) trajectories in five patients with severe obesity due to mutations in the LEPR (n = 3) or MC4R (n = 2) gene. RESULTS After 1 year use of MPH (20 mg/day divided in two to three doses), BMI (Δ BMIT0-T1x¯ : -0.7 ± 0.9 kg/m2 ), BMI standard deviation score (SDS) (Δ BMI-SDST0-T1x¯ : -0.32 ± 0.20), and %BMIP95 (Δ %BMIP95T0-T1x¯ : -6.6 ± 7.8%) decreased. BMI-SDS velocity decreased from +0.17 ± 0.22 to -0.30 ± 0.20. Appetite and CEBQ subscale scores for "food responsiveness" and "enjoyment of food" decreased. We observed adverse effects with increase in self-reported frequency of disordered sleep, nervousness, hyperactivity, and tics. CONCLUSIONS The observed decrease in BMI trajectories with MPH use for one year is clinically meaningful in this group of patients, since the natural course would have been associated with a pronounced increase in BMI, leading to comorbidities and complications over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Brandt
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Julia von Schnurbein
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Belinda Lennerz
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany.,Division of Endocrinology and New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Katja Kohlsdorf
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Heike Vollbach
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany.,Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology Division, Children's Hospital, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Christian Denzer
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Harald Bode
- Division of Social Pediatrics and Child Neurology, University Children's Hospital, Ulm, Germany
| | - Johannes Hebebrand
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Universitätsklinikum Essen (AöR), Essen, Germany
| | - Martin Wabitsch
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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10
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Lerma-Cabrera JM, Carvajal F, Garbutt JC, Navarro M, Thiele TE. The melanocortin system as a potential target for treating alcohol use disorders: A review of pre-clinical data. Brain Res 2019; 1730:146628. [PMID: 31891691 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2019.146628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The melanocortin (MC) system consists of neuropeptides that are cleaved from the polypeptide precursor proopiomelanocortin (POMC). In the brain, MC neuropeptides signal primarily through the MC-3 and MC-4 receptors, which are widely expressed throughout the brain. While the MC system has been largely studied for its role in food intake and body weight regulation, converging evidence has emerged over approximately the last 20-years showing that alcohol (ethanol), and other drugs of abuse influence the central MC system, and that manipulating MC receptor signalling modulates ethanol intake. Although there is divergent evidence, the wealth of data appears to suggest that activating MC signalling, primarily through the MC-4 receptor, is protective against excessive ethanol consumption. In the present review, we first describe the MC system and then detail how ethanol exposure and consumption alters central MC and MC-receptor expression and levels. This is followed by a review of the data, from pharmacological and genetic studies, which show that manipulations of MC receptor activity alter ethanol intake. We then briefly highlight studies implicating a role for the MC system in modulating neurobiological responses and intake of other drugs of abuse, including amphetamine, cocaine and opioids. Finally, we introduce relatively new observations that the drug, bupropion (BUP), a drug that activates central MC activity, significantly reduces ethanol intake in rodent models when administered alone and in combination with the non-selective opioid receptor antagonist, naltrexone. Phase II clinical trials are currently underway to assess the efficacy of BUP as a treatment for alcohol use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - James C Garbutt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Montserrat Navarro
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Todd E Thiele
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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11
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Neuronal cAMP/PKA Signaling and Energy Homeostasis. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1090:31-48. [PMID: 30390284 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-1286-1_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The brain plays a key role in the regulation of body weight and glucose metabolism. Peripheral signals including hormones, metabolites, and neural afferent signals are received and processed by the brain which in turn elicits proper behavioral and metabolic responses for maintaining energy and glucose homeostasis. The cAMP/protein kinase A (PKA) pathway acts downstream G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) to mediate the physiological effects of many hormones and neurotransmitters. Activated PKA phosphorylates various proteins including ion channels, enzymes, and transcription factors and regulates their activity. Recent studies have shown that neuronal cAMP/PKA activity in multiple brain regions are involved in the regulation of feeding, energy expenditure, and glucose homeostasis. In this chapter I summarize recent genetic and pharmacological studies concerning the regulation of body weight and glucose homeostasis by cAMP/PKA signaling in the brain.
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12
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Blough B, Namjoshi O. Small Molecule Neuropeptide S and Melanocortin 4 Receptor Ligands as Potential Treatments for Substance Use Disorders. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2019; 258:61-87. [PMID: 31628605 DOI: 10.1007/164_2019_313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
There is a vital need for novel approaches and biological targets for drug discovery and development. Treatment strategies for substance use disorders (SUDs) to date have been mostly ineffective other than substitution-like therapeutics. Two such targets are the peptide G-protein-coupled receptors neuropeptide S (NPS) and melanocortin 4 (MC4). Preclinical evidence suggests that antagonists, inverse agonists, or negative allosteric modulators of these receptors might be novel therapeutics for SUDs. NPS is a relatively unexplored receptor with high potential for treating SUD. MC4 has a strong link to early-onset obesity, and emerging evidence suggests significant overlap between food-maintained and drug-maintained behaviors making MC4 an intriguing target for SUD. This chapter provides an overview of the literature in relation to the roles of NPS and MC4 in drug-seeking behaviors and then provides a medicinal chemistry-based survey of the small molecule ligands for each receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce Blough
- Center for Drug Discovery, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Ojas Namjoshi
- Center for Drug Discovery, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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Klawonn AM, Fritz M, Nilsson A, Bonaventura J, Shionoya K, Mirrasekhian E, Karlsson U, Jaarola M, Granseth B, Blomqvist A, Michaelides M, Engblom D. Motivational valence is determined by striatal melanocortin 4 receptors. J Clin Invest 2018; 128:3160-3170. [PMID: 29911992 DOI: 10.1172/jci97854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
It is critical for survival to assign positive or negative valence to salient stimuli in a correct manner. Accordingly, harmful stimuli and internal states characterized by perturbed homeostasis are accompanied by discomfort, unease, and aversion. Aversive signaling causes extensive suffering during chronic diseases, including inflammatory conditions, cancer, and depression. Here, we investigated the role of melanocortin 4 receptors (MC4Rs) in aversive processing using genetically modified mice and a behavioral test in which mice avoid an environment that they have learned to associate with aversive stimuli. In normal mice, robust aversions were induced by systemic inflammation, nausea, pain, and κ opioid receptor-induced dysphoria. In sharp contrast, mice lacking MC4Rs displayed preference or indifference toward the aversive stimuli. The unusual flip from aversion to reward in mice lacking MC4Rs was dopamine dependent and associated with a change from decreased to increased activity of the dopamine system. The responses to aversive stimuli were normalized when MC4Rs were reexpressed on dopamine D1 receptor-expressing cells or in the striatum of mice otherwise lacking MC4Rs. Furthermore, activation of arcuate nucleus proopiomelanocortin neurons projecting to the ventral striatum increased the activity of striatal neurons in an MC4R-dependent manner and elicited aversion. Our findings demonstrate that melanocortin signaling through striatal MC4Rs is critical for assigning negative motivational valence to harmful stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Mathia Klawonn
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Michael Fritz
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Anna Nilsson
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Jordi Bonaventura
- Biobehavioral Imaging and Molecular Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Kiseko Shionoya
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Elahe Mirrasekhian
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Urban Karlsson
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Maarit Jaarola
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Björn Granseth
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Anders Blomqvist
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Michael Michaelides
- Biobehavioral Imaging and Molecular Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - David Engblom
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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Chen X, Huang L, Tan HY, Li H, Wan Y, Cowley M, Veldhuis JD, Chen C. Deficient melanocortin-4 receptor causes abnormal reproductive neuroendocrine profile in female mice. Reproduction 2017; 153:267-276. [PMID: 28003536 DOI: 10.1530/rep-16-0341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2016] [Revised: 11/28/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Deletion of the melanocortin-4-receptor (Mc4r) gene in mice causes hyperphagia, followed by hyperinsulinemia, obesity and progressive infertility. Evidence shows that the number of developed corpora lutea is reduced in obese MC4R-knockout (MC4R KO) female mice, but the mechanism is unclear. The effect of hyperphagia and obesity by MC4R KO on pulsatile luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion and ovulation remains unknown. In MC4R KO mice and wild-type littermates (WT LM) during the diestrus period throughout different ages, we examined and monitored their metabolic status, pulsatile LH profiles, follicular morphology and the number of corpora lutea. MC4R KO mice were hyperphagic, obese, hyperglycemic, hyperinsulinemic and demonstrated insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis. Irregular estrous cycles and significant changes in the LH secretion profiles were observed in sexually matured 16- to 28-week MC4R KO mice, without any difference in testosterone levels. In addition, MC4R KO mice at 16 weeks of age had significantly fewer corpora lutea than same age WT LM mice. The ovary examinations of MC4R KO mice at 28 weeks of age showed predominantly antral and preovulatory follicles with no corpora lutea. These findings were consistent with the decrease in total, pulsatile, mass and basal LH releases in MC4R KO mice. The characteristics of hormone profiles in obese MC4R KO mice indicate that MC4R plays an important role in regulating LH release, ovulation and reproductive ability probably via hyperphagia-induced obesity. Further study of correlation between metabolic and reproductive regulatory hormones is warranted to dissect the pathological mechanism underlying obesity-induced infertility.Free Chinese abstract: A Chinese translation of this abstract is freely available at http://www.reproduction-online.org/content/153/3/267/suppl/DC1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolin Chen
- School of Biomedical ScienceUniversity of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Endocrinology DepartmentRenmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuchang District, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Lili Huang
- School of Biomedical ScienceUniversity of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Hwee Y Tan
- School of Biomedical ScienceUniversity of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Hongzhuo Li
- School of Biomedical ScienceUniversity of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ying Wan
- School of Biomedical ScienceUniversity of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Michael Cowley
- Department of PhysiologyMonash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Johannes D Veldhuis
- Endocrine Research UnitMayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Clinical Translational Science Center, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Chen Chen
- School of Biomedical ScienceUniversity of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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15
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Melanocortin-4 receptor regulation of pain. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2017; 1863:2515-2522. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2017.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2016] [Revised: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Hill JW, Faulkner LD. The Role of the Melanocortin System in Metabolic Disease: New Developments and Advances. Neuroendocrinology 2017; 104:330-346. [PMID: 27728914 PMCID: PMC5724371 DOI: 10.1159/000450649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2016] [Accepted: 05/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Obesity is increasing in prevalence across all sectors of society, and with it a constellation of associated ailments including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and eating disorders. The melanocortin system is a critical neural system underlying the control of body weight and other functions. Deficits in the melanocortin system may promote or exacerbate the comorbidities of obesity. This system has therefore generated great interest as a potential target for treatment of obesity. However, drugs targeting melanocortin receptors are plagued by problematic side effects, including undesirable increases in sympathetic nervous system activity, heart rate, and blood pressure. Circumnavigating this roadblock will require a clearer picture of the precise neural circuits that mediate the functions of melanocortins. Recent, novel experimental approaches have significantly advanced our understanding of these pathways. We here review the latest advances in our understanding of the role of melanocortins in food intake, reward pathways, blood pressure, glucose control, and energy expenditure. The evidence suggests that downstream melanocortin-responsive circuits responsible for different physiological actions do diverge. Ultimately, a more complete understanding of melanocortin pathways and their myriad roles should allow treatments tailored to the mix of metabolic disorders in the individual patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer W Hill
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
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Navarro M. The Role of the Melanocortin System in Drug and Alcohol Abuse. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2017; 136:121-150. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2017.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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Abstract
Many of the neurocircuits and hormones known to underlie the sensations of hunger and satiety also substantially alter the activity of the dopaminergic reward system. Much interest lies in the ways that hunger, satiety, and reward tie together, as the epidemic of obesity seems tied to the recent development and mass availability of highly palatable foods. In this review, we will first discuss the basic neurocircuitry of the midbrain and basal forebrain reward system. We will elaborate how several important mediators of hunger-the agouti-related protein neurons of the arcuate nucleus, the lateral hypothalamic nucleus, and ghrelin-enhance the sensitivity of the dopaminergic reward system. Then, we will elaborate how mediators of satiety-the nucleus tractus solitarius, pro-opiomelanocortin neurons of the arcuate nucleus, and its peripheral hormonal influences such as leptin-reduce the reward system sensitivity. We hope to provide a template by which future research may identify the ways in which highly rewarding foods bypass this balanced system to produce excessive food consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Michael Cassidy
- Brown Foundation of the Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases of McGovern Medical School, Neuroscience Program MD Anderson Cancer Center and UTHealth Graduate School of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
- *Correspondence: Ryan Michael Cassidy,
| | - Qingchun Tong
- Brown Foundation of the Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases of McGovern Medical School, Neuroscience Program MD Anderson Cancer Center and UTHealth Graduate School of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
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Sukhov IB, Derkach KV, Chistyakova OV, Bondareva VM, Shpakov AO. The effect of prolonged intranasal administration of serotonin on the activity of hypothalamic signaling systems in male rats with neonatal diabetes. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1134/s1990519x1604012x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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20
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De Jesús-Cortés H, Lu Y, Anderson RM, Khan MZ, Nath V, McDaniel L, Lutter M, Radley JJ, Pieper AA, Cui H. Loss of estrogen-related receptor alpha disrupts ventral-striatal synaptic function in female mice. Neuroscience 2016; 329:66-73. [PMID: 27155145 PMCID: PMC8916097 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.04.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Revised: 04/09/2016] [Accepted: 04/29/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Eating disorders (EDs), including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-ED, are mental illnesses characterized by high morbidity and mortality. While several studies have identified neural deficits in patients with EDs, the cellular and molecular basis of the underlying dysfunction has remained poorly understood. We previously identified a rare missense mutation in the transcription factor estrogen-related receptor alpha (ESRRA) associated with development of EDs. Because ventral-striatal signaling is related to the reward and motivation circuitry thought to underlie EDs, we performed functional and structural analysis of ventral-striatal synapses in Esrra-null mice. Esrra-null female, but not male, mice exhibit altered miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents on medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the ventral striatum, including increased frequency, increased amplitude, and decreased paired pulse ratio. These electrophysiological measures are associated with structural and molecular changes in synapses of MSNs in the ventral striatum, including fewer pre-synaptic glutamatergic vesicles and enhanced GluR1 function. Neuronal Esrra is thus required for maintaining normal synaptic function in the ventral striatum, which may offer mechanistic insights into the behavioral deficits observed in Esrra-null mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Héctor De Jesús-Cortés
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Yuan Lu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Rachel M Anderson
- Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Michael Z Khan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Varun Nath
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Latisha McDaniel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Michael Lutter
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Jason J Radley
- Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Andrew A Pieper
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA; Free Radical & Radiation Biology Program, Department of Radiation Oncology Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Huxing Cui
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA.
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Melanocortin-4 receptor-regulated energy homeostasis. Nat Neurosci 2016; 19:206-19. [PMID: 26814590 DOI: 10.1038/nn.4202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 215] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2015] [Accepted: 11/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The melanocortin system provides a conceptual blueprint for the central control of energetic state. Defined by four principal molecular components--two antagonistically acting ligands and two cognate receptors--this phylogenetically conserved system serves as a prototype for hierarchical energy balance regulation. Over the last decade the application of conditional genetic techniques has facilitated the neuroanatomical dissection of the melanocortinergic network and identified the specific neural substrates and circuits that underscore the regulation of feeding behavior, energy expenditure, glucose homeostasis and autonomic outflow. In this regard, the melanocortin-4 receptor is a critical coordinator of mammalian energy homeostasis and body weight. Drawing on recent advances in neuroscience and genetic technologies, we consider the structure and function of the melanocortin-4 receptor circuitry and its role in energy homeostasis.
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He ZG, Liu BW, Xiang HB. Cross interaction of melanocortinergic and dopaminergic systems in neural modulation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2015; 7:152-157. [PMID: 26823964 PMCID: PMC4697671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Melanocortinergic and dopaminergic systems are widely distributed in the CNS and have been established as a crucial regulatory component in diverse physiological functions. The pharmacology of both melanocortinergic and dopaminergic systems including their individual receptors, signaling mechanisms, agonists and antagonists has been extensively studied. Several lines of evidence showed that there existed a cross interaction between the receptors of melanocortinergic and dopaminergic systems. The data available at present had expanded our understanding of melanocortinergic and dopaminergic system interaction in neural modulation, which will be main discussed in this paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Gang He
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430030, Hubei, PR China
| | - Bao-Wen Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430030, Hubei, PR China
| | - Hong-Bing Xiang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430030, Hubei, PR China
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Roseberry AG, Stuhrman K, Dunigan AI. Regulation of the mesocorticolimbic and mesostriatal dopamine systems by α-melanocyte stimulating hormone and agouti-related protein. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 56:15-25. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2015] [Revised: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 06/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Abstract
Obesity ensues from an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure that results from gene-environment interactions, which favour a positive energy balance. A society that promotes unhealthy food and encourages sedentary lifestyle (that is, an obesogenic environment) has become a major contributory factor in excess fat deposition in individuals predisposed to obesity. Energy homeostasis relies upon control of energy intake as well as expenditure, which is in part determined by the themogenesis of brown adipose tissue and mediated by the sympathetic nervous system. Several areas of the brain that constitute cognitive and autonomic brain systems, which in turn form networks involved in the control of appetite and thermogenesis, also contribute to energy homeostasis. These networks include the dopamine mesolimbic circuit, as well as the opioid, endocannabinoid and melanocortin systems. The activity of these networks is modulated by peripheral factors such as hormones derived from adipose tissue and the gut, which access the brain via the circulation and neuronal signalling pathways to inform the central nervous system about energy balance and nutritional status. In this Review, I focus on the determinants of energy homeostasis that have emerged as prominent factors relevant to obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Richard
- Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec, 2725 Chemin Sainte-Foy, Québec, QC G1V 4G5, Canada
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25
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Obici S, Magrisso IJ, Ghazarian AS, Shirazian A, Miller JR, Loyd CM, Begg DP, Krawczewski Carhuatanta KA, Haas MK, Davis JF, Woods SC, Sandoval DA, Seeley RJ, Goodyear LJ, Pothos EN, Mul JD. Moderate voluntary exercise attenuates the metabolic syndrome in melanocortin-4 receptor-deficient rats showing central dopaminergic dysregulation. Mol Metab 2015; 4:692-705. [PMID: 26500841 PMCID: PMC4588435 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2015.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2015] [Revised: 07/07/2015] [Accepted: 07/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Melanocortin-4 receptors (MC4Rs) are highly expressed by dopamine-secreting neurons of the mesolimbic tract, but their functional role has not been fully resolved. Voluntary wheel running (VWR) induces adaptations in the mesolimbic dopamine system and has a myriad of long-term beneficial effects on health. In the present experiments we asked whether MC4R function regulates the effects of VWR, and whether VWR ameliorates MC4R-associated symptoms of the metabolic syndrome. Methods Electrically evoked dopamine release was measured in slice preparations from sedentary wild-type and MC4R-deficient Mc4rK314X (HOM) rats. VWR was assessed in wild-type and HOM rats, and in MC4R-deficient loxTBMc4r mice, wild-type mice body weight-matched to loxTBMc4r mice, and wild-type mice with intracerebroventricular administration of the MC4R antagonist SHU9119. Mesolimbic dopamine system function (gene/protein expression) and metabolic parameters were examined in wheel-running and sedentary wild-type and HOM rats. Results Sedentary obese HOM rats had increased electrically evoked dopamine release in several ventral tegmental area (VTA) projection sites compared to wild-type controls. MC4R loss-of-function decreased VWR, and this was partially independent of body weight. HOM wheel-runners had attenuated markers of intracellular D1-type dopamine receptor signaling despite increased dopamine flux in the VTA. VWR increased and decreased ΔFosB levels in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of wild-type and HOM runners, respectively. VWR improved metabolic parameters in wild-type wheel-runners. Finally, moderate voluntary exercise corrected many aspects of the metabolic syndrome in HOM runners. Conclusions Central dopamine dysregulation during VWR reinforces the link between MC4R function and molecular and behavioral responding to rewards. The data also suggest that exercise can be a successful lifestyle intervention in MC4R-haploinsufficient individuals despite reduced positive reinforcement during exercise training. MC4R-deficiency causes metabolic syndrome. Loss of MC4R signaling decreases voluntary wheel running (VWR). Despite moderate amounts of VWR, MC4R-associated metabolic syndrome is severely attenuated. MC4R-deficiency is associated with mesolimbic dopamine dysregulation during VWR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvana Obici
- Metabolic Diseases Institute, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - I Jack Magrisso
- Metabolic Diseases Institute, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Armen S Ghazarian
- Programs in Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and Neuroscience, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences and Department of Integrative Physiology and Pathobiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alireza Shirazian
- Programs in Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and Neuroscience, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences and Department of Integrative Physiology and Pathobiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jonas R Miller
- Programs in Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and Neuroscience, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences and Department of Integrative Physiology and Pathobiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christine M Loyd
- Metabolic Diseases Institute, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Denovan P Begg
- Metabolic Diseases Institute, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA ; School of Psychology, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Michael K Haas
- Metabolic Diseases Institute, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jon F Davis
- Metabolic Diseases Institute, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Stephen C Woods
- Metabolic Diseases Institute, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Darleen A Sandoval
- North Campus Research Complex, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Randy J Seeley
- North Campus Research Complex, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Emmanuel N Pothos
- Programs in Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and Neuroscience, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences and Department of Integrative Physiology and Pathobiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joram D Mul
- Metabolic Diseases Institute, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA ; Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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26
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Roebber JK, Izenwasser S, Chaudhari N. Cocaine decreases saccharin preference without altering sweet taste sensitivity. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2015; 133:18-24. [PMID: 25812471 PMCID: PMC4430401 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2015.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2014] [Revised: 03/10/2015] [Accepted: 03/16/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
In rodents, saccharin consumption is suppressed when the sweet taste stimulus is paired with moderate doses of cocaine. Several hypotheses have been used to explain the seemingly contradictory effect of decreased consumption of a normally preferred substance following a highly rewarding drug. A common theme across these hypotheses is that saccharin is interpreted as less rewarding after cocaine pairing. We considered the alternative possibility that suppression is caused not by a change in reward circuitry, but rather by a change in taste detection, for instance by altering the afferent taste response and decreasing sensitivity to sweet taste stimuli. To evaluate this possibility, we measured saccharin taste sensitivity of mice before and after a standard cocaine-pairing paradigm. We measured taste sensitivity using a brief-access lickometer equipped with multiple concentrations of saccharin solution and established concentration-response curves before and after saccharin-cocaine pairing. Our results indicate that the EC50 for saccharin was unaltered following pairing. Instead, the avidity of licking saccharin, an indicator of motivation, was depressed. Latency to first-lick, a negative indicator of motivation, was also dramatically increased. Thus, our findings are consistent with the interpretation that saccharin-cocaine pairing results in devaluing of the sweet taste reward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K Roebber
- Graduate Program in Neurosciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Sari Izenwasser
- Graduate Program in Neurosciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Nirupa Chaudhari
- Graduate Program in Neurosciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA; Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
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27
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Morgan DA, McDaniel LN, Yin T, Khan M, Jiang J, Acevedo MR, Walsh SA, Ponto LLB, Norris AW, Lutter M, Rahmouni K, Cui H. Regulation of glucose tolerance and sympathetic activity by MC4R signaling in the lateral hypothalamus. Diabetes 2015; 64:1976-87. [PMID: 25605803 PMCID: PMC4439564 DOI: 10.2337/db14-1257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2014] [Accepted: 01/10/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) signaling mediates diverse physiological functions, including energy balance, glucose homeostasis, and autonomic activity. Although the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) is known to express MC4Rs and to receive input from leptin-responsive arcuate proopiomelanocortin neurons, the physiological functions of MC4Rs in the LHA are incompletely understood. We report that MC4R(LHA) signaling regulates glucose tolerance and sympathetic nerve activity. Restoring expression of MC4Rs specifically in the LHA improves glucose intolerance in obese MC4R-null mice without affecting body weight or circulating insulin levels. Fluorodeoxyglucose-mediated tracing of whole-body glucose uptake identifies the interscapular brown adipose tissue (iBAT) as a primary source where glucose uptake is increased in MC4R(LHA) mice. Direct multifiber sympathetic nerve recording further reveals that sympathetic traffic to iBAT is significantly increased in MC4R(LHA) mice, which accompanies a significant elevation of Glut4 expression in iBAT. Finally, bilateral iBAT denervation prevents the glucoregulatory effect of MC4R(LHA) signaling. These results identify a novel role for MC4R(LHA) signaling in the control of sympathetic nerve activity and glucose tolerance independent of energy balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald A Morgan
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
| | - Latisha N McDaniel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
| | - Terry Yin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
| | - Michael Khan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
| | - Jingwei Jiang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
| | - Michael R Acevedo
- Small Animal Imaging Core, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
| | - Susan A Walsh
- Small Animal Imaging Core, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
| | - Laura L Boles Ponto
- Department of Radiology, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
| | - Andrew W Norris
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
| | - Michael Lutter
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA Obesity Research and Education Initiative, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
| | - Kamal Rahmouni
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA Obesity Research and Education Initiative, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
| | - Huxing Cui
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
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Shpakov AO, Derkach KV, Zharova OA, Shpakova EA. The functional activity of the adenylate cyclase system in the brains of rats with metabolic syndrome induced by immunization with peptide 11–25 of the type 4 melanocortin receptor. NEUROCHEM J+ 2015. [DOI: 10.1134/s1819712415010092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Hao Y, Tian XB, Liu TT, Liu C, Xiang HB, Zhang JG. MC4R expression in pedunculopontine nucleus involved in the modulation of midbrain dopamine system. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY 2015; 8:2039-2043. [PMID: 25973101 PMCID: PMC4396322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2014] [Accepted: 01/23/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Separate studies have implicated the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) in processing aversive stimuli to dopamine systems, and melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) are broadly expressed by the neurons in the PPTg, but the exact neurosubstrate underlying the regulation of dopamine systems by the central melanocortin pathway is poorly understood. METHODS In this study, the PPTg of 6 adult mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of the MC4R promoter was detected by fluorescence immunohistochemistry. RESULTS A large number of GFP-positive neurons in the dissipated parts of PPTg (dpPPTg) were found, and approximately 50% of MC4R-GFP- positive neurons in the dpPPTg coexpressed tyrosine hydroxylase, a marker of dopamine neurons, indicating that they were dopaminergic. CONCLUSIONS Our findings support the hypothesis that MC4R signaling in the dpPPTg may involve in the modulation of midbrain dopamine systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Hao
- Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan 430030, Hubei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xue-Bi Tian
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan 430030, Hubei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tao-Tao Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan 430030, Hubei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Cheng Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan 430030, Hubei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hong-Bing Xiang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan 430030, Hubei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jian-Guo Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of NeurostimulationBeijing 100050, China
- Department of Functional Neurosurgery, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical UniversityBeijing, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijing 100050, People’s Republic of China
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Sarvestani FS, Tamadon A, Hematzadeh A, Jahanara M, Shirazi MRJ, Moghadam A, Niazi A, Moghiminasr R. Expression of melanocortin-4 receptor and agouti-related peptide mRNAs in arcuate nucleus during long term malnutrition of female ovariectomized rats. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF BASIC MEDICAL SCIENCES 2015; 18:104-7. [PMID: 25825637 PMCID: PMC4366736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2014] [Accepted: 09/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) and agouti-related peptide (AgRP) are involved in energy homeostasis in the rat. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the expression of MC4R and AgRP mRNAs in arcuate nucleus (ARC) during long term malnutrition of female ovariectomized rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ten female ovariectomized rats were divided into two equal groups (n=6) of normal and restricted diet groups. Using real-time PCR, the relative expressions (compared to controls) of MC4R and AgRP mRNAs were compared between both diet groups. RESULTS The relative expression of MC4R and AgRP mRNA in the ARC of female ovariectomized rats during long term malnutrition was higher than those with normal diet (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Changes in the relative expression level of MC4R and AgRP mRNAs during long term malnutrition of rat indicated a stimulatory role of MC4R and AgRP in regulating energy balance in ARC of rat hypothalamus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amin Tamadon
- Infertility Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran,Transgenic Technology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran,Corresponding author: Amin Tamadon. Neshat Avenue, Transgenic Technology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Tel/fax: +98-711-2341025;
| | - Aida Hematzadeh
- Transgenic Technology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Maliheh Jahanara
- Transgenic Technology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | | | - Ali Moghadam
- Biotechnology Institute, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Ali Niazi
- Biotechnology Institute, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Reza Moghiminasr
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology at the Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
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31
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Oude Ophuis RJA, Boender AJ, van Rozen AJ, Adan RAH. Cannabinoid, melanocortin and opioid receptor expression on DRD1 and DRD2 subpopulations in rat striatum. Front Neuroanat 2014; 8:14. [PMID: 24723856 PMCID: PMC3972466 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2014.00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2013] [Accepted: 03/10/2014] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The striatum harbors two neuronal populations that enable action selection. One population represents the striatonigral pathway, expresses the dopamine receptor D1 (DRD1) and promotes the execution of motor programs, while the other population represents the striatopallidal pathway, expresses the dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) and suppresses voluntary activity. The two populations integrate distinct sensorimotor, cognitive, and emotional information streams and their combined activity enables the selection of adaptive behaviors. Characterization of these populations is critical to the understanding of their role in action selection, because it aids the identification of the molecular mechanisms that separate them. To that end, we used fluorescent in situ hybridization to quantify the percentage of striatal cells that (co)express dopaminergic receptors and receptors of the cannabinoid, melanocortin or opioid neurotransmitters systems. Our main findings are that the cannabinoid 1 receptor is equally expressed on both populations with a gradient from dorsal to ventral striatum, that the opioid receptors have a preference for expression with either the DRD1 or DRD2 and that the melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) is predominantly expressed in ventral parts of the striatum. In addition, we find that the level of MC4R expression determines its localization to either the DRD1 or the DRD2 population. Thereby, we provide insight into the sensitivity of the two dopaminoceptive populations to these neurotransmitters and progress the understanding of the mechanisms that enable action selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralph J A Oude Ophuis
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht Utrecht, Netherlands ; Department of Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecology, University Medical Center Utrecht Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Arjen J Boender
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Andrea J van Rozen
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Roger A H Adan
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht Utrecht, Netherlands
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Caruso V, Lagerström MC, Olszewski PK, Fredriksson R, Schiöth HB. Synaptic changes induced by melanocortin signalling. Nat Rev Neurosci 2014; 15:98-110. [PMID: 24588018 DOI: 10.1038/nrn3657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The melanocortin system has a well-established role in the regulation of energy homeostasis, but there is growing evidence of its involvement in memory, nociception, mood disorders and addiction. In this Review, we focus on the role of the melanocortin 4 receptor and provide an integrative view of the molecular mechanisms that lead to melanocortin-induced changes in synaptic plasticity within these diverse physiological systems. We also highlight the importance of melanocortin peptides and receptors in chronic pain syndromes, memory impairments, depression and drug abuse, and the possibility of targeting them for therapeutic purposes.
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