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Marshall CJ, Blake A, Stewart C, Liddle TA, Denizli I, Cuthill F, Evans NP, Stevenson TJ. Prolactin Mediates Long-Term, Seasonal Rheostatic Regulation of Body Mass in Female Mammals. Endocrinology 2024; 165:bqae020. [PMID: 38417844 PMCID: PMC10904104 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqae020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
A series of well-described anabolic and catabolic neuropeptides are known to provide short-term, homeostatic control of energy balance. The mechanisms that govern long-term, rheostatic control of regulated changes in energy balance are less well characterized. Using the robust and repeatable seasonal changes in body mass observed in Siberian hamsters, this report examined the role of prolactin in providing long-term rheostatic control of body mass and photoinduced changes in organ mass (ie, kidney, brown adipose tissue, uterine, and spleen). Endogenous circannual interval timing was observed after 4 months in a short photoperiod, indicated by a significant increase in body mass and prolactin mRNA expression in the pituitary gland. There was an inverse relationship between body mass and the expression of somatostatin (Sst) and cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (Cart). Pharmacological inhibition of prolactin release (via bromocriptine injection), reduced body mass of animals maintained in long photoperiods to winter-short photoperiod levels and was associated with a significant increase in hypothalamic Cart expression. Administration of ovine prolactin significantly increased body mass 24 hours after a single injection and the effect persisted after 3 consecutive daily injections. The data indicate that prolactin has pleiotropic effects on homeostatic sensors of energy balance (ie, Cart) and physiological effectors (ie, kidney, BAT). We propose that prolactin release from the pituitary gland acts as an output signal of the hypothalamic rheostat controller to regulate adaptive changes in body mass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Marshall
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Alexandra Blake
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Mainz, Mainz 55122, Germany
| | - Calum Stewart
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
| | - T Adam Liddle
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
| | - Irem Denizli
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
| | - Fallon Cuthill
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
| | - Neil P Evans
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
| | - Tyler J Stevenson
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
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Nolan PM, Banks G, Bourbia N, Wilcox AG, Bentley L, Moir L, Kent L, Hillier R, Wilson D, Barrett P, Dumbell R. A missense mutation in zinc finger homeobox-3 (ZFHX3) impedes growth and alters metabolism and hypothalamic gene expression in mice. FASEB J 2023; 37:e23189. [PMID: 37713040 PMCID: PMC7615594 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202201829r] [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: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
A protein altering variant in the gene encoding zinc finger homeobox-3 (ZFHX3) has recently been associated with lower BMI in a human genome-wide association study. We investigated metabolic parameters in mice harboring a missense mutation in Zfhx3 (Zfhx3Sci/+ ) and looked for altered in situ expression of transcripts that are associated with energy balance in the hypothalamus to understand how ZFHX3 may influence growth and metabolic effects. One-year-old male and female Zfhx3Sci/+ mice weighed less, had shorter body length, lower fat mass, smaller mesenteric fat depots, and lower circulating insulin, leptin, and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) concentrations than Zfhx3+/+ littermates. In a second cohort of 9-20-week-old males and females, Zfhx3Sci/+ mice ate less than wildtype controls, in proportion to body weight. In a third cohort of female-only Zfhx3Sci/+ and Zfhx3+/+ mice that underwent metabolic phenotyping from 6 to 14 weeks old, Zfhx3Sci/+ mice weighed less and had lower lean mass and energy expenditure, but fat mass did not differ. We detected increased expression of somatostatin and decreased expression of growth hormone-releasing hormone and growth hormone-receptor mRNAs in the arcuate nucleus (ARC). Similarly, ARC expression of orexigenic neuropeptide Y was decreased and ventricular ependymal expression of orphan G protein-coupled receptor Gpr50 was decreased. We demonstrate for the first time an energy balance effect of the Zfhx3Sci mutation, likely by altering expression of key ARC neuropeptides to alter growth, food intake, and energy expenditure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick M Nolan
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Gareth Banks
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre, Oxfordshire, UK
- Nottingham Trent University, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham, UK
| | - Nora Bourbia
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Ashleigh G Wilcox
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Liz Bentley
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Lee Moir
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Lee Kent
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Rosie Hillier
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Dana Wilson
- The Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Perry Barrett
- The Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Rebecca Dumbell
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre, Oxfordshire, UK
- Nottingham Trent University, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham, UK
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Dumbell R. An appetite for growth: The role of the hypothalamic - pituitary - growth hormone axis in energy balance. J Neuroendocrinol 2022; 34:e13133. [PMID: 35474620 PMCID: PMC9285760 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Links between the regulation of growth and energy balance are clear; to fuel growth, there must be consumption of energy. Therefore, it is perhaps intuitive that interactions between the hypothalamic - pituitary - growth hormone axis (growth axis) and pathways that drive metabolic processes exist. Overproduction of growth hormone has been associated with diabetes and metabolic disease for decades and the opposing effects of growth hormone and insulin have been studied since early experiments almost a century ago. The relationship between neuroendocrine axes can be complex and the growth axis is no exception, interacting with energy balance in several organ systems, both in the periphery and centrally in hypothalamic nuclei. Much is known about peripheral interactions between growth axis hormones and processes such as glucose homeostasis and adipogenesis. More is still being learned about the molecular actions of growth axis hormones in adipose and other metabolically active tissues, and recent findings are discussed in this perspective. However, less is known about interactions with central energy balance pathways in the hypothalamus. This perspective aims to summarise what is known about these interactions, taking lessons from human studies and animal genetic and seasonal models, and discusses what this may mean in an evolving landscape of personalised medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Dumbell
- School of Science and Technology, Department of BiosciencesNottingham Trent UniversityNottinghamUK
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