Deficiency of neuronal LGR4 reduces obesity via hypothalamic leptin signaling
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Weizhen Zhang
PROVIDER: S-SCDT-10_1038-S44319-025-00398-5 | biostudies-other |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
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Project description:Evolutionarily old and conserved homeostatic systems in the brain, including the hypothalamus, are organized into nuclear structures of heterogeneous and diverse neuron populations. To investigate whether such circuits can be functionally reconstituted by synaptic integration of similarly diverse populations of neurons, we generated physically chimeric hypothalami by microtransplanting small numbers of embryonic enhanced green fluorescent protein-expressing, leptin-responsive hypothalamic cells into hypothalami of postnatal leptin receptor-deficient (db/db) mice that develop morbid obesity. Donor neurons differentiated and integrated as four distinct hypothalamic neuron subtypes, formed functional excitatory and inhibitory synapses, partially restored leptin responsiveness, and ameliorated hyperglycemia and obesity in db/db mice. These experiments serve as a proof of concept that transplanted neurons can functionally reconstitute complex neuronal circuitry in the mammalian brain.
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Project description:The impact of thyroid hormone (TH) on metabolism and energy expenditure is well established, but the role of TH in regulating nutritional sensing, particularly in the central nervous system, is only poorly defined. Here, we studied the consequences of hypothyroidism on leptin production as well as leptin sensing in congenital hypothyroid TRH receptor 1 knockout (Trhr1 ko) mice and euthyroid control animals. Hypothyroid mice exhibited decreased circulating leptin levels due to a decrease in fat mass and reduced leptin expression in white adipose tissue. In neurons of the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus, hypothyroid mice showed increased leptin receptor Ob-R expression and decreased suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 transcript levels. In order to monitor putative changes in central leptin sensing, we generated hypothyroid and leptin-deficient animals by crossing hypothyroid Trhr1 ko mice with the leptin-deficient ob/ob mice. Hypothyroid Trhr1/ob double knockout mice showed a blunted response to leptin treatment with respect to body weight and food intake and exhibited a decreased activation of phospho-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 as well as a up-regulation of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 upon leptin treatment, particularly in the arcuate nucleus. These data indicate alterations in the intracellular processing of the leptin signal under hypothyroid conditions and thereby unravel a novel mode of action by which TH affects energy metabolism.
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Project description:The hormone leptin is known to robustly suppress food intake by acting upon the leptin receptor (LepR) signaling system residing within the agouti-related protein (AgRP) neurons of the hypothalamus. However, clinical studies indicate that leptin is undesirable as a therapeutic regiment for obesity, which is at least partly attributed to the poorly understood complex secondary structure and key signaling mechanism of the leptin-responsive neural circuit. Here, we show that the LepR-expressing portal neurons send GABAergic projections to a cohort of α3-GABAA receptor expressing neurons within the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (DMH) for the control of leptin-mediated obesity phenotype. We identified the DMH as a key brain region that contributes to the regulation of leptin-mediated feeding. Acute activation of the GABAergic AgRP-DMH circuit promoted food intake and glucose intolerance, while activation of post-synaptic MC4R neurons in the DMH elicited exactly opposite phenotypes. Rapid deletion of LepR from AgRP neurons caused an obesity phenotype which can be rescued by blockage of GABAA receptor in the DMH. Consistent with behavioral results, these DMH neurons displayed suppressed neural activities in response to hunger or hyperglycemia. Furthermore, we identified that α3-GABAA receptor signaling within the DMH exerts potent bi-directional regulation of the central effects of leptin on feeding and body weight. Together, our results demonstrate a novel GABAergic neural circuit governing leptin-mediated feeding and energy balance via a unique α3-GABAA signaling within the secondary leptin-responsive neural circuit, constituting a new avenue for therapeutic interventions in the treatment of obesity and associated comorbidities.
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Project description:Introduction: The ascending prevalence of obesity in recent decades is commonly associated with soaring rates of morbidity and mortality resulting in increased health care costs and decreased quality of life. A systemic state of stress characterized by low grade inflammation and pathologic formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) usually manifest in obesity. The transcription factor nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NRF2) is the master regulator of the redox homeostasis and plays a critical role in the resolution of inflammation. Our results indicate that the natural isothiocyanate and potent NRF2 activator sulforaphane reverses the diet-induced obesity in rodents and implicate involvement of leptin receptor singling in this effect. Purpose: Here, we investigate molecular pathways underlying the effects of sulforaphane in reversing diet-induced obesity and interrogate potential pathways that link NRF2 with leptin receptor signaling by conducting whole transcriptome analysis in 6 metabolically active tissues from the diet-induced obese mice that were treated with SFN. Methods: Male 12-week-old C57/BJ wild type mice were fed with high fat diet for 16-20 weeks. Around 28 weeks of age, mice were treated with daily ip injections of either SFN (5 mg/kg) or vehicle for one week. We probed the whole transcriptome in several metabolic tissues including the hypothalamus, liver, brown adipose tissue (BAT), epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT), inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT), and skeletal muscle following peripheral SFN administration. Total RNA samples from each tissue were prepared with Trizol. Whole transcriptome were conducted by using Novogene sequencing platform NovaSeq 6000 PE150. The following bioinformatics analysis have been conducted. 1. Data Quality Control: filtering reads containing adapter or with low quality. 2. Statistics Analysis of Data Production and Quality. 3. Mapping Reads to Reference Genome. 4. Gene Expression Quantification. 5. Correlation analysis (For biological replicates only). 6. Differential Expression Analysis (two or more groups of samples). 7. GO Enrichment Analysis of Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) (two or more groups of samples). 8. KEGG Pathway Enrichment Analysis of Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) (two or more groups of samples). 9. GSEA Enrichment Analysis of Expressed Genes (two or more groups of samples). 10. Protein Protein Interaction Analysis. 11. Reactome Pathway Enrichment Analysis of Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) (two or more groups of samples and only for mouse samples). 12. Oncogene Functional Annotation analysis of Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) (two or more groups of samples and only for mouse sample). Results: RNAseq results indicated a significant upregulation of the NRF2 target gene HMOX1 only in the skeletal muscle. We also conducted an enrichment analysis to identify potential transcription factors for the significantly upregulated genes. NRF2 was identified as the most significant transcription factor only for the skeletal muscle gene set, providing further support for the skeletal muscle being a primary target tissue of SFN action. We thus conducted a KEGG and GO pathway analysis, and identified ribosome biogenesis, proteasome pathway, and the RNA transport as the significantly upregulated pathways in the SFN-treated muscle samples. In addition to HMOX1, the RNA seq results indicate upregulation of other genes involved in oxidative stress response capacity in SFN treated mice in the skeletal muscle. GCLM (glutamate-cysteine ligase), the first rate-limiting enzyme of glutathione synthesis, SRXN1 (Sulfiredoxin), an oxidoreductase that reduces cysteine-sulfinate, and GSR (glutathione-disulfide reductase), a central antioxidant enzyme, which reduces oxidized glutathione disulfide (GSSG) to the sulfhydryl form glutathione (GSH), and TXNRD1 (thioredoxin reductase 1) which reduces thioredoxins are all upregulated in the skeletal muscle of the SFN-treated DIO animals. Conclusions: Here, we show that the natural isothiocyanate and potent NRF2 activator sulforaphane reverses diet-induced obesity through an NRF2-dependent mechanism that requires a functional leptin receptor signaling and hyperleptinemia. Transcriptional profiling of six major metabolically relevant tissues highlights that sulforaphane suppresses fatty acid synthesis while promoting ribosome biogenesis, reducing ROS accumulation and resolving inflammation, therefore representing a unique transcriptional program that leads to protection from obesity. Our findings argue for clinical evaluation of sulforaphane for weight loss and obesity-associated metabolic disorders.
2022-01-22 | GSE181477 | GEO
Project description:Type 2 diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance and mitochondrial dysfunction in classical target tissues such as muscle, fat, and liver. Using a murine model of type 2 diabetes, we show that there is hypothalamic insulin resistance and mitochondrial dysfunction due to downregulation of the mitochondrial chaperone HSP60. HSP60 reduction in obese, diabetic mice was due to a lack of proper leptin signaling and was restored by leptin treatment. Knockdown of Hsp60 in a mouse hypothalamic cell line mimicked the mitochondrial dysfunction observed in diabetic mice and resulted in increased ROS production and insulin resistance, a phenotype that was reversed with antioxidant treatment. Mice with a heterozygous deletion of Hsp60 exhibited mitochondrial dysfunction and hypothalamic insulin resistance. Targeted acute downregulation of Hsp60 in the hypothalamus also induced insulin resistance, indicating that mitochondrial dysfunction can cause insulin resistance in the hypothalamus. Importantly, type 2 diabetic patients exhibited decreased expression of HSP60 in the brain, indicating that this mechanism is relevant to human disease. These data indicate that leptin plays an important role in mitochondrial function and insulin sensitivity in the hypothalamus by regulating HSP60. Moreover, leptin/insulin crosstalk in the hypothalamus impacts energy homeostasis in obesity and insulin-resistant states.
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Project description:The ascending prevalence of obesity in recent decades is commonly associated with soaring morbidity and mortality rates, resulting in increased health-care costs and decreased quality of life. A systemic state of stress characterized by low-grade inflammation and pathological formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) usually manifests in obesity. The transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-like 2 (NRF2) is the master regulator of the redox homeostasis and plays a critical role in the resolution of inflammation. Here, we show that the natural isothiocyanate and potent NRF2 activator sulforaphane reverses diet-induced obesity through a predominantly, but not exclusively, NRF2-dependent mechanism that requires a functional leptin receptor signaling and hyperleptinemia. Sulforaphane does not reduce the body weight or food intake of lean mice but induces an anorectic response when coadministered with exogenous leptin. Leptin-deficient Lepob/ob mice and leptin receptor mutant Leprdb/db mice display resistance to the weight-reducing effect of sulforaphane, supporting the conclusion that the antiobesity effect of sulforaphane requires functional leptin receptor signaling. Furthermore, our results suggest the skeletal muscle as the most notable site of action of sulforaphane whose peripheral NRF2 action signals to alleviate leptin resistance. Transcriptional profiling of six major metabolically relevant tissues highlights that sulforaphane suppresses fatty acid synthesis while promoting ribosome biogenesis, reducing ROS accumulation, and resolving inflammation, therefore representing a unique transcriptional program that leads to protection from obesity. Our findings argue for clinical evaluation of sulforaphane for weight loss and obesity-associated metabolic disorders.
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