Melanocortin 4 receptors in autonomic neurons regulate thermogenesis and glycemia

Eric D Berglund; Tiemin Liu; Xingxing Kong; Jong-Woo Sohn; Linh Vong; Zhuo Deng; Charlotte E Lee; Syann Lee; Kevin W Williams; David P Olson; Philipp E Scherer; Bradford B Lowell; Joel K Elmquist

doi:10.1038/nn.3737

Melanocortin 4 receptors in autonomic neurons regulate thermogenesis and glycemia

Nat Neurosci. 2014 Jul;17(7):911-3. doi: 10.1038/nn.3737. Epub 2014 Jun 8.

Authors

Eric D Berglund¹, Tiemin Liu¹, Xingxing Kong², Jong-Woo Sohn³, Linh Vong⁴, Zhuo Deng⁵, Charlotte E Lee⁶, Syann Lee⁶, Kevin W Williams⁶, David P Olson⁷, Philipp E Scherer⁸, Bradford B Lowell⁴, Joel K Elmquist⁹

Affiliations

¹ 1] Division of Hypothalamic Research, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA. [2].
² 1] Division of Endocrinology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. [2].
³ Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Korea.
⁴ Division of Endocrinology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
⁵ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, P.R. China.
⁶ Division of Hypothalamic Research, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.
⁷ Division of Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
⁸ Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas Texas, USA.
⁹ 1] Division of Hypothalamic Research, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA. [2] Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas Texas, USA.

PMID: 24908101
PMCID: PMC4090093
DOI: 10.1038/nn.3737

Abstract

Whether melanocortin 4 receptors (MC4Rs) in extra-hypothalamic neurons, including cholinergic autonomic pre-ganglionic neurons, are required to control energy and glucose homeostasis is unclear. We found that MC4Rs in sympathetic, but not parasympathetic, pre-ganglionic neurons were required to regulate energy expenditure and body weight, including thermogenic responses to diet and cold exposure and 'beiging' of white adipose tissue. Deletion of Mc4r genes in both sympathetic and parasympathetic cholinergic neurons impaired glucose homeostasis.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adipose Tissue, Brown / metabolism
Adipose Tissue, Brown / physiology
Adipose Tissue, White / metabolism
Adipose Tissue, White / physiology
Animals
Autonomic Nervous System / cytology
Autonomic Nervous System / physiology*
Blood Glucose / physiology*
Cold Temperature
Diet, High-Fat
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Gene Expression / physiology
Homeostasis / physiology
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Neurons / physiology*
Obesity / etiology
Obesity / metabolism
Patch-Clamp Techniques
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4 / physiology*
Sucrose / pharmacology
Thermogenesis / physiology*

Substances

Blood Glucose
Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4
Sucrose

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding