POMC neurons in heat: A link between warm temperatures and appetite suppression

PLoS Biol. 2018 May 7;16(5):e2006188. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2006188. eCollection 2018 May.

Abstract

When core body temperature increases, appetite and food consumption decline. A higher core body temperature can occur during exercise, during exposure to warm environmental temperatures, or during a fever, yet the mechanisms that link relatively warm temperatures to appetite suppression are unknown. A recent study in PLOS Biology demonstrates that neurons in the mouse hypothalamus that express pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), a neural population well known to suppress food intake, also express a temperature-sensitive ion channel, transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1). Slight increases in body temperature cause a TRPV1-dependent increase in activity in POMC neurons, which suppresses feeding in mice. Taken together, this study suggests a novel mechanism linking body temperature and food-seeking behavior.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Appetite Regulation / physiology*
  • Body Temperature
  • Hot Temperature*
  • Humans
  • Neurons / metabolism*
  • Pro-Opiomelanocortin / metabolism*
  • TRPV Cation Channels / metabolism

Substances

  • TRPV Cation Channels
  • Pro-Opiomelanocortin