Neuropeptide Y and α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone reciprocally regulate nesfatin-1 neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus

Neuroreport. 2014 Dec 17;25(18):1453-8. doi: 10.1097/WNR.0000000000000293.

Abstract

Nesfatin-1 is an 82 amino acids peptide processed from its precursor nucleobindin-2 (NUCB2). Accumulating evidences have shown that the nesfatin-1/NUCB2 localized in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus regulates food intake and energy metabolism. However, the factors that regulate nesfatin-1/NUCB2 neurons in PVN are less defined. In the hypothalamic feeding center, the second-order neurons in PVN are extensively projected by the first-order neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC), the representatives of which are orexigenic neuropeptide Y (NPY) and anorexigenic α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) neurons. The present study explored whether NPY and α-MSH regulate the PVN nesfatin-1/NUCB2 neurons. This was achieved by cytosolic Ca ([Ca]i) imaging, followed by nesfatin-1/NUCB2 immunostaining in single neurons isolated from PVN. The moderate increase in [Ca]i with 5 mM glucose was suppressed by NPY, but further increased by α-MSH in the PVN neurons that were shown to be immunoreactive to nesfatin-1/NUCB2. The majority (60%) of nesfatin-1/NUCB2 neurons in PVN responded to NPY and/or α-MSH. Confocal immunohistochemical images showed that both NPY and α-MSH neuronal terminals contacted nesfatin-1/NUCB2 neurons in PVN. These data show that NPY inhibits and α-MSH activates PVN nesfatin-1/NUCB2 neurons, presenting dual and reciprocal neuro-circuits from ARC to PVN, possibly contributing toward the balanced regulation of feeding.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Eating / physiology
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Male
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neurons / metabolism*
  • Neuropeptide Y / metabolism*
  • Nucleobindins
  • Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / metabolism*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • alpha-MSH / metabolism*

Substances

  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Neuropeptide Y
  • Nucb1 protein, rat
  • Nucleobindins
  • alpha-MSH