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NTS Catecholamine Neurons Mediate Hypoglycemic Hunger via Medial Hypothalamic Feeding Pathways
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

NTS Catecholamine Neurons Mediate Hypoglycemic Hunger via Medial Hypothalamic Feeding Pathways

Iltan Aklan, Nilufer Sayar Atasoy, Yavuz Yavuz, Tayfun Ates, Ilknur Coban, Fulya Koksalar, Gizem Filiz, Iskalen Cansu Topcu, Merve Oncul, Pelin Dilsiz, …
Cell metabolism, Vol.31(2), pp.313-326.e5
02/04/2020
DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2019.11.016
PMID: 31839488
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2019.11.016View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Glucose is the essential energy source for the brain, whose deficit, triggered by energy deprivation or therapeutic agents, can be fatal. Increased appetite is the key behavioral defense against hypoglycemia; however, the central pathways involved are not well understood. Here, we describe a glucoprivic feeding pathway by tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-expressing neurons from nucleus of solitary tract (NTS), which project densely to the hypothalamus and elicit feeding through bidirectional adrenergic modulation of agouti-related peptide (AgRP)- and proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-expressing neurons. Acute chemogenetic inhibition of arcuate nucleus (ARC)-projecting NTSTH neurons or their target, AgRP neurons, impaired glucoprivic feeding induced by 2-Deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) injection. Neuroanatomical tracing results suggested that ARC-projecting orexigenic NTSTH neurons are largely distinct from neighboring catecholamine neurons projecting to parabrachial nucleus (PBN) that promotes satiety. Collectively, we describe a circuit organization in which an ascending pathway from brainstem stimulates appetite through key hunger neurons in the hypothalamus in response to hypoglycemia. [Display omitted] •NTSTH axons innervate the ARC and elicit food intake via norepinephrine release•ARC-projecting NTSTH neurons are required for glucoprivic feeding•AgRP neurons are targeted by NTSTH axons and contribute to glucoprivic feeding•ARC- and PBN-projecting NTSTH neurons are largely distinct Increased appetite is a key line of defense against hypoglycemia. Aklan et al. have identified an ascending pathway from the brainstem to the hypothalamus that is required for hypoglycemia-induced food intake.
norepinephrine arcuate nucleus catecholamine hypoglycemia feeding AgRP hypoglycemic unawareness NTS tyrosine hydroxylase

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