CENTRAL PATHWAYS REGULATING ENERGY HOMEOSTASIS Flashcards
Describe how the brain senses glucose
Through glucose excitatory and glucose inhibitory neurons
How can the hypothalamus sense nutrients
The hypothalamic arcuate nucleus has a fenestrated blood brain barrier meaning hypothalamic neurons have direct access to circulating metabolic cues
How does a glucose inhibitory neurone work?
- Glucose enters the cell and is converted to ATP. The reduced ATP:ADP ratio causes INCREASED ACTIVATION OF AMPK
- This inhibits the Cl- CHANNEL
- There is neuronal depolarisation
Give evidence of what happens in obesity in terms of fuel sensing?
In obesity, POMC neurons lose their ability to sense glucose shown by the reduction in alpha MSH produced as a percentage of baseline at increasing glucose concentrations.
Another piece of evidence about nutrient fuel sensing in obesity in rats
Altered glucokinase mRNA in diet-induced obese rats study
Human obesity fuel sensing evidence
Altered glucose induced hypothalamic activation in obese versus normal humans on fMRI
How can fatty acid sensing take place?
Enzymes involved in fatty acid oxidation and lipogenic enzymes present in hypothalamic nuclei involved in appetite
How does fatty acid sensing take place overall?
Inhibition of CNS FAS reduces appetite → Thought to work via ARC neurons, increasing POMC and decreasing AGRP
How does fatty acid sensing take place molecular level?
- Inhibition of FAS pathway→metabolites that mimic the fed state.
- Malonyl-CoA inhibits CPT-1 reducing the entry of LCFA-CoA’s into the mitochondria.
- This mechanism controls the switch from fatty acid to glucose oxidation.
- Malonyl-CoA and Long chain fatty acid-CoA are metabolites that reflect energy status. →High in fed state
What experimental evidence is there for fat sensing?
ICV injection of Oleic acid decreases food intake. • Pharmacological or genetic inhibition of CPT-1 increases LCFA-CoA reduces NPY, appetite and body weight.
Evidence for how amino acids affect food intake
ICV leucine injections reduce food intake and decrease AGRP expression
How do amino acids sense?
Leucine activates mTOR→Phosphorylation of p70 S6kinase→ reduced appetite and increased insulin sensitivity
What non-hormonal way is there to communicate food eaten?
Stretch receptors in the stomach that communicate via the vagus nerve
Within the hypothalamus what are the stimulatory and inhibitory neutrons? What receptors do they have?
STIMULATORY (NPY/AGrP neurons)
INHIBITORY (POMC)
Both sets of neurons extend to other hypothalamic nuclei. They have Leptin receptors and MC3R.
What do NPY/ AGrP neutrons release? What is evidence for this?
GABA. Injection of GABA into the arcuate nucleus increases food intake
Where does Leptin signal
Inhibits NPY Y1/Y5 receptor
Stimulates POMC–> alphaMSH–> MC4 receptor
What do NPY deficient mice have?
Normal food intake and body weight
What do Y1 KO mice have?
Y1 KO mouse is moderately obese and hyperinsulinaemic but no hyperphagia. Y5 normal development but develop late onset obesity.
Which mutations have never been found in humans?
NPY/AgrP
What is AGRP?
Is an ENDOGENOUS ANTAGONIST of the MC4R that blocks the effects of ALPHA MSH from POMC.
It is expressed in the same neurons as NPY
Evidence concerning AGRP?
Icv AGRP causes increased food intake and energy expenditure, increased x18 in starvation
What happens in NPY/AGRP KO?
NPY/AGRP KO no changes. Important in day to day regulation? 3 papers say yes. Can get developmental compensation due to plasticity. Bewich 2005 used ataxia 3 to kill off AGRP neurons and result was lean hyperphagia phenotype. Same result using diphtheria toxin, minimal effects in neonates compared to adults
What does the Paraventricular nucleus do?
Incorporates autonomic responses with endocrine, connects sns to spinal cord–> regulation of respiratory quotient, BMR, thermogenesis, thyroid and adrenal axis. Trh neurons, wings vasopressin and oxytocin releasing.
Expresses Y1,5 MC3,4 receptors. Oxytocin neurons express melanicortin receptors and intra PVN injections reduced appetite. corticotrophim RH reduces appetite in PVN via CRH2R
What does the lateral hypothalamus do?
Is poorly characterised. Medial forebrain bundle passes through that connects forebrain with the mid brain.
Has 2 major OREXIGENIC neuropeptides = OREXIN and. MELANOCORTIN CONCENTRATING HORMONE in distinct neuronal populations
What is the dual centre hypothesis?
Damage to the ventromedial leads to hyperphagia and obesity. Therefore is the satiety centre.
Damage to the lateral hypothalamus leads to decreased food intake and body weight. Therefore is the feeding centre. Since superseded.
What is a craniapharyngioma?
Tumour that lies close to the pituitary and the hypothalamus (usually at a young age) which is normally benign but can cause neuro endocrine problems and obesity
What is the brain stem composed of?
medulla oblongata, pons and the midbrain
What are areas important for appetite regulation?
-area postrema (AP)
-dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV)
-nucleus of the solitary tract (NST). Vagus nerve inputs
AP lies directly above NST which is outside the protection of the BBB.
What does the vagus nerve do?
- provides motor to the larynx and pharynx
- sensory to ear, pharynx, larynx, trachea and oesophagus, thoracic and abdominal viscera.
- inner ages gi tract down to the transverse colon(final part parasympathetic from splanchnic)
Which area of the brain stem is important in appetite regulation and what is it composed of?
The DORSAL VAGAL COMPLEX, composed of the AP (area postrema), NTS (nucleus of the solitary tract) and the DMV (dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus)
Where is the AP?
Lies directly above the NTS outside of the protection of the blood brain barrier
What does the NTS do?
Meal related afferents that travel via the VAGUS which terminates in the NTS. It also receives inputs from the area postrema
What is the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus?
Arises from floor of 4th ventricle and is the area where parasympathetic that innervate GI tract originate.
Overall, how does the brain stem communicate?
Extensive reciprocal connections exist between the brain stem and the hypothalamic nuclei that control appetite. This means that peripheral signals can communicate to the hypothalamic feeding centre directly via the arcuate nucleus or indirectly via the brain stem.
Pancreatic polypeptide: where produced? What stimulates release?
PP cells of the Islet of langerhans. Release is stimulated by food intake and is proportional to the amount of calories injested.
What is pancreatic polypeptide part of?
The ileal brake that slows gastric emptying and decreases exocrine secretions
What does pancreatic polypeptide bind to?
To members of the y family, strongest to Y4
How does pancreatic polypeptide communicate?
Via vagus nerve and brain stem (VAGOTOMY studies and In situ hybridisation found in all areas of the DVC). IV PP decreased firing of vagus nerve. It could act via the AP/NTS to reduce feeding or gut motility via the DMV. But also via the hypothalamus, hence the y4 binding
What does pancreatic polypeptide lead to?
PP reduces expression of the hypothalamic signals of orexin and NPY by 60%
Has DOSE DEPENDENT ANORECTIC EFFECTS.
Where is ghrelin released?
A cells of the gastric fundus
For PP, what did the vagotomy studies show?
Sham and PP - reduced food intake. Vagotomy and PP, no effect on food intake.
What does ghrelin bind to?
GHS R1, especially found in the arcuate nucleus. Works via the blood stream and the brain stem.
Where is gherlin found? Evidence
NTS, AP, and DMV (brainstem) through cfos activity
What else does it require for action? How did you know that the Ghrelin was working?
Vagus nerve (through vagotomy studies and chili pepper), where afterwards unable to stimulate food intake. As it was able to stimulate GH release.
Evidence that ghrelin works in the hypothalamus?
If five rats mono sodium glutamate to destroy the ARCUATE nucleus then ability of GHRELIN to stimulate food intake is attenuated. If inject GHRELIN into rats then increased c fos activity in ARCUATE nucleus, dose dependent manner
What does ghrelin do? Evidence
Increases food intake. If injected into the ARC, PVN then increases food intake in a dose dependent manner.
Specifically which neurons is ghrelin found on?
Found on NPY/AGRP neurons and leads to the release of GABA into POMC
How do you activate and deactivate ghrelin?
GOAT is responsible for the binding of OCTANOIC ACID that leads to the ACTIVATION of GHRELIN
To inactivate des-aceyl GHRELIN
What receptors do POMC, NPY and AgRP bind to?
NPY - Y1/Y5 and is STIMULATORY
AGRP - MC4R and is INHIBITORY
POMC - MC4R and is STIMULATORY
Which is the active form of PYY and what does it bind to?
PYY3-36 and binds to Y2
Describe PYY. Where is it secreted? What does it cause? How does it act peripherally versus centrally
As you move distally in the gut more and more PYY is secreted, which causes:
- increased illeal fluid and electrolyte absorption
- increased pancreatic and gastric secretion
-decreased gastric emptying
-decreased gall bladder contraction
-peripheral vasoconstriction
-decreased GFR
-decreased plasma renin and aldosterone
BUT ACTS LIKE NPY CENTRALLY
When is PYY secreted? What factors such as obesity affected this
But PYY is secreted after meals.
Increased after an ideal resection eg for crohns or gastric bypass, Decreased in obesity
• From VAGOTOMY studies acts via the vagus nerve and the blood stream
- Y2RKO mice are resistant to PYY
- PYY thought to bind to Y2R and block the effects of NPY and AGRP
What does PYY act as? Evidence?
Seems to act like a ANOREXIGENIC hormone that decreases food intake. If injected into the ARCUATE nucleus then decreases food intake (intra ARCUATE antagonist blocks peripheral PYY)
What happens in Y2RKO mice?
They are resistant to PYY. PYY is thought to bind to Y2R and block the effects of NPY and AGRP
What is the problem with giving PYY?
It causes nausea and vomitting
What is the ob/ob mouse like?
It is the model of starvation - reduced growth and immune function, infertillity
What does leptin do in terms of hypothalamic neurons?
It activates POMC and inhibits ArRP and NPY, also activates the SNS and thyroid. Principally signals to arc, PVN, DMH, VMH and LH. (these genes express the early gene cfos in response to peripheral leptin)
Leptin specifically injected into the hypothalamus reduced endogenous cannabinoids. Defective leptin have increased cannabinoid levels. Then administration of cb1 antagonist then reduced food intake.
Which pathway does leptin involve
The Jak/ stat pathway since it has no intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity of its own so uses cytoplasmic associated kinases of the janus family.
One minor way that leptin and insulin are similar?
Both activate POMC neutrons
Give another way leptin affects the brain?
Neuronal firing, plasticity by modulating inputs. Leptin changes AFFERENT inputs to neurons and MAY CHANGE threshold for response for other key hypothalamic neurons to stimuli.