Discovery of Neurons That Control Food Intake Could Pave the Way for Obesity Treatments
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New York, Dec 5 (NationPress) A team of researchers has identified a previously unknown group of neurons in the hypothalamus that play a crucial role in regulating food intake, presenting a potentially groundbreaking target for obesity treatments, as detailed in a study released on Thursday.
This research, featured in the journal Nature, was conducted by scientists from the Laboratory of Medical Genetics at Rockefeller University in New York, the Institute for Genome Science (IGS) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) in Baltimore, along with contributions from New York and Stanford Universities. They uncovered a novel population of neurons that respond to the hormone leptin.
Leptin-responsive neurons are vital in the context of obesity because this hormone is transmitted from the body’s fat reserves to the brain to help curb hunger.
“The hypothalamus, located deep within the brain, has long been recognized for its influence on hunger, hormone regulation, stress responses, and body temperature,” stated Brian Herb, a scientist at IGS and research associate at UMSOM.
Through a series of experiments conducted on mice, the team discovered this new neuronal group expressing both receptors for leptin and the BNC2 gene, which not only aids in hunger suppression but also reacts to sensory signals related to food, such as taste and nutritional content.
For instance, the researchers employed CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology to deactivate the leptin receptor (LEPR) in these BNC2 neurons. The results showed that those mice consumed more food and gained additional weight compared to control mice.
Moreover, upon introducing fluorescence to the BNC2 neurons, the researchers observed activation of these neurons when feeding mice after a fasting period, while other known neuronal populations in the hypothalamus did not exhibit any reaction.
“These discoveries provide a vital new perspective on how neurons influence appetite and obesity,” commented Dr. Herb. “This could represent a future strategy for obesity treatment, possibly by stimulating these neurons to decrease weight or suppress hunger.”
