Researchers have identified a previously unrecognised group of neurons in the hypothalamus that regulates food consumption, potentially leading to new obesity treatments, according to a study released on Thursday.
Published in the journal Nature, the research was conducted by a team 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 collaborators from New York and Stanford Universities, who found a new cluster of neurons responsive to the hormone leptin.
Leptin-responsive neurons are significant in the context of obesity, as leptin is transmitted from the body’s fat stores to the brain to reduce hunger signals.
“We’ve been aware for some time that the hypothalamus—positioned deep within the brain—contributes to aspects such as hunger, hormone regulation, stress response, and temperature control,” stated Brian Herb, a scientist at IGS and a research associate at UMSOM.
Through a series of experiments with mice, researchers discovered that this newly identified population of neurons, which express both leptin receptors and the BNC2 gene, not only aids in curbing appetite but also reacts to sensory signals related to food, including its taste and nutritional content.
For instance, researchers utilised CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology to remove the leptin receptor in these BNC2 neurons.
These genetically altered mice consumed more food and experienced greater weight gain compared to control mice.
Moreover, as researchers introduced fluorescence to the BNC2 neurons, they observed that when mice were fed after fasting, the BNC2 neurons became activated. In contrast, previously identified neuronal groups in the hypothalamus did not respond.
“These discoveries contribute an essential new element to our understanding of how neurons influence hunger and obesity,” Dr. Herb remarked. “This might serve as a future target for obesity interventions, such as stimulating these neurons to curb appetite or promote weight loss.”
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