A central-acting connexin inhibitor, INI-0602, prevents high-fat diet-induced feeding pattern disturbances and obesity in mice.

ABSTRACT: A high-fat diet (HFD) causes obesity by promoting excessive energy intake, and simultaneously, by disturbing the timing of energy intake. Restoring the feeding pattern is sufficient to prevent HFD-induced obesity in mice. However, the molecular mechanism(s) underlying HFD-induced feeding pattern disturbances remain elusive. Saturated fatty acids activate microglia and cause hypothalamic inflammation. Activated microglia cause neuroinflammation, which spreads via inflammatory cytokines and gap-junction hemichannels. However, the role of gap-junction hemichannels in HFD-induced obesity remains unaddressed. We used a novel, central-acting connexin inhibitor, INI-0602, which has high affinity for gap junction hemichannels and does not affect the induction of inflammatory cytokines. We analyzed

SUBMITTER: Sasaki T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5968494 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature