Selective Restoration of Pomc Expression in Glutamatergic POMC Neurons: Evidence for a Dynamic Hypothalamic Neurotransmitter Network.

ABSTRACT: Hypothalamic POMC deficiency leads to obesity and metabolic deficiencies, largely due to the loss of melanocortin peptides. However, POMC neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) are comprised of glutamatergic and GABAergic subpopulations. The developmental program, relative proportion and function of these two subpopulations are unresolved. To test whether glutamatergic POMC neurons serve a distinct role in maintaining energy homeostasis, we activated Pomc expression Cre- dependently in Vglut2-expressing neurons of mice with conditionally silenced Pomc alleles. The Vglut2-Pomc restored mice had normal ARC Pomc mRNA levels, POMC immunoreactivity, as well as body weight and body composition at age 12 weeks. Unexpectedly, the cumulative total of Vglut2+ glutamatergic- and Gad67+ GABAergic-Pomc n

SUBMITTER: Jones GL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6449166 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar-Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature