Title |
Interleukin-7, a New Cytokine Targeting the Mouse Hypothalamic Arcuate Nucleus: Role in Body Weight and Food Intake Regulation
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Published in |
PLOS ONE, April 2010
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DOI | 10.1371/journal.pone.0009953 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Laurence Macia, Odile Viltart, Myriam Delacre, Christelle Sachot, Laurent Héliot, James P. Di Santo, Isabelle Wolowczuk |
Abstract |
Body weight is controlled through peripheral (white adipose tissue) and central (mainly hypothalamus) mechanisms. We have recently obtained evidence that overexpression of interleukin (IL)-7, a critical cytokine involved in lymphopoiesis, can protect against the development of diet-induced obesity in mice. Here we assessed whether IL-7 mediated its effects by modulating hypothalamic function. Acute subcutaneous injection of IL-7 prevented monosodium glutamate-induced obesity, this being correlated with partial protection against cell death in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC). Moreover, we showed that IL-7 activated hypothalamic areas involved in regulation of feeding behavior, as indicated by induction of the activation marker c-Fos in neural cells located in the ventromedial part of the ARC and by inhibition of food intake after fasting. Both chains of the IL-7 receptor (IL-7Ralpha and gamma(c)) were expressed in the ARC and IL-7 injection induced STAT-3 phosphorylation in this area. Finally, we established that IL-7 modulated the expression of neuropeptides that tune food intake, with a stimulatory effect on the expression of pro-opiomelanocortin and an inhibitory effect on agouti-related peptide expression in accordance with IL-7 promoting anorectic effects. These results suggest that the immunomodulatory cytokine IL-7 plays an important and unappreciated role in hypothalamic body weight regulation. |
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Australia | 1 | 2% |
Unknown | 47 | 96% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
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Student > Master | 10 | 20% |
Researcher | 10 | 20% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 7 | 14% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 3 | 6% |
Professor > Associate Professor | 3 | 6% |
Other | 5 | 10% |
Unknown | 11 | 22% |
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Immunology and Microbiology | 3 | 6% |
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science | 2 | 4% |
Other | 3 | 6% |
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