Agouti-related peptide-expressing neurons are mandatory for feeding.
Multiple hormones controlling energy homeostasis regulate the expression of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and agouti-related peptide (AgRP) in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus. Nevertheless, inactivation of the genes encoding NPY and/or AgRP has no impact on food intake in mice. Here we demonstrate that induced selective ablation of AgRP-expressing neurons in adult mice results in acute reduction of feeding, demonstrating direct evidence for a critical role of these neurons in the regulation of energy homeostasis.
Gropp
Eva
E
Institute for Genetics and Center for Molecular Medicine (CMMC), Department of Mouse Genetics and Metabolism, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47, 50674 Köln, Germany.
Shanabrough
Marya
M
Borok
Erzsebet
E
Xu
Allison W
AW
Janoschek
Ruth
R
Buch
Thorsten
T
Plum
Leona
L
Balthasar
Nina
N
Hampel
Brigitte
B
Waisman
Ari
A
Barsh
Gregory S
GS
Horvath
Tamas L
TL
Brüning
Jens C
JC
D054369:Agouti-Related Protein; D000818:Animals; D000855:Anorexia / Q000378:metabolism; D001111:Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / Q000166:cytology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D004167:Diphtheria Toxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000096:biosynthesis
D054369:Agouti-Related Protein; D004167:Diphtheria Toxin; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D011506:Proteins; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D001616:beta-Galactosidase