title: Role of orexin in the regulation of glucose homeostasis.
abstract: Orexin-A (hypocretin-1) and orexin-B (hypocretin-2) are hypothalamic neuropeptides that play key roles in the regulation of wakefulness, feeding, reward, autonomic functions and energy homeostasis. To control these functions indispensable for survival, orexin-expressing neurones integrate peripheral metabolic signals, interact with many types of neurones in the brain and modulate their activities via the activation of orexin-1 receptor or orexin-2 receptor. In addition, a new functional role of orexin is emerging in the regulation of insulin and leptin sensitivities responsible for whole-body glucose metabolism. Recent evidence indicates that orexin efficiently protects against the development of peripheral insulin resistance induced by ageing or high-fat feeding in mice. In particular, the orexin receptor-2 signalling appears to confer resistance to diet-induced obesity and insulin insensitivity by improving leptin sensitivity. In fact, the expression of orexin gene is known to be down-regulated by hyperglycaemia in the rodent model of diabetes, such as ob/ob and db/db mice. Moreover, the levels of orexin receptor-2 mRNA have been shown to decline in the brain of mice along with ageing. These suggest that hyperglycaemia due to insulin insensitivity during ageing or by habitual consumption of a high-fat diet leads to the reduction in orexin expression in the hypothalamus, thereby further exacerbating peripheral insulin resistance. Therefore, orexin receptor controlling hypothalamic insulin/leptin actions may be a new target for possible future treatment of hyperglycaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsuneki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sasaoka
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D064446:Orexin Receptors; D000068797:Orexins; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D022722:Thermogenesis / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C000596229:HCRT protein, human; D007328:Insulin; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D020738:Leptin; D009479:Neuropeptides; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D064446:Orexin Receptors; D000068797:Orexins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide; D005947:Glucose