title: Taurine enhances the anorexigenic effects of insulin in the hypothalamus of rats.
abstract: Taurine is known to modulate a number of metabolic parameters such as insulin secretion and action and blood cholesterol levels. Recent data have suggested that taurine can also reduce body adiposity in C. elegans and in rodents. Since body adiposity is mostly regulated by insulin-responsive hypothalamic neurons involved in the control of feeding and thermogenesis, we hypothesized that some of the activity of taurine in the control of body fat would be exerted through a direct action in the hypothalamus. Here, we show that the intracerebroventricular injection of an acute dose of taurine reduces food intake and locomotor activity, and activates signal transduction through the Akt/FOXO1, JAK2/STAT3 and mTOR/AMPK/ACC signaling pathways. These effects are accompanied by the modulation of expression of NPY. In addition, taurine can enhance the anorexigenic action of insulin. Thus, the aminoacid, taurine, exerts a potent anorexigenic action in the hypothalamus and enhances the effect of insulin on the control of food intake.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Signaling, University of Campinas, DCM-FCM UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, 13084 970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carina S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Solon
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Franci
authors.forename: Letícia M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ignacio-Souza
authors.forename: Talita
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Romanatto
authors.forename: Erika A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Roman
authors.forename: Ana P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Arruda
authors.forename: Joseane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morari
authors.forename: Adriana S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Torsoni
authors.forename: Everardo M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Carneiro
authors.forename: Licio A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Velloso
mesh_terms: D000091162:AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D000103:Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D053614:Janus Kinase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013654:Taurine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000071161:Forkhead Box Protein O1
chemical_list: D000091162:AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D000103:Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D007328:Insulin; D053614:Janus Kinase 2; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D011494:Protein Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; D013654:Taurine; C494088:Stat3 protein, rat; C074639:Foxo1 protein, rat; D000071161:Forkhead Box Protein O1; C546845:mTOR protein, rat; C507927:Jak2 protein, rat