title: Herpes virus entry mediator signaling in the brain is imperative in acute inflammation-induced anorexia and body weight loss.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reduced appetite and body weight loss are typical symptoms of inflammatory diseases. A number of inflammatory stimuli are responsible for the imbalance in energy homeostasis, leading to metabolic disorders. The herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM) protein plays an important role in the development of various inflammatory diseases, such as intestinal inflammation and diet-induced obesity. However, the role of HVEM in the brain is largely unknown. This study aims to investigate whether HVEM signaling in the brain is involved in inflammation-induced anorexia and body weight loss.
  
  
  METHODS
  Food intake and body weight were measured at 24 hours after intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or intracerebroventricular injection of recombinant mouse LIGHT (also called tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily 14, TNFSF14), an HVEM ligand, into 8- to 10-week-old male C57BL/6 mice and mice lacking HVEM expression (HVEM-/-). We also assessed LPS-induced change in hypothalamic expression of HVEM using immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Administration of LPS significantly reduced food intake and body weight, and moreover, increased expression of HVEM in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus. However, LPS induced only minor decreases in food intake and body weight in HVEM-/- mice. Administration of LIGHT into the brain was very effective at decreasing food intake and body weight in wild-type mice, but was less effective in HVEM-/- mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Activation of brain HVEM signaling is responsible for inflammation-induced anorexia and body weight loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Ulsan College of Natural Sciences, Ulsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Kwang Kon
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Ulsan College of Natural Sciences, Ulsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Ulsan College of Natural Sciences, Ulsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Byung Ju
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: Anorexia; Brain; Inflammation; Receptors, tumor necrosis factor