Dopamine signaling regulates fat content through β-oxidation in Caenorhabditis elegans.
The regulation of energy balance involves an intricate interplay between neural mechanisms that respond to internal and external cues of energy demand and food availability. Compelling data have implicated the neurotransmitter dopamine as an important part of body weight regulation. However, the precise mechanisms through which dopamine regulates energy homeostasis remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate mechanisms through which dopamine modulates energy storage. We showed that dopamine signaling regulates fat reservoirs in Caenorhabditis elegans. We found that the fat reducing effects of dopamine were dependent on dopaminergic receptors and a set of fat oxidation enzymes. Our findings reveal an ancient role for dopaminergic regulation of fat and suggest that dopamine signaling elicits this outcome through cascades that ultimately mobilize peripheral fat depots.
Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Alexandre Guimarães de Almeida
AG
Barros
Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Jessika Cristina
JC
Bridi
Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Bruno Rezende
BR
de Souza
Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Célio
C
de Castro Júnior
Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Karen Cecília
KC
de Lima Torres
Departamento de Física, Instituto de Ciências Exatas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Leandro
L
Malard
Departamento de Física, Instituto de Ciências Exatas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Ado
A
Jorio
Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Débora Marques
DM
de Miranda
Department of Physiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States.
Kaveh
K
Ashrafi
Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Marco Aurélio
MA
Romano-Silva
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D005223:Fats / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009154:Mutation; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D034622:RNA Interference; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013997:Time Factors
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D015259:Dopamine Agents; D005223:Fats; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D012701:Serotonin; D004298:Dopamine