title: NPY/neuropeptide Y enhances autophagy in the hypothalamus: a mechanism to delay aging?
abstract: Aging was recently described as a life event programmed by the hypothalamus, a key brain region that is crucial for the neuroendocrine interaction between the central nervous system and the periphery. Autophagy impairment is a hallmark of aging, contributing to the aging phenotype and to the aggravation of age-related diseases. Since hypothalamic autophagy decreases with age, strategies to promote autophagy in the hypothalamus may be relevant for control of the aging process. NPY (neuropeptide Y) is an endogenous neuropeptide mainly produced by the hypothalamus. We recently reported, for the first time, that NPY stimulates autophagy in rodent hypothalamus and mediates caloric restriction-induced autophagy in hypothalamic neurons. Moreover, we observed that NPY acts through NPY1R (neuropeptide Y receptor Y1) or NPY5R activation involving a concerted action of different signaling pathways. Since both hypothalamic autophagy and NPY levels decrease with age, modulation of NPY levels could provide new putative therapeutic tools to ameliorate age-related deteriorations and extend longevity.
authors.affiliation: a CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology; University of Coimbra ; Coimbra , Portugal.
authors.forename: Célia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Aveleira
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Botelho
authors.forename: Cláudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cavadas
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001343:Autophagy; D031204:Caloric Restriction; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000196:embryology; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008136:Longevity; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D017476:Receptors, Neuropeptide Y / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D017476:Receptors, Neuropeptide Y; C526109:Anxa3 protein, rat; C097212:neuropeptide Y-Y1 receptor; C100568:neuropeptide Y5 receptor
keywords: autophagy; caloric restriction; hypothalamus; neuropeptide Y