First Author | Xu Y | Year | 2008 |
Journal | Neuron | Volume | 60 |
Issue | 4 | Pages | 582-9 |
PubMed ID | 19038216 | Mgi Jnum | J:147514 |
Mgi Id | MGI:3841328 | Doi | 10.1016/j.neuron.2008.09.033 |
Citation | Xu Y, et al. (2008) 5-HT2CRs expressed by pro-opiomelanocortin neurons regulate energy homeostasis. Neuron 60(4):582-9 |
abstractText | Drugs activating 5-hydroxytryptamine 2C receptors (5-HT2CRs) potently suppress appetite, but the underlying mechanisms for these effects are not fully understood. To tackle this issue, we generated mice with global 5-HT2CR deficiency (2C null) and mice with 5-HT2CRs re-expression only in pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons (2C/POMC mice). We show that 2C null mice predictably developed hyperphagia, hyperactivity, and obesity and showed attenuated responses to anorexigenic 5-HT drugs. Remarkably, all these deficiencies were normalized in 2C/POMC mice. These results demonstrate that 5-HT2CR expression solely in POMC neurons is sufficient to mediate effects of serotoninergic compounds on food intake. The findings also highlight the physiological relevance of the 5-HT2CR-melanocortin circuitry in the long-term regulation of energy balance. |