Cell Reports (Aug 2021)

An mPOA-ARCAgRP pathway modulates cold-evoked eating behavior

  • Shuo Yang,
  • Yu Lin Tan,
  • Xiaohua Wu,
  • Jingjie Wang,
  • Jingjing Sun,
  • Anqi Liu,
  • Linhua Gan,
  • Bo Shen,
  • Xiaocui Zhang,
  • Yu Fu,
  • Ju Huang

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 36, no. 6
p. 109502

Abstract

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Summary: Enhanced appetite occurs as a means of behavioral thermoregulation at low temperature. Neural circuitry mediating this crosstalk between behavioral thermoregulation and energy homeostasis remains to be elucidated. We find that the hypothalamic orexigenic agouti-related neuropeptide (AgRP) neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) are profoundly activated by cold exposure. The calcium signals in ARCAgRP neurons display an immediate-response pattern in response to cold stimulation. Cold-responsive neurons in the medial preoptic area (mPOA) make excitatory synapses onto ARCAgRP neurons. Inhibition of either ARCAgRP neurons or ARC-projecting mPOA neurons attenuates cold-evoked feeding, while activation of the mPOA-to-ARC projection increases food intake. These findings reveal an mPOA-ARCAgRP neural pathway that modulates cold-evoked feeding behavior.

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