The central role of melatonin receptors on food intake, energy balance and leptin pathway

• Grant number: 17/01882-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: June 08, 2017
• End date: June 07, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Organs and Systems
• Principal Investigator: José Cipolla Neto
• Grantee: Daniella Do Carmo Buonfiglio
• Supervisor: Gianluca Tosini
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 15/26190-6 - Melatonin central role in food control and energy metabolism: interaction of melatonin and leptin, BP.PD

Abstract

Many hormones and neurotransmitters regulate feeding behavior. Leptin is in the spotlight since mutations in the genes encoding this hormone or its receptor resulted in severe obesity. Melatonin (Mel) is involved in the regulation of energy balance and its administration reduces food intake, body weight and abdominal fat in rodent models. In vitro, rhythmic Mel treatment synchronizes leptin secretion by adipocytes. Melatonin is essential for coupling metabolic functions to light-dark cycle ensuring metabolic homeostasis. The uncoupling of these functions is related to metabolic syndrome and obesity. However, the mechanism through which Mel modulates body weight is unclear. We aim to investigate the feeding behavior, body weight changes and alterations on the leptin pathway in the CNS of mice lacking MT1 or MT2 receptors. For this Male C3H/f+/+MT1/, C3Hf+/+MT2/ and Wild type (WT) mice at the age of 2 months will have food intake and body weight measured daily. Then, they will be submitted to Acute Leptin sensitivity test, to 24-hour fasting response, to 24-hour HFD response, pSTAT3 activation in response to leptin and monitored at CLAMS system. To indirectly evaluate the heat production, brown adipose tissue from mice models will be collected and the protein expression of UCP1 will be analyzed by Western blot.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BUONFIGLIO, DANIELLA; PARTHIMOS, RAFAELA; DANTAS, ROSANA; SILVA, RAYSA CERQUEIRA; GOMES, GUILHERME; ANDRADE-SILVA, JESSICA; RAMOS-LOBO, ANGELA; AMARAL, FERNANDA GASPAR; MATOS, RAPHAEL; SINESIO, JR., JOSE; et al. Melatonin Absence Leads to Long-Term Leptin Resistance and Overweight in Rats. FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY, v. 9, MAR 27 2018. (15/26190-6, 16/24956-4, 17/01882-8, 14/50457-0)

OWINO, SHARON; BUONFIGLIO, DANIELLA D. C.; TCHIO, CYNTHIA; TOSINI, GIANLUCA. Melatonin Signaling a Key Regulator of Glucose Homeostasis and Energy Metabolism. FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY, v. 10, JUL 17 2019. (17/01882-8)