Role of POMC neurons in the reduction of plasma corticosterone levels after exogenous leptin replacement in fasted animals

• Grant number: 20/11612-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2021
• End date: December 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - General Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Rodrigo César Rorato
• Grantee: Higor José Fideles Silva
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 16/17968-6 - Hypothalamic neuronal circuitry and phenotypes involved in the coupling of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity to changes in the energy homeostasis, AP.JP

Abstract

It has been suggested that the hyperactivation of the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis seems to contribute to the development of pathologies associated with the stress of modern life, such as obesity and Metabolic syndrome. The adipogenic actions mediated by the glucocorticoids, the final product of the HPA axis, support this theory. Interestingly, the activity of this axis and the peripheral energy stores seem to be coupled as well as connected through changes in the plasma leptin hormone. Leptin receptors (LepR) are abundantly expressed in neurons of the ARC, which project densely to CRF neurons from the PVN (CRFPVN); the main modulator of the HPA axis activity. Therefore, the present study intends to determine the need and sufficiency of leptin signaling in POMC neurons (POMCARC) for the normalization of plasma corticosterone concentrations in fasted animals by the selective genetic deletion using the Cre-LoxP system.

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)

RORATO, RODRIGO; FERREIRA, NATHALIA L.; OLIVEIRA, FRANCIANE P.; FIDELES, HIGOR J.; CAMILO, TAYS A.; ANTUNES-RODRIGUES, JOSE; MECAWI, ANDRE S.; ELIAS, LUCILA L. K.. Prolonged Activation of Brain CB2 Signaling Modulates Hypothalamic Microgliosis and Astrogliosis in High Fat Diet-Fed Mice. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES, v. 23, n. 10, p. 15-pg., 2022-05-01. (16/17968-6, 19/27581-0, 20/11612-0, 14/20704-5, 18/18071-5)