Characterization of insulin and leptin signaling in the hypothalamus of rodents during cancer induced anorexia

Author(s)

Eduardo Rochete Ropelle

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Ciências Médicas
• Defense date: 2010-05-03

Examining board members

José Barreto Campello Carvalheira; Luiz Guilherme Siqueira Branco; Antonio Carlos Boschero; Silvana Bordin; Gabriel Forato Anhê

• Advisor: José Barreto Campello Carvalheira

Abstract

The anorexia-cachexia syndrome is observed in 80% of patients with advanced cancer and contributes directly to increased morbidity and mortality of these patients. It is postulated that the pathogenesis of cancer anorexia is mediated by persistent anorexigenic signs in the hypothalamus, contributing to the reduction of food intake and body weight. In this study, we demonstrated that the anorexigenic pathways mediated by insulin and leptin in the hypothalamus are hypersensitive during tumor-induced anorexia in rodents. We found that the expression protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), a protein that negatively modulates the route of signal transmission of insulin and leptin, is significantly reduced in the hypothalamic tissue in different models of cancer-induced anorexia, contributing to the increase in anorexigenic signals mediated by STAT-3. We showed that classical pro-inflammatory cytokines, such IL-1b and TNF-a modulate PTP1B activity in neurons. We have shown that central infusion of, anti-IL-1b antibody or specific inhibitor of TNF-a, Infliximab, restored the PTP1B activity, reducing insulin and leptin sensitivity, increasing food intake, body weight and survival in tumor-bearing animals. Conversely, intracerebroventricular injections of recombinant IL-1b or TNF-a were able to suppress the PTP1B expression and increase the central insulin and leptin sensitivity in control animals. Finally, the selective reduction of PTP1B expression in areas around the third ventricle of the hypothalamus using the antisense oligonucleotide against PTP1B (PTP1B ASO), evoked anorexia, severe weight loss and death in control rats, in addition, PTP1B ASO blunted the effects of anti-IL-1b antibody or Infliximab in anorectic rats. Collectively, these data show that the hypothalamic PTP1B is key protein in the control of food intake and body weight in rodents and presents an attractive opportunity for the treatment of cancer-induced anorexia (AU)