Hypothalamic Microglial Activation in Obesity: A Mini-Review

Author(s)

Mendes, Natalia F. ^{[1, 2, 3]} ; Kim, Young-Bum ^[3] ; Velloso, Licio A. ^{[2, 4]} ; Araujo, Eliana P. ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Sch Nursing, Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Campinas, Obes & Comorbid Res Ctr, Lab Cell Signaling, Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[3] Harvard Med Sch, Div Endocrinol Diabet & Metab, Dept Med, Beth Israel Deaconess Med Ctr, Boston, MA - USA

^[4] Natl Inst Sci & Technol Neuroimmunomodulat, Rio De Janeiro - Brazil

• Document type: Review article
• Source: FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE; v. 12, NOV 15 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 10

Abstract

Emerging data demonstrate that microglia activation plays a pivotal role in the development of hypothalamic inflammation in obesity. Early after the introduction of a high-fat diet, hypothalamic microglia undergo morphological, and functional changes in response to excessive dietary saturated fats. Initially the resident microglia are affected; however, as diet-induced obesity persists, bone marrow-derived myeloid cells gradually replace resident microglia. Genetic and pharmacological approaches aimed at dampening the inflammatory activity in the hypothalamus of experimental models of obesity have proven beneficial to correct the obese phenotype and improve metabolic abnormalities commonly associated with obesity. These approaches provide an experimental proof-of-concept that hypothalamic inflammation is central to the pathophysiology of obesity; understanding the details of the roles played by microglia in this process may help the development of preventive and therapeutic advances in the field. In this review, we discuss the potential mechanisms underlying hypothalamic microglial activation in high-fat induced obesity. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/22511-8 - Role of microglial cells in the high-fat diet-induced hypothalamic inflammation
• Grantee: Natália Ferreira Mendes
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 13/07607-8 - OCRC - Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center
• Grantee: Licio Augusto Velloso
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers - RIDC
• FAPESP's process: 17/02983-2 - The role of growth hormone in the brain: relevance for neural functions and in disease
• Grantee: Jose Donato Junior
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 16/17810-3 - Evaluation of TGF-b1 function in the hypothalamus of animals with obesity and diabetes induced by high-fat diet
• Grantee: Natália Ferreira Mendes
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate