Dopamine signaling regulates fat content through β-oxidation in Caenorhabditis elegans

PLoS One. 2014 Jan 22;9(1):e85874. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0085874. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

The regulation of energy balance involves an intricate interplay between neural mechanisms that respond to internal and external cues of energy demand and food availability. Compelling data have implicated the neurotransmitter dopamine as an important part of body weight regulation. However, the precise mechanisms through which dopamine regulates energy homeostasis remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate mechanisms through which dopamine modulates energy storage. We showed that dopamine signaling regulates fat reservoirs in Caenorhabditis elegans. We found that the fat reducing effects of dopamine were dependent on dopaminergic receptors and a set of fat oxidation enzymes. Our findings reveal an ancient role for dopaminergic regulation of fat and suggest that dopamine signaling elicits this outcome through cascades that ultimately mobilize peripheral fat depots.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / metabolism*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / metabolism
  • Dopamine / metabolism*
  • Dopamine / pharmacology
  • Dopamine Agents / metabolism
  • Dopamine Agents / pharmacology
  • Energy Metabolism / drug effects
  • Fats / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression
  • Homeostasis / drug effects
  • Lipid Metabolism / drug effects
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Mutation
  • Oxidation-Reduction / drug effects
  • RNA Interference
  • Receptors, Dopamine / genetics
  • Receptors, Dopamine / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Serotonin / pharmacology
  • Serotonin Receptor Agonists / pharmacology
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
  • Dopamine Agents
  • Fats
  • Receptors, Dopamine
  • Serotonin Receptor Agonists
  • Serotonin
  • Dopamine

Grants and funding

This work was funded by FAPEMIG (http://www.fapemig.br/), CNPq (http://www.cnpq.br/), INCT de Medicina Molecular (http://www.medicina.ufmg.br/inct/) and CAPES (http://www.capes.gov.br/). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.