Pro-opiomelanocortin Neurons and the Transcriptional Regulation of Motivated Exercise

Deborah J Good; Haiyan Zhang; Robert W Grange; Thomas Braun

doi:10.1249/JES.0000000000000219

Pro-opiomelanocortin Neurons and the Transcriptional Regulation of Motivated Exercise

Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2020 Apr;48(2):74-82. doi: 10.1249/JES.0000000000000219.

Authors

Deborah J Good¹, Haiyan Zhang¹, Robert W Grange¹, Thomas Braun²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA.
² Department of Cardiac Development and Remodeling, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany.

PMID: 32168170
DOI: 10.1249/JES.0000000000000219

Abstract

Hypothalamic pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons are key sensory neurons for energy balance. The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor NHLH2 is expressed in POMC neurons, and Nhlh2 knockout mice show adult-onset obesity with low exercise behavior. Evidence is presented to explore the hypothesis that NHLH2 transcriptional activity within POMC neurons is crucial for maintaining motivated spontaneous activity and enforced exercise.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors / genetics*
Exercise / physiology*
Exercise / psychology
Humans
Hypothalamus / metabolism*
Models, Animal
Motivation / physiology*
Neurons / metabolism*
Pro-Opiomelanocortin / metabolism*
Transcription, Genetic*

Substances

Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors
NHLH2 protein, human
Pro-Opiomelanocortin