Hypothalamic tanycytes generate acute hyperphagia through activation of the arcuate neuronal network

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020 Jun 23;117(25):14473-14481. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1919887117. Epub 2020 Jun 8.

Abstract

Hypothalamic tanycytes are chemosensitive glial cells that contact the cerebrospinal fluid in the third ventricle and send processes into the hypothalamic parenchyma. To test whether they can activate neurons of the arcuate nucleus, we targeted expression of a Ca2+-permeable channelrhodopsin (CatCh) specifically to tanycytes. Activation of tanycytes ex vivo depolarized orexigenic (neuropeptide Y/agouti-related protein; NPY/AgRP) and anorexigenic (proopiomelanocortin; POMC) neurons via an ATP-dependent mechanism. In vivo, activation of tanycytes triggered acute hyperphagia only in the fed state during the inactive phase of the light-dark cycle.

Keywords: ATP; arcuate nucleus; food intake; hypothalamus; tanycyte.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agouti-Related Protein / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Appetite / physiology
  • Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / cytology
  • Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / diagnostic imaging
  • Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / physiopathology*
  • Channelrhodopsins / genetics
  • Channelrhodopsins / metabolism
  • Energy Metabolism / physiology
  • Ependymoglial Cells / physiology*
  • Feeding Behavior / physiology
  • Female
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Hyperphagia / physiopathology*
  • Injections, Intraventricular
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Models, Animal
  • Nerve Net / physiology
  • Neurons / physiology*
  • Neuropeptide Y / metabolism
  • Optical Imaging
  • Optogenetics
  • Patch-Clamp Techniques
  • Pro-Opiomelanocortin / metabolism
  • Stereotaxic Techniques

Substances

  • Agouti-Related Protein
  • Agrp protein, mouse
  • Channelrhodopsins
  • Neuropeptide Y
  • Pro-Opiomelanocortin