Cited by 228Regulation of Appetite and ObesityAdipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic DiseasesHypothalamic control of reproductive hormones

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 61 of the 63 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; 1 of the 58 sources its claims cite were checked for support.

Leptin-Dependent Control of Glucose Balance and Locomotor Activity by POMC Neurons

Open access
Huo, Lihong, Gamber, Kevin, Greeley, Sarah, Silva, Jose, Huntoon, Nicholas, Leng, Xing-Hong, Bjørbæk, Christian·2009·Cell Metabolism

Abstract

Summary Leptin plays a pivotal role in regulation of energy balance. Via unknown central pathways leptin also affects peripheral glucose homeostasis and locomotor activity. We hypothesized that specifically Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons mediate those actions. To examine this possibility we applied Cre-Lox technology to express leptin receptors (ObRb) exclusively in POMC neurons of the morbidly obese, profoundly diabetic, and severely hypoactive leptin receptor deficient Leprdb/db mice. We here show that expression of ObRb only in POMC neurons leads to a marked decrease in energy intake and a modest reduction in body weight in Leprdb/db mice. Remarkably, blood glucose levels are entirely normalized. This normalization occurs independently of changes in food intake and body weight. In addition, physical activity is greatly increased despite profound obesity. Our results suggest that leptin signaling exclusively in POMC neurons is sufficient to stimulate locomotion and prevent diabetes in the severely hypoactive and hyperglycemic obese Leprdb/db mice.

Overview

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Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

Expressing leptin receptors (HA-ObRb) exclusively in POMC neurons of leptin-receptor-deficient Leprdb/db mice normalized blood glucose and roughly doubled locomotor activity, despite persistent severe obesity. These effects occurred largely independently of reduced food intake and body weight.

Key findings

  • Blood glucose was fully normalized in 5-week-old HA-ObRb/Pomc-Cre/Leprdb/db mice; pair-feeding Leprdb/db mice a ~30% reduced intake for 3 weeks did not reduce hyperglycemia, indicating glucose correction was independent of energy intake and body weight.
  • Food intake fell 30–40% and body weight decreased 10–15% versus Leprdb/db mice, but body weight remained 65–90% above wild-type mice; whole-body energy expenditure did not differ.
  • Locomotor activity increased ~100% versus Leprdb/db mice and was not statistically different from lean wild-type mice.
  • Serum insulin was reduced by 60%, insulin tolerance improved (p=0.021 vs Leprdb/db), total endocrine islet mass increased 2.5-fold, and hypothalamic α-MSH peptide levels increased 3.5-fold versus Leprdb/db mice.

Methods

  • Cre-Lox transgenic strategy: HA-tagged ObRb was expressed in POMC neurons by mating HA-ObRb transgenic mice with Pomc-Cre mice, then crossed onto Leprdb/db background to generate HA-ObRb/Pomc-Cre/Leprdb/db mice.
  • Phenotyping included immunohistochemistry for HA, β-endorphin, P-STAT3, and α-MSH; leptin-induced STAT3 phosphorylation counts; blood glucose, insulin, leptin, triglycerides; insulin and glucose tolerance tests; pancreas histology; CLAMS indirect calorimetry and locomotor activity; hypothalamic neuropeptide mRNA by real-time PCR and peptide enzyme immunoassays.
  • Data are means ± SEM; significance set at p ≤ 0.05; Student’s t-tests, and for insulin tolerance tests general linear models with one-way ANOVA and protected least significant-differences.

Limitations

  • The paper states the specific mechanism by which POMC leptin signaling normalizes blood glucose is unknown and likely involves neuroendocrine and/or autonomic actions; the relative contributions of the melanocortin system, pancreas, muscle, and liver remain to be determined.
  • The paper states that a possible role of NTS POMC neurons cannot be excluded, although the authors conclude arcuate POMC neurons are responsible; it also notes only ~50% of hypothalamic POMC neurons expressed functional HA-leptin receptors, with the reason unclear.
  • The paper states that whether increased islet mass is a direct result of leptin action via POMC neurons or an indirect consequence of altered metabolic state/incretin action remains to be elucidated, and the extent to which increased locomotion contributes to lowered glucose remains to be determined.

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Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/j.cmet.2009.05.003

Cites

61 of 61 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Claims the paper makes

48 Own result · 42 Not checked yet · 23 Own interpretation · 3 Own method · 2 No basis given · 1 Supported

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Show all 73 claims

  • It may state two separate claims as one. 35
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 16
46 of 46
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The specific arcuate neurons responsible for mediating leptin's effects on glucose balance and voluntary locomotor activity are unspecified.

    “Genetic studies in mice suggest that the arcuate hypothalamic nucleus plays a major role in mediating effects of leptin on glucose balance and on voluntary locomotor activity (Coppari et al., 2005), however the specific arcuate neurons responsible remain unspecified.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The extent to which POMC neuronal action can prevent severe hyperglycemia is unknown.

    “However the extent to which POMC neuronal action can prevent severe hyperglycemia is unknown.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The pair-feeding paradigm and weight-matching adequately isolate the effects of leptin signaling in POMC neurons from changes in energy intake and body weight.

    “To examine whether this reduction in circulating glucose in HA-ObRb/Pomc-Cre/Leprdb/db mice was dependent of energy intake, eight weeks old female Leprdb/db mice were pair-fed (~30% intake reduction) to ad libitum fed HA-ObRb/Pomc-Cre/Leprdb/db littermates for three weeks (Figure 4F).”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The phenotype of HA-ObRb/Pomc-Cre/Leprdb/db mice is directly comparable to the phenotype resulting from arcuate-specific restoration of leptin receptors in Coppari et al. (2005).

    “Since these findings are directly comparable to the phenotype of our HA-ObRb/Pomc-Cre/Leprdb/db mice we conclude”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The phenotype resulting from unilateral restoration of endogenous leptin receptors in arcuate neurons is strikingly similar to that of HA-ObRb/Pomc-Cre/Leprdb/db mice.

    “results in a phenotype strikingly similar to that of our HA-ObRb/Pomc-Cre/Leprdb/db mice”
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Metadata

Authors
Huo, L., Gamber, K., Greeley, S., Silva, J., Huntoon, N., Leng, X.-H., & Bjørbæk, C.
Affiliations
  • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (US)
  • Baylor College of Medicine (US)
Corresponding author
Bjørbæk, Christian
Venue
Cell Metabolism
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2009-06
Volume
9
Issue
6
Pages
537-547
ISSN
1550-4131 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2094751859
Cited by
226
References
63
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 16 · 2012: 20
FWCI
9.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cell Metabolism (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • American Diabetes Association
  • Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (DK65743, DK60673, P30DK046200, R01DK060673, R01DK065743, DK46200.)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
Keywords
leptin, POMC neurons, glucose homeostasis, locomotor activity, leptin receptor, db/db mice, obesity, diabetes mellitus, energy balance, energy intake, body weight
MeSH terms
Animals, Blood Glucose, Body Weight, Eating, Motor Activity, Neurons, Pro-Opiomelanocortin, Signal Transduction, Mice, Knockout, Leptin, Mice, Receptors, Leptin

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