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Proopiomelanocortin Neurons Are Direct Targets for Leptin in the Hypothalamus
Abstract
Leptin is a protein product of the obese (ob) gene, which is secreted by adipocytes and functions as a satiety factor to regulate food intake. The expression of the leptin receptor in several hypothalamic nuclei suggests that multiple neuronal subtypes are targets for leptin's action. Products of the proopiomelanocortin (POMC) gene are known to affect feeding behavior, and POMC neurons share a similar distribution with leptin receptor mRNA in the arcuate nucleus. We used double label in situ hybridization and computerized image analysis to test the hypothesis that POMC neurons coexpress the leptin receptor. Quantitative analysis confirmed that POMC neurons in the hypothalamus express leptin receptor mRNA. Based on this observation, we infer that POMC neurons and the products of the POMC gene may be part of the signaling pathway mediating leptin's action on feeding and perhaps other physiological functions.
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“POMC neurons are stimulated by leptin (33, 162)”
From Leptin and the Central Nervous System Control of Glucose Metabolism (2011) · cites this paper as [33]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Cheung, C. C., Clifton, D. K., & Steiner, R. A.
- Affiliations
- University of Washington (US)
- Corresponding author
- Steiner, Robert A.
- ORCID
- Steiner, Robert A.
- Venue
- Endocrinology
- Publisher
- The Endocrine Society
- Published
- 1997-10
- Volume
- 138
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 4489-4492
- ISSN
- 0013-7227 (ISSN-L)
- 1945-7170
- OpenAlex
- W2129221666
- Cited by
- 769
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 30 · 2012: 34
- FWCI
- 15.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Endocrinology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (5t32gm007108-40)
- National Institute of General Medical Sciences (5 T32-GM07108)
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01 HD 27142, R01HD027142)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
- Keywords
- leptin, proopiomelanocortin, POMC neurons, leptin receptor, hypothalamus, arcuate nucleus, feeding behavior, satiety, food intake regulation, obese gene
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Carrier Proteins, Eating, Female, Gene Expression Regulation, Hypothalamus, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Neurons, Pro-Opiomelanocortin, Proteins, Receptors, Cell Surface, RNA, Messenger, Signal Transduction, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, In Situ Hybridization, Leptin, Rats, Receptors, Leptin
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