Leptin activates neurons in ventrobasal hypothalamus and brainstem

Leptin is a circulating protein secreted by adipocytes which has profound feeding, metabolic, and neuroendocrine effects. Leptin receptors have been localized to the hypothalamus, but the anatomic sites responsible for mediating the effects of circulating leptin have not been demonstrated. We report...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Endocrinology (Philadelphia) 1997-02, Vol.138 (2), p.839-842
Main Authors: ELMQUIST, J. K, AHIMA, R. S, MARATOS-FLIER, E, FLIER, J. S, SAPER, C. B
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Brain Stem - cytology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Hypothalamus - cytology
Hypothalamus. Hypophysis. Epiphysis. Urophysis
Leptin
Male
Morphology. Functional localizations
Neurons - drug effects
Neurons - metabolism
Proteins - administration & dosage
Proteins - pharmacology
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos - analysis
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Vertebrates: endocrinology
Citations: Items that cite this one
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Summary:Leptin is a circulating protein secreted by adipocytes which has profound feeding, metabolic, and neuroendocrine effects. Leptin receptors have been localized to the hypothalamus, but the anatomic sites responsible for mediating the effects of circulating leptin have not been demonstrated. We report that systemic administration of leptin activates nuclear groups in the ventrobasal hypothalamus, including the ventromedial, dorsomedial, and ventral premammillary hypothalamic nuclei. Leptin also activated the parvicellular subdivisions of the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus that project to parasympathetic and sympathetic preganglionic neurons. Finally, leptin administration activated the superior lateral parabrachial subnucleus, a nuclear group containing cholecystokinin neurons that project to the ventrobasal hypothalamus. These findings indicate that circulating leptin activates specific nuclear groups in the hypothalamus and brainstem known to regulate complex physiological responses during times of substrate availability.
ISSN:0013-7227
1945-7170
DOI:10.1210/en.138.2.839