在8月出版的《自然—神經(jīng)科學(xué)》期刊上,，研究人員報(bào)告了一種不易患糖尿病并對(duì)糖尿病有抵抗力的小鼠,。食物涉入量和體重的控制與大腦中的神經(jīng)線路有關(guān)，新成果為這種關(guān)鍵神經(jīng)線路的研究提供了有價(jià)值的線索,。
大腦的視丘下部是控制饑餓,、口渴和體溫的重要區(qū)域。利用基因工程技術(shù),，哈佛醫(yī)學(xué)院的Bradford Lowell和同事培育了一種轉(zhuǎn)基因小鼠，在大腦的視丘下部的次神經(jīng)元中,，這種小鼠特別缺少一種釋放神經(jīng)傳遞素GABA抑制劑的能力,。因此，盡管食用高脂肪食物,，這些小鼠的食欲荷爾蒙都不會(huì)被刺激出來,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
Nature Neuroscience，11, 998 - 1000 (2008) ,，Qingchun Tong,，Bradford B Lowell
Synaptic release of GABA by AgRP neurons is required for normal regulation of energy balance
Qingchun Tong1, Chian-Ping Ye1, Juli E Jones1, Joel K Elmquist2 & Bradford B Lowell1
The physiologic importance of GABAergic neurotransmission in hypothalamic neurocircuits is unknown. To examine the importance of GABA release from agouti-related protein (AgRP) neurons (which also release AgRP and neuropeptide Y), we generated mice with an AgRP neuron–specific deletion of vesicular GABA transporter. These mice are lean, resistant to obesity and have an attenuated hyperphagic response to ghrelin. Thus, GABA release from AgRP neurons is important in regulating energy balance.
1 Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, 99 Brookline Ave., Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
2 Division of Hypothalamic Research, Departments of Internal Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
