The roles of Brorin in the regulation of feeding behavior amd energy metabolism

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K08307
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Pharmacology in pharmacy
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Miyake Ayumi 京都大学, 薬学研究科, 講師 (40346044)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 視床下部 / 分泌タンパク質 / 摂食制御 / 脳・神経

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Brorin was predominantly expressed in the arcuate nucleus. Food intake and body weight were significantly higher in brorin knockout mice than in WT mice when they were fed normal chow. The arcuate nucleus greatly contributes to the regulation of feeding behavior, and several neuropeptides including Agouti-related peptide (AGRP), Neuropeptide Y (NPY), and Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) in the arcuate nucleus are the important regulators of feeding behavior. Therefore, we examined the expression levels of Agrp, Npy and POMC in the hypothalamus by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). These expression levels were increased in brorin knockout mice fed normal chow. Furthermore, we examined the expression levels of Leptin in the white adipose tissues by RT-qPCR. Its levels in brorin knockout mice fed normal chow were significantly higher than those in WT mice.

Free Research Field

分子生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

Brorinは視床下部の弓状核に高発現し、白色脂肪組織においては低レベルで発現している。Brorin遺伝子欠損マウスでは摂食量の増加が認められ、摂食促進ペプチドの発現量が増加していたが、摂食抑制ペプチドの発現量も増加していることを明らかにした。さらに、Brorin遺伝子欠損マウスの白色脂肪組織で発現量の増加が認められたLeptinは代謝調節遺伝子であるとともに摂食抑制因子としても働くことが知られている。今後のさらなる解析により、Brorinによる摂食制御因子の調節機構が明らかになれば、摂食障害の原因解明および治療法の開発につながると期待できる。