Role of FTO in energy homeostasis

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25870666
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: General physiology; Environmental physiology(including physical medicine and nutritional physiology)
• Research Institution: Gunma University
• Principal Investigator: KOHNO Daisuke 群馬大学, 先端科学研究指導者育成ユニット, 助教 (10382904)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: FTO / 視床下部

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene is highly associated with obesity, and its product, the FTO protein, is an N6-methyl-adenosine RNA demethylase. In this study, we examined the distribution of FTO-expressing cells in the brain by in situ hybridization and X-gal staining of FTO-lacZ mice. We also examined the role of FTO in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) using the VMH-specific FTO deletion mice. FTO was widely expressed in most brain areas. All FTO-lacZ expressing cells were neuronal marker, NeuN, positive. FTO was highly colocalized with NPY and POMC neurons in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus. VMH-specific FTO deletion mice had increased energy expenditure compared to control mice. These data suggest that FTO is widely distributed in neurons and plays an important role in hypothalamic feeding center neurons.

Free Research Field

生理学