Understanding of vagus nerve in hepatic glucose metabolism by a central insulin action

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26860693
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Metabolomics
• Research Institution: Kanazawa University
• Principal Investigator: Kimura Kumi 金沢大学, 脳・肝インターフェースメディシン研究センター, 特任助教 (60409472)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 肝糖代謝 / 中枢神経インスリン作用 / 迷走神経 / クッパー細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Central insulin action suppresses the gene expression of hepatic gluconeogenic enzymes. The vagus nerve plays an important role in this centrally mediated hepatic response; however, the precise mechanism underlying this brain-liver interaction is unclear. Here, we present our findings that the vagus nerve suppresses hepatic gluconeogenesis via α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7-nAchR) on Kupffer cells, and that central insulin action activates hepatic IL-6 release by suppressing vagal activity. In high-fat diet-induced obese and insulin-resistant mice, control of the vagus nerve by central insulin action was disturbed, inducing a persistent increase of inflammatory cytokines. These findings suggest that dysregulation of the α7-nAchR-mediated control of Kupffer cells by central insulin action may affect the pathogenesis of chronic hepatic inflammation in obesity.

Free Research Field

肝糖代謝制御