Obesity is associated with hypothalamic injury in rodents and humans.
Publication/Presentation Date
1-1-2012
Abstract
Rodent models of obesity induced by consuming high-fat diet (HFD) are characterized by inflammation both in peripheral tissues and in hypothalamic areas critical for energy homeostasis. Here we report that unlike inflammation in peripheral tissues, which develops as a consequence of obesity, hypothalamic inflammatory signaling was evident in both rats and mice within 1 to 3 days of HFD onset, prior to substantial weight gain. Furthermore, both reactive gliosis and markers suggestive of neuron injury were evident in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus of rats and mice within the first week of HFD feeding. Although these responses temporarily subsided, suggesting that neuroprotective mechanisms may initially limit the damage, with continued HFD feeding, inflammation and gliosis returned permanently to the mediobasal hypothalamus. Consistent with these data in rodents, we found evidence of increased gliosis in the mediobasal hypothalamus of obese humans, as assessed by MRI. These findings collectively suggest that, in both humans and rodent models, obesity is associated with neuronal injury in a brain area crucial for body weight control.
Volume
122
Issue
1
First Page
153
Last Page
162
ISSN
1558-8238
Published In/Presented At
Thaler, J. P., Yi, C. X., Schur, E. A., Guyenet, S. J., Hwang, B. H., Dietrich, M. O., Zhao, X., Sarruf, D. A., Izgur, V., Maravilla, K. R., Nguyen, H. T., Fischer, J. D., Matsen, M. E., Wisse, B. E., Morton, G. J., Horvath, T. L., Baskin, D. G., Tschöp, M. H., & Schwartz, M. W. (2012). Obesity is associated with hypothalamic injury in rodents and humans. The Journal of clinical investigation, 122(1), 153–162. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI59660
Disciplines
Diagnosis | Medicine and Health Sciences | Other Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment | Radiology
PubMedID
22201683
Department(s)
Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Medical Imaging
Document Type
Article