Extracellular Cleavage of Microglia-Derived Progranulin Promotes Diet-Induced Obesity.

Hypothalamic innate immune responses to dietary fats underpin the pathogenesis of obesity, in which microglia play a critical role. Progranulin (PGRN) is an evolutionarily conserved secretory protein containing seven and a half granulin (GRN) motifs. It is cleaved into GRNs by multiple proteases.

Hypothalamic astrocyte NAD salvage pathway mediates the coupling of dietary fat overconsumption in a mouse model of obesity.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) serves as a crucial coenzyme in numerous essential biological reactions, and its cellular availability relies on the activity of the nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT)-catalyzed salvage pathway. Here we show that treatment with saturated fatty acids activates the NAD salvage pathway in hypothalamic astrocytes. Furthermore, inhibition of this pathway mitigates hypothalamic inflammation and attenuates the development of obesity in male mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD).

Circulating blood eNAMPT drives the circadian rhythms in locomotor activity and energy expenditure.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is an essential cofactor of critical enzymes including protein deacetylase sirtuins/SIRTs and its levels in mammalian cells rely on the nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT)-mediated salvage pathway. Intracellular NAMPT (iNAMPT) is secreted and found in the blood as extracellular NAMPT (eNAMPT). In the liver, the iNAMPT-NAD axis oscillates in a circadian manner and regulates the cellular clockwork.

Mitohormesis in Hypothalamic POMC Neurons Mediates Regular Exercise-Induced High-Turnover Metabolism.

Low-grade mitochondrial stress can promote health and longevity, a phenomenon termed mitohormesis. Here, we demonstrate the opposing metabolic effects of low-level and high-level mitochondrial ribosomal (mitoribosomal) stress in hypothalamic proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons. POMC neuron-specific severe mitoribosomal stress due to Crif1 homodeficiency causes obesity in mice.

Primary cilia mediate early life programming of adiposity through lysosomal regulation in the developing mouse hypothalamus.

Hypothalamic neurons including proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-producing neurons regulate body weights. The non-motile primary cilium is a critical sensory organelle on the cell surface. An association between ciliary defects and obesity has been suggested, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.