Deletion of growth hormone receptor in hypothalamic neurons affects the adaptation capacity to aerobic exercise.

The hypothalamus mediates important exercise-induced metabolic adaptations, possibly via hormonal signals. Hypothalamic leptin receptor (LepR)- and steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1)-expressing neurons are directly responsive to growth hormone (GH) and deletion of GH receptor (GHR) in these cells impairs neuroendocrine responses during situations of metabolic stress. In the present study, we determined whether GHR ablation in LepR- or SF1-expressing cells modifies acute and chronic metabolic adaptations to exercise.