Palmitic Acid Modulation of the Insulin-Like Growth Factor System in Hypothalamic Astrocytes and Neurons.

Introduction: Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)1 and IGF2 have neuroprotective effects, but less is known regarding how other members of the IGF system, including IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs) and the regulatory proteinase pappalysin-1 (PAPP-A) and its endogenous inhibitor stanniocalcin-2 (STC2) participate in this process. Here, we analyzed whether these members of the IGF system are modified in neurons and astrocytes in response to palmitic acid (PA), a fatty acid that induces cell stress when increased centrally.

Methods: Primary hypothalamic astrocyte cultures from male and female PND2 rats and the pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neuronal cell line, mHypoA-POMC/GFP-2, were treated with PA, IGF1 or both.