The BBSome in POMC and AgRP Neurons Is Necessary for Body Weight Regulation and Sorting of Metabolic Receptors.

The BBSome, a complex of eight Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) proteins involved in cilia function, has emerged as an important regulator of energy balance, but the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we show that the control of energy homeostasis by the anorexigenic proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons and orexigenic agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons require intact BBSome. Targeted disruption of the BBSome by gene deletion in POMC or AgRP neurons increases body weight and adiposity. We demonstrate that obesity in mice lacking the gene in POMC neurons is associated with hyperphagia. Mechanistically, we present evidence implicating the BBSome in the trafficking of G protein-coupled neuropeptide Y Y2 receptor (NPYR) and serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine (HT) receptor (5-HTR) to cilia and plasma membrane, respectively. Consistent with this, loss of the BBSome reduced cell surface expression of the 5-HTR, interfered with serotonin-evoked increase in intracellular calcium and membrane potential, and blunted the anorectic and weight-reducing responses evoked by the 5-HTR agonist, lorcaserin. Finally, we show that disruption of the BBSome causes the 5-HTR to be stalled in the late endosome. Our results demonstrate the significance of the hypothalamic BBSome for the control of energy balance through regulation of trafficking of important metabolic receptors.