Preetam Vupputuri
Pronouns: Him/He/His
UROP Fellowship: Biomedical and Life Sciences
Research Mentor(s): Surbhi Gahlot, PhD
Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Presentation Date: Tuesday, July 28, 2020 | Session 1 | Presenter: 1
Authors: Preetam Vupputuri, Surbhi Gahlot, Malcolm Low
Abstract
The hypothalamus has been widely implicated in the regulation of an organism’s basic functions, namely food intake and energy homeostasis. With peripheral signaling being essential for communicating energy states and homeostatic requirements, the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARC) plays an important role in integrating these signals and relaying information to the rest of the central nervous system (CNS). The population of ARC proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons in particular, along with the agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons located next to them, have been shown to be critical in this process. With axon terminals that are in direct contact with the bloodstream in the third ventricle, these “first order” neurons are able to quickly respond to nutrients and adiposity factors, including glucose levels, leptin, and insulin, and modify the anorexigenic and orexigenic signals they send to other nuclei and “second order” neurons. By cleaving the precursor POMC into biologically active peptides such as adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), beta-endorphin (β-endorphin), and alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH), POMC neurons are able to send complex information throughout the CNS, in which melanocortin and opioid receptors are distributed throughout, prominently melanocortin receptors 3 (MC3R) and 4 (MC4R). Through a mixture of GABAergic/glutamatergic signaling and this peptidergic signaling, and in context of an additional layer of regulation from peripheral signals and neuropeptide Y (NPY) producing AgRP neurons, POMC efferent projections to intra- and extra- hypothalamic neuronal populations have a diverse array of effects on the functions of existing circuits. Through understanding the role of these projections, the field can gain new insights in the regulation of metabolism, feeding and energy homeostasis, obesity and diabetes, neuroendocrine control, stress and inflammation, and other behavioural functions. The goal of this review is to give a brief introduction on the role of POMC and the melanocortin system, understand developmentally how these POMC efferent projections form, better define their adult functional neuroanatomy, and describe their broader role in multiple physiological functions.
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Research Disciplines
Biomedical Sciences, Interdisciplinary, Natural Sciences, Life Sciences
