Oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular and supraoptic hypothalamic nuclei bidirectionally modulate food intake
Objectives: Oxytocin (OT) is a neuropeptide produced in the paraventricular (PVH) and supraoptic (SON) nuclei of the hypothalamus. Either peripheral or central OT administration reduces food intake through reductions in meal size. However, pharmacological approaches do not differentiate whether OT&#...
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Elsevier
2025-10-01
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| Series: | Molecular Metabolism |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212877825001279 |
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| author | Jessica J. Rea Clarissa M. Liu Anna M.R. Hayes Rita Ohan Grace M. Schwartz Alexander G. Bashaw Molly E. Klug Lea Decarie-Spain Yedam Park Alicia E. Kao Valery Grinevich Scott E. Kanoski |
| author_facet | Jessica J. Rea Clarissa M. Liu Anna M.R. Hayes Rita Ohan Grace M. Schwartz Alexander G. Bashaw Molly E. Klug Lea Decarie-Spain Yedam Park Alicia E. Kao Valery Grinevich Scott E. Kanoski |
| author_sort | Jessica J. Rea |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: Oxytocin (OT) is a neuropeptide produced in the paraventricular (PVH) and supraoptic (SON) nuclei of the hypothalamus. Either peripheral or central OT administration reduces food intake through reductions in meal size. However, pharmacological approaches do not differentiate whether OT's influence on food intake is mediated by OT neurons located in the PVH vs. the SON. Here we address this gap using both gain- and loss-of-function approaches targeting OT neurons. Methods: OT neuron-specific designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) were targeted in either the PVH or SON in rats, thus allowing for evaluation of caloric intake following selective activation of OT neurons separately in each nucleus. To examine the physiological role of distinct OT neuron populations in eating behavior, a viral-mediated approach was used to silence synaptic transmission of OT neurons separately in either the PVH or SON. Results: DREADDs-mediated excitation of PVH OT neurons reduced consumption of standard chow via reductions in meal size. On the contrary, SON OT neuron activation had the opposite effect by increasing standard chow consumption. Consistent with these opposing outcomes, activation of PVH and SON OT neurons simultaneously had minimal effects on food intake. Additional results from chronic loss-of-function experiments reveal that PVH OT neuron silencing significantly increased consumption of a high fat and high sugar diet by increasing meal size whereas SON OT neuron silencing reduced chow consumption by decreasing meal size. Conclusions: Collectively these findings suggest that PVH and SON OT neurons differentially modulate food intake by either reducing or increasing caloric consumption, respectively. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-18afed783c4f4331978cb7f281b18a87 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2212-8778 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-10-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecular Metabolism |
| spelling | doaj-art-18afed783c4f4331978cb7f281b18a872025-08-20T03:38:44ZengElsevierMolecular Metabolism2212-87782025-10-0110010222010.1016/j.molmet.2025.102220Oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular and supraoptic hypothalamic nuclei bidirectionally modulate food intakeJessica J. Rea0Clarissa M. Liu1Anna M.R. Hayes2Rita Ohan3Grace M. Schwartz4Alexander G. Bashaw5Molly E. Klug6Lea Decarie-Spain7Yedam Park8Alicia E. Kao9Valery Grinevich10Scott E. Kanoski11Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, USAHuman and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, USAHuman and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, USAHuman and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, USAHuman and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, USAHuman and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, USAHuman and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, USAHuman and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, USAHuman and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, USAHuman and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, USADepartment of Neuropeptide Research for Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, German Center for Psychiatry (DZPG), University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, GermanyHuman and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, USA; Corresponding author. 3616 Trousdale Parkway, AHF-252, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0372, USA.Objectives: Oxytocin (OT) is a neuropeptide produced in the paraventricular (PVH) and supraoptic (SON) nuclei of the hypothalamus. Either peripheral or central OT administration reduces food intake through reductions in meal size. However, pharmacological approaches do not differentiate whether OT's influence on food intake is mediated by OT neurons located in the PVH vs. the SON. Here we address this gap using both gain- and loss-of-function approaches targeting OT neurons. Methods: OT neuron-specific designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) were targeted in either the PVH or SON in rats, thus allowing for evaluation of caloric intake following selective activation of OT neurons separately in each nucleus. To examine the physiological role of distinct OT neuron populations in eating behavior, a viral-mediated approach was used to silence synaptic transmission of OT neurons separately in either the PVH or SON. Results: DREADDs-mediated excitation of PVH OT neurons reduced consumption of standard chow via reductions in meal size. On the contrary, SON OT neuron activation had the opposite effect by increasing standard chow consumption. Consistent with these opposing outcomes, activation of PVH and SON OT neurons simultaneously had minimal effects on food intake. Additional results from chronic loss-of-function experiments reveal that PVH OT neuron silencing significantly increased consumption of a high fat and high sugar diet by increasing meal size whereas SON OT neuron silencing reduced chow consumption by decreasing meal size. Conclusions: Collectively these findings suggest that PVH and SON OT neurons differentially modulate food intake by either reducing or increasing caloric consumption, respectively.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212877825001279FeedingObesityHypothalamusNeuropeptidesOxytocinSatiety |
| spellingShingle | Jessica J. Rea Clarissa M. Liu Anna M.R. Hayes Rita Ohan Grace M. Schwartz Alexander G. Bashaw Molly E. Klug Lea Decarie-Spain Yedam Park Alicia E. Kao Valery Grinevich Scott E. Kanoski Oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular and supraoptic hypothalamic nuclei bidirectionally modulate food intake Molecular Metabolism Feeding Obesity Hypothalamus Neuropeptides Oxytocin Satiety |
| title | Oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular and supraoptic hypothalamic nuclei bidirectionally modulate food intake |
| title_full | Oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular and supraoptic hypothalamic nuclei bidirectionally modulate food intake |
| title_fullStr | Oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular and supraoptic hypothalamic nuclei bidirectionally modulate food intake |
| title_full_unstemmed | Oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular and supraoptic hypothalamic nuclei bidirectionally modulate food intake |
| title_short | Oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular and supraoptic hypothalamic nuclei bidirectionally modulate food intake |
| title_sort | oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular and supraoptic hypothalamic nuclei bidirectionally modulate food intake |
| topic | Feeding Obesity Hypothalamus Neuropeptides Oxytocin Satiety |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212877825001279 |
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