Appetite controlled by a cholecystokinin nucleus of the solitary tract to hypothalamus neurocircuit
G D'Agostino, DJ Lyons, C Cristiano, LK Burke… - Elife, 2016 - elifesciences.org
Elife, 2016•elifesciences.org
The nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) is a key gateway for meal-related signals entering the
brain from the periphery. However, the chemical mediators crucial to this process have not
been fully elucidated. We reveal that a subset of NTS neurons containing cholecystokinin
(CCKNTS) is responsive to nutritional state and that their activation reduces appetite and
body weight in mice. Cell-specific anterograde tracing revealed that CCKNTS neurons
provide a distinctive innervation of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH) …
brain from the periphery. However, the chemical mediators crucial to this process have not
been fully elucidated. We reveal that a subset of NTS neurons containing cholecystokinin
(CCKNTS) is responsive to nutritional state and that their activation reduces appetite and
body weight in mice. Cell-specific anterograde tracing revealed that CCKNTS neurons
provide a distinctive innervation of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH) …
The nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) is a key gateway for meal-related signals entering the brain from the periphery. However, the chemical mediators crucial to this process have not been fully elucidated. We reveal that a subset of NTS neurons containing cholecystokinin (CCKNTS) is responsive to nutritional state and that their activation reduces appetite and body weight in mice. Cell-specific anterograde tracing revealed that CCKNTS neurons provide a distinctive innervation of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH), with fibers and varicosities in close apposition to a subset of melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4RPVH) cells, which are also responsive to CCK. Optogenetic activation of CCKNTS axon terminals within the PVH reveal the satiating function of CCKNTS neurons to be mediated by a CCKNTS→PVH pathway that also encodes positive valence. These data identify the functional significance of CCKNTS neurons and reveal a sufficient and discrete NTS to hypothalamus circuit controlling appetite.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.12225.001
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