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Adropin Influences the Excitability of Neurons in the Paraventricular Nucleus
Author(s) -
Loewen Spencer P.,
Ferguson Alastair V.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.1235.1
Subject(s) - parvocellular cell , depolarization , neuroscience , nucleus , electrophysiology , neuron , hypothalamus , medicine , chemistry , endocrinology , biology
Adropin, a peptide hormone encoded by the Energy Homeostasis Associated ( Enho ) gene, has been observed to have metabolic roles in the periphery but unknown actions within the brain. The hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is an important autonomic control center required for regulating energy balance, and is therefore a potential target for centrally acting adropin. Three subpopulations of neurons exist within the PVN, each of which can be classified based on distinct electrophysiological fingerprints. These populations are the magnocellular (MNC) neurosecretory, parvocellular preautonomic (PA), and parvocellular neuroendocrine (NE) neurons. In the present study, we used whole‐cell current‐clamp techniques to examine the effects of adropin on the excitability of each subpopulation of neurons within the PVN of the rat. Bath application of 10 nM adropin to MNC PVN neurons (n=9) elicited responses in 100% of cells, with 78% depolarizing (mean: 5.9 ± 2.5 mV) and 22% hyperpolarizing (mean: −2.6 ± 0.4 mV). Adropin treatment to PA neurons (n=15) caused 53% to depolarize (mean: 5.1 ± 1.6 mV), 13% to hyperpolarize (mean: −10.4 ± 1.8 mV), and the remaining 34% showing no response. Finally, adropin caused responses in 57% of NE neurons (n=14), with 43% depolarizing (mean: 5.7 ± 2.6 mV) and 14% hyperpolarizing (mean: −3.7 ± 0.7 mV). These results suggest that central adropin may exert its physiological effects through actions on neurons in the PVN. Support or Funding Information Supported by: the Canadian Institutes of Health Research