Transient Receptor Potential Canonical 3 (TRPC3) Channels Are Required for Hypothalamic Glucose Detection and Energy Homeostasis

Pathophysiological significance and modulation of the transient receptor potential canonical 3 ion channel

Transient receptor potential canonical 3 (TRPC3) protein belongs to the TRP family of nonselective cation channels. Its activation occurs by signaling through a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) and a phospholipase C-dependent (PLC) pathway. Perturbations in the expression of TRPC3 are associated with a plethora of pathophysiological conditions responsible for disorders of the cardiovascular, immune, and central nervous systems. The recently solved cryo-EM structure of TRPC3 provides detailed inputs about the underlying mechanistic aspects of the channel, which in turn enables more efficient ways of designing small-molecule modulators. Pharmacologically targeting TRPC3 in animal models has demonstrated great efficacy in treating diseases including cancers, neurological disorders, and cardiovascular diseases. Despite extensive scientific evidence supporting some strong correlations between the expression and activity of TRPC3 and various pathophysiological conditions, therapeutic strategies based on its pharmacological modulations have not led to clinical trials. The development of small-molecule TRPC3 modulators with high safety, sufficient brain penetration, and acceptable drug-like profiles remains in progress. Determining the pathological mechanisms for TRPC3 involvement in human diseases and understanding the requirements for a drug-like TRPC3 modulator will be valuable in advancing small-molecule therapeutics to future clinical trials. In this review, we provide an overview of the origin and activation mechanism of TRPC3 channels, diseases associated with irregularities in their expression, and new development in small-molecule modulators as potential therapeutic interventions for treating TRPC3 channelopathies.

Canonical transient receptor potential channels and hypothalamic control of homeostatic functions

Recent molecular biological and electrophysiological studies have identified multiple transient receptor potential (TRP) channels in hypothalamic neurons as critical modulators of homeostatic functions. In particular, the canonical transient receptor potential channels (TRPCs) are expressed in hypothalamic neurons that are vital for the control of fertility and energy homeostasis. Classical neurotransmitters such as serotonin and glutamate and peptide neurotransmitters such as kisspeptin, neurokinin B and pituitary adenylyl cyclase-activating polypeptide signal through their cognate G protein-coupled receptors to activate TPRC 4, 5 channels, which are essentially ligand-gated calcium channels. In addition to neurotransmitters, circulating hormones like insulin and leptin signal through insulin receptor (InsR) and leptin receptor (LRb), respectively, to activate TRPC 5 channels in hypothalamic arcuate nucleus pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) and kisspeptin (arcuate Kiss1 [Kiss1ARH]) neurons to have profound physiological (excitatory) effects. Besides its overt depolarizing effects, TRPC channels conduct calcium ions into the cytoplasm, which has a plethora of downstream effects. Moreover, not only the expression of Trpc5 mRNA but also the coupling of receptors to TRPC 5 channel opening are regulated in different physiological states. In particular, the mRNA expression of Trpc5 is highly regulated in kisspeptin neurons by circulating estrogens, which ultimately dictates the firing pattern of kisspeptin neurons. In obesity states, InsRs are "uncoupled" from opening TRPC 5 channels in POMC neurons, rendering them less excitable. Therefore, in this review, we will focus on the critical role of TRPC 5 channels in regulating the excitability of Kiss1ARH and POMC neurons in different physiological and pathological states.

Central Channelopathies in Obesity

As obesity has raised heightening awareness, researchers have attempted to identify potential targets that can be treated for therapeutic intervention. Focusing on the central nervous system (CNS), the key organ in maintaining energy balance, a plethora of ion channels that are expressed in the CNS have been inspected and determined through manipulation in different hypothalamic neural subpopulations for their roles in fine-tuning neuronal activity on energy state alterations, possibly acting as metabolic sensors. However, a remaining gap persists between human clinical investigations and mouse studies. Despite having delineated the pathways and mechanisms of how the mouse study-identified ion channels modulate energy homeostasis, only a few targets overlap with the obesity-related risk genes extracted from human genome-wide association studies. Here, we present the most recently discovered CNS-specific metabolism-correlated ion channels using reverse and forward genetics approaches in mice and humans, respectively, in the hope of illuminating the prospects for future therapeutic development.

Sustained remission of type 2 diabetes in rodents by centrally administered fibroblast growth factor 4

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a major health and economic burden worldwide. Despite the availability of multiple drugs for short-term management, sustained remission of T2D is currently not achievable pharmacologically. Intracerebroventricular administration of fibroblast growth factor 1 (icvFGF1) induces sustained remission in T2D rodents, propelling intense research efforts to understand its mechanism of action. Whether other FGFs possess similar therapeutic benefits is currently unknown. Here, we show that icvFGF4 also elicits a sustained antidiabetic effect in both male db/db mice and diet-induced obese mice by activating FGF receptor 1 (FGFR1) expressed in glucose-sensing neurons within the mediobasal hypothalamus. Specifically, FGF4 excites glucose-excited (GE) neurons while inhibiting glucose-inhibited (GI) neurons. Moreover, icvFGF4 restores the percentage of GI neurons in db/db mice. Importantly, intranasal delivery of FGF4 alleviates hyperglycemia in db/db mice, paving the way for non-invasive therapy. We conclude that icvFGF4 holds significant therapeutic potential for achieving sustained remission of T2D.

A Microelectrode Array Modified by PtNPs/PB Nanocomposites Used for the Detection and Analysis of Glucose-Sensitive Neurons under Different Blood Glucose States

Hypoglycemia state damages the organism, and glucose-excited and glucose-inhibited neurons from the ventral medial hypothalamus can regulate this state. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the functional mechanism between blood glucose and electrophysiology of glucose-excited and glucose-inhibited neurons. To better detect and analyze this mechanism, a PtNPs/PB nanomaterials modified 32-channel microelectrode array with low impedance (21.91 ± 6.80 kΩ), slight phase delay (-12.7° ± 2.7°), high double layer capacitance (0.606 μF), and biocompatibility was developed to realize in vivo real-time detection of the electrophysiology activities of glucose-excited and glucose-inhibited neurons. The phase-locking level of some glucose-inhibited neurons elevated during fasting (low blood glucose state) and showed theta rhythms after glucose injection (high blood glucose state). With an independent oscillating ability, glucose-inhibited neurons can provide an essential indicator to prevent severe hypoglycemia. The results reveal a mechanism for glucose-sensitive neurons to respond to blood glucose. Some glucose-inhibited neurons can integrate glucose information input and convert it into theta oscillating or phase lock output. It helps in enhancing the interaction between neurons and glucose. Therefore, the research can provide a basis for further controlling blood glucose by modulating the characteristics of neuronal electrophysiology. This helps reduce the damage of organisms under energy-limiting conditions, such as prolonged manned spaceflight or metabolic disorders.

TRPC3 Regulates Islet Beta-Cell Insulin Secretion

Insulin release is tightly controlled by glucose-stimulated calcium (GSCa) through hitherto equivocal pathways. This study investigates TRPC3, a non-selective cation channel, as a critical regulator of insulin secretion and glucose control. TRPC3's involvement in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) is studied in human and animal islets. TRPC3-dependent in vivo insulin secretion is investigated using pharmacological tools and Trpc3-/- mice. TRPC3's involvement in islet glucose uptake and GSCa is explored using fluorescent glucose analogue 2-[N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl) amino]-2-deoxy-D-glucose and calcium imaging. TRPC3 modulation by a small-molecule activator, GSK1702934A, is evaluated in type 2 diabetic mice. TRPC3 is functionally expressed in human and mouse islet beta cells. TRPC3-controlled insulin secretion is KATP -independent and primarily mediated by diacylglycerol channel regulation of the cytosolic calcium oscillations following glucose stimulation. Conversely, glucose uptake in islets is independent of TRPC3. TRPC3 pharmacologic inhibition and knockout in mice lead to defective insulin secretion and glucose intolerance. Subsequently, TRPC3 activation through targeted small-molecule enhances insulin secretion and alleviates diabetes hallmarks in animals. This study imputes a function for TRPC3 at the onset of GSIS. These insights strengthen one's knowledge of insulin secretion physiology and set forth the TRPC3 channel as an appealing candidate for drug development in the treatment of diabetes.

Do POMC neurons have a sweet tooth for leptin? Special issue: Role of nutrients in nervous control of energy balance

Coordinated detection of changes in metabolic state by the nervous system is fundamental for survival. Hypothalamic pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons play a critical role in integrating metabolic signals, including leptin levels. They also coordinate adaptative responses and thus represent an important relay in the regulation of energy balance. Despite a plethora of work documenting the effects of individual hormones, nutrients, and neuropeptides on POMC neurons, the importance for crosstalk and additive effects between such signaling molecules is still underexplored. The ability of the metabolic state and the concentrations of nutrients, such as glucose, to influence leptin's effects on POMC neurons appears critical for understanding the function and complexity of this regulatory network. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on the effects of leptin on POMC neuron electrical excitability and discuss factors potentially contributing to variability in these effects, with a particular focus on the mouse models that have been developed and the importance of extracellular glucose levels. This review highlights the importance of the metabolic "environment" for determining hypothalamic neuronal responsiveness to metabolic cues and for determining the fundamental effects of leptin on the activity of hypothalamic POMC neurons.

Transient receptor potential cation channel 6 (TRPC6) deficiency leads to increased body weight and metabolic dysfunction

TRPC6, a member of the TRPC family, is expressed in the hypothalamus and modulates cell Ca²⁺ influx. However, the role of TRPC6 in controlling metabolic and cardiovascular functions under normal conditions has not been previously determined. Thus, the impacts of TRPC6 deletion on energy balance, metabolic and cardiovascular regulation as well as the anorexic responses to leptin and melanocortin 3/4 receptor (MC3/4R) activation were investigated in this study. Extensive cardiometabolic phenotyping was conducted in male and female TRPC6 knock out (KO) and control mice from 6 to 24 weeks of age to assess mechanisms by which TRPC6 influences regulation of energy balance and blood pressure (BP). We found that TRPC6 KO mice are heavier with greater adiposity, hyperphagic, and have reduced energy expenditure, impaired glucose tolerance, hyperinsulinemia, and increased liver fat compared to controls. TRPC6 KO mice also have smaller brains, reduced POMC mRNA levels in the hypothalamus, and impaired anorexic response to leptin but not to MC3/4R activation. BP and heart rate, assessed by telemetry, were similar in TRPC6 KO and control mice, and BP responses to air-jet stress were attenuated in TRPC6 KO mice despite increased body weight and metabolic disorders that normally raise BP and increase BP responses to stress. Our results provide evidence for a novel and important role of TRPC6 in controlling energy balance, adiposity, and glucose homeostasis, which suggests that normal TRPC6 function may be necessary to link weight gain and hyperleptinemia with BP responses to acute stress.

Pharmacology of TRPC Channels and Its Potential in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine

Transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) proteins assemble to form homo- or heterotetrameric, nonselective cation channels permeable to K⁺, Na⁺, and Ca²⁺. TRPC channels are thought to act as complex integrators of physical and chemical environmental stimuli. Although the understanding of essential physiological roles of TRPC channels is incomplete, their implication in various pathological mechanisms and conditions of the nervous system, kidneys, and cardiovascular system in combination with the lack of major adverse effects of TRPC knockout or TRPC channel inhibition is driving the search of TRPC channel modulators as potential therapeutics. Here, we review the most promising small-molecule TRPC channel modulators, the understanding of their mode of action, and their potential in the study and treatment of cardiovascular and metabolic disease.

Hypothalamic glucose-sensing mechanisms

Chronic metabolic diseases, including diabetes and obesity, have become a major global health threat of the twenty-first century. Maintaining glucose homeostasis is essential for survival in mammals. Complex and highly coordinated interactions between glucose-sensing mechanisms and multiple effector systems are essential for controlling glucose levels in the blood. The central nervous system (CNS) plays a crucial role in regulating glucose homeostasis. Growing evidence indicates that disruption of glucose sensing in selective CNS areas, such as the hypothalamus, is closely interlinked with the pathogenesis of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, the underlying intracellular mechanisms of glucose sensing in the hypothalamus remain elusive. Here, we review the current literature on hypothalamic glucose-sensing mechanisms and discuss the impact of alterations of these mechanisms on the pathogenesis of diabetes.

Insulin actions on hypothalamic glucose-sensing neurones

Subsequent to the discovery of insulin 100 years ago, great strides have been made in understanding its function, especially in the brain. It is now clear that insulin is a critical regulator of the neuronal circuitry controlling energy balance and glucose homeostasis. This review focuses on the effects of insulin and diabetes on the activity and glucose sensitivity of hypothalamic glucose-sensing neurones. We highlight the role of electrophysiological data in understanding how insulin regulates glucose-sensing neurones. A brief introduction describing the benefits and limitations of the major electrophysiological techniques used to investigate glucose-sensing neurones is provided. The mechanisms by which hypothalamic neurones sense glucose are discussed with an emphasis on those glucose-sensing neurones already shown to be modulated by insulin. Next, the literature pertaining to how insulin alters the activity and glucose sensitivity of these hypothalamic glucose-sensing neurones is described. In addition, the effects of impaired insulin signalling during diabetes and the ramifications of insulin-induced hypoglycaemia on hypothalamic glucose-sensing neurones are covered. To the extent that it is known, we present hypotheses concerning the mechanisms underlying the effects of these insulin-related pathologies. To conclude, electrophysiological data from the hippocampus are evaluated aiming to provide clues regarding how insulin might influence neuronal plasticity in glucose-sensing neurones. Although much has been accomplished subsequent to the discovery of insulin, the work described in our review suggests that the regulation of central glucose sensing by this hormone is both important and understudied.

Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) Channels in the Pacific Oyster (Crassostrea gigas): Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Profiling after Heat Stress between C. gigas and C. angulata

Transmembrane proteins are involved in an array of stress responses, particularly in thermo-sensation and thermo-regulation. In this study, we performed a genome-wide identification and characterization of the Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) genes in the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) and investigated their expression profiles after heat stress to identify critical TRPs potentially associated with thermal regulation. A total of 66 TRP genes were identified in the C. gigas, which showed significant gene expansion and tandem duplication. Meta-analysis of the available RNA-Seq data generated from samples after acute heat stress revealed a set of heat-inducible TRPs. Further examination of their expression profiles under chronic heat stress, and comparison between C. gigas and C. angulata, two oyster species with different tolerance levels to heat stress, led to the identification of TRPC3.6, TRPC3.7, and TRPV4.7 as important TRPs involved in thermal regulation in oysters. This work provided valuable information for future studies on the molecular mechanism of TRP mediated thermal tolerance, and identification of diagnostic biomarker for thermal stress in the oysters.

PNOCARC Neurons Promote Hyperphagia and Obesity upon High-Fat-Diet Feeding

Calorie-rich diets induce hyperphagia and promote obesity, although the underlying mechanisms remain poorly defined. We find that short-term high-fat-diet (HFD) feeding of mice activates prepronociceptin (PNOC)-expressing neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARC). PNOC^ARC neurons represent a previously unrecognized GABAergic population of ARC neurons distinct from well-defined feeding regulatory AgRP or POMC neurons. PNOC^ARC neurons arborize densely in the ARC and provide inhibitory synaptic input to nearby anorexigenic POMC neurons. Optogenetic activation of PNOC^ARC neurons in the ARC and their projections to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis promotes feeding. Selective ablation of these cells promotes the activation of POMC neurons upon HFD exposure, reduces feeding, and protects from obesity, but it does not affect food intake or body weight under normal chow consumption. We characterize PNOC^ARC neurons as a novel ARC neuron population activated upon palatable food consumption to promote hyperphagia.

•

Acute high-fat-diet feeding activates PNOC neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC)

•

GABAergic PNOC^ARC neurons inhibit anorexigenic POMC neurons

•

Optogenetic activation of PNOC^ARC neurons promotes feeding

•

Ablation of PNOC^ARC neurons protects from obesity

Nutrient homeostasis - translating internal states to behavior

Behavioral neuroscience aims to describe a causal relationship between neuronal processes and behavior. Animals' ever-changing physiological needs alter their internal states. Internal states then alter neuronal processes to adapt the behavior of the animal enabling it to meet its needs. Here, we describe nutrient-specific appetites as an attractive framework to study how internal states shape complex neuronal processes and resulting behavioral outcomes. Understanding how neurons detect nutrient states and how these are integrated at the level of neuronal circuits will provide a multilevel description of the mechanisms underlying complex feeding and foraging decisions.

Central Mechanisms of Glucose Sensing and Counterregulation in Defense of Hypoglycemia

Glucose homeostasis requires an organism to rapidly respond to changes in plasma glucose concentrations. Iatrogenic hypoglycemia as a result of treatment with insulin or sulfonylureas is the most common cause of hypoglycemia in humans and is generally only seen in patients with diabetes who take these medications. The first response to a fall in glucose is the detection of impending hypoglycemia by hypoglycemia-detecting sensors, including glucose-sensing neurons in the hypothalamus and other regions. This detection is then linked to a series of neural and hormonal responses that serve to prevent the fall in blood glucose and restore euglycemia. In this review, we discuss the current state of knowledge about central glucose sensing and how detection of a fall in glucose leads to the stimulation of counterregulatory hormone and behavior responses. We also review how diabetes and recurrent hypoglycemia impact glucose sensing and counterregulation, leading to development of impaired awareness of hypoglycemia in diabetes.

The gliotransmitter ACBP controls feeding and energy homeostasis via the melanocortin system

Glial cells have emerged as key players in the central control of energy balance and etiology of obesity. Astrocytes play a central role in neural communication via the release of gliotransmitters. Acyl-CoA binding protein (ACBP)-derived endozepines are secreted peptides that modulate the GABAA receptor. In the hypothalamus, ACBP is enriched in arcuate nucleus (ARC) astrocytes, ependymocytes and tanycytes. Central administration of the endozepine octadecaneuropeptide (ODN) reduces feeding and improves glucose tolerance, yet the contribution of endogenous ACBP in energy homeostasis is unknown. We demonstrated that ACBP deletion in GFAP+ astrocytes, but not in Nkx2.1-lineage neural cells, promoted diet-induced hyperphagia and obesity in both male and female mice, an effect prevented by viral rescue of ACBP in ARC astrocytes. ACBP-astrocytes were observed in apposition with proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons and ODN selectively activated POMC neurons through the ODN-GPCR but not GABAA, and supressed feeding while increasing carbohydrate utilization via the melanocortin system. Similarly, ACBP overexpression in ARC astrocytes reduced feeding and weight gain. Finally, the ODN-GPCR agonist decreased feeding and promoted weight loss in ob/ob mice. These findings uncover ACBP as an ARC gliopeptide playing a key role in energy balance control and exerting strong anorectic effects via the central melanocortin system.

Mitochondrial Dynamin-Related Protein 1 (DRP1) translocation in response to cerebral glucose is impaired in a rat model of early alteration in hypothalamic glucose sensing

Objective

Hypothalamic glucose sensing (HGS) initiates insulin secretion (IS) via a vagal control, participating in energy homeostasis. This requires mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mROS) signaling, dependent on mitochondrial fission, as shown by invalidation of the hypothalamic DRP1 protein. Here, our objectives were to determine whether a model with a HGS defect induced by a short, high fat-high sucrose (HFHS) diet in rats affected the fission machinery and mROS signaling within the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH).

Methods

Rats fed a HFHS diet for 3 weeks were compared with animals fed a normal chow. Both in vitro (calcium imaging) and in vivo (vagal nerve activity recordings) experiments to measure the electrical activity of isolated MBH gluco-sensitive neurons in response to increased glucose level were performed. In parallel, insulin secretion to a direct glucose stimulus in isolated islets vs. insulin secretion resulting from brain glucose stimulation was evaluated. Intra-carotid glucose load-induced hypothalamic DRP1 translocation to mitochondria and mROS (H₂O₂) production were assessed in both groups. Finally, compound C was intracerebroventricularly injected to block the proposed AMPK-inhibited DRP1 translocation in the MBH to reverse the phenotype of HFHS fed animals.

Results

Rats fed a HFHS diet displayed a decreased HGS-induced IS. Responses of MBH neurons to glucose exhibited an alteration of their electrical activity, whereas glucose-induced insulin secretion in isolated islets was not affected. These MBH defects correlated with a decreased ROS signaling and glucose-induced translocation of the fission protein DRP1, as the vagal activity was altered. AMPK-induced inhibition of DRP1 translocation increased in this model, but its reversal through the injection of the compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, failed to restore HGS-induced IS.

Conclusions

A hypothalamic alteration of DRP1-induced fission and mROS signaling in response to glucose was observed in HGS-induced IS of rats exposed to a 3 week HFHS diet. Early hypothalamic modifications of the neuronal activity could participate in a primary defect of the control of IS and ultimately, the development of diabetes.

•

Only three weeks of HFHS diet consumption impairs hypothalamic glucose sensing.

•

HFHS consumption alters central glucose-induced vagal control of insulin secretion.

•

Glucose-induced ROS production and mitochondrial fission are decreased in HFHS rats.

•

Impaired translocation of DRP1in HFHS rats does not involve its phosphorylation.

TRPCing around the hypothalamus

All of the canonical transient receptor potential channels (TRPC) with the exception of TRPC 2 are expressed in hypothalamic neurons and are involved in multiple homeostatic functions. Although the metabotropic glutamate receptors have been shown to be coupled to TRPC channel activation in cortical and sub-cortical brain regions, in the hypothalamus multiple amine and peptidergic G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and growth factor/cytokine receptors are linked to activation of TRPC channels that are vital for reproduction, temperature regulation, arousal and energy homeostasis. In addition to the neurotransmitters, circulating hormones like insulin and leptin through their cognate receptors activate TRPC channels in POMC neurons. Many of the post-synaptic effects of the neurotransmitters and hormones are regulated in different physiological states by expression of TRPC channels in the post-synaptic neurons. Therefore, TRPC channels are key targets not only for neurotransmitters but circulating hormones in their vital role to control multiple hypothalamic functions, which is the focus of this review.

Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels: a metabolic TR(i)P to obesity prevention and therapy

Cellular transport of ions, especially by ion channels, regulates physiological function. The transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, with 30 identified so far, are cation channels with high calcium permeability. These ion channels are present in metabolically active tissues including adipose tissue, liver, gastrointestinal tract, brain (hypothalamus), pancreas and skeletal muscle, which suggests a potential role in metabolic disorders including obesity. TRP channels have potentially important roles in adipogenesis, obesity development and its prevention and therapy because of their physiological properties including calcium permeability, thermosensation and taste perception, involvement in cell metabolic signalling and hormone release. This wide range of actions means that organ-specific actions are unlikely, thus increasing the possibility of adverse effects. Delineation of responses to TRP channels has been limited by the poor selectivity of available agonists and antagonists. Food constituents that can modulate TRP channels are of interest in controlling metabolic status. TRP vanilloid 1 channels modulated by capsaicin have been the most studied, suggesting that this may be the first target for effective pharmacological modulation in obesity. This review shows that most of the TRP channels are potential targets to reduce metabolic disorders through a range of mechanisms.

Remote control of glucose-sensing neurons to analyze glucose metabolism

The central nervous system relies on a continual supply of glucose, and must be able to detect glucose levels and regulate peripheral organ functions to ensure that its energy requirements are met. Specialized glucose-sensing neurons, first described half a century ago, use glucose as a signal and modulate their firing rates as glucose levels change. Glucose-excited neurons are activated by increasing glucose concentrations, while glucose-inhibited neurons increase their firing rate as glucose concentrations fall and decrease their firing rate as glucose concentrations rise. Glucose-sensing neurons are present in multiple brain regions and are highly expressed in hypothalamic regions, where they are involved in functions related to glucose homeostasis. However, the roles of glucose-sensing neurons in healthy and disease states remain poorly understood. Technologies that can rapidly and reversibly activate or inhibit defined neural populations provide invaluable tools to investigate how specific neural populations regulate metabolism and other physiological roles. Optogenetics has high temporal and spatial resolutions, requires implants for neural stimulation, and is suitable for modulating local neural populations. Chemogenetics, which requires injection of a synthetic ligand, can target both local and widespread populations. Radio- and magnetogenetics offer rapid neural activation in localized or widespread neural populations without the need for implants or injections. These tools will allow us to better understand glucose-sensing neurons and their metabolism-regulating circuits.

O-linked N-acetyl-glucosamine deposition in placental proteins varies according to maternal glycemic levels

AIMS

Hyperglycemia increases glycosylation with O-linked N-acetyl-glucosamine (O-GlcNAc) contributing to placental dysfunction and fetal growth impairment. Our aim was to determine how O-GlcNAc levels are affected by hyperglycemia and the O-GlcNAc distribution in different placental regions.

MAIN METHODS

Female Wistar rats were divided into the following groups: severe hyperglycemia (>300 mg/dL; n = 5); mild hyperglycemia (>140 mg/dL, at least than two time points during oral glucose tolerance test; n = 7) or normoglycemia (<120 mg/dL; n = 6). At 21 days of pregnancy, placental tissue was collected and processed for morphometry and immunohistochemistry analyses, or properly stored at -80 °C for protein quantification by western blot.

KEY FINDINGS

Placental index was increased only in severe hyperglycemic rats. Morphometric analysis showed increased junctional zone and decreased labyrinth region in placentas exclusively from the severe hyperglycemic group. Proteins targeted by O-GlcNAc were detected in all regions, with increased O-GlcNAc levels in the hyperglycemic group compared to control and mild hyperglycemic rats. Proteins in endothelial and trophoblast cells were the main target for O-GlcNAc. Whereas no changes in O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) expression were detected, O-GlcNAcase (OGA) expression was reduced in placentas from the severe hyperglycemic group and augmented in placentas from the mild hyperglycemic group, compared with their respective control groups.

SIGNIFICANCE

Placental O-GlcNAc overexpression may contribute to placental dysfunction, as indicated by the placental index. Additionally, morphometric alterations, occurring simultaneously with increased O-GlcNAc accumulation in the placental tissue may contribute to placental dysfunction during hyperglycemia.

Glucose-Sensing in the Reward System

Glucose-sensing neurons are neurons that alter their activity in response to changes in extracellular glucose. These neurons, which are an important mechanism the brain uses to monitor changes in glycaemia, are present in the hypothalamus, where they have been thoroughly investigated. Recently, glucose-sensing neurons have also been identified in brain nuclei which are part of the reward system. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms by which they function, and their role in the reward system. We therefore aim to provide an overview of molecular mechanisms that have been studied in the hypothalamic glucose-sensing neurons, and investigate which of these transporters, enzymes and channels are present in the reward system. Furthermore, we speculate about the role of glucose-sensing neurons in the reward system.

Recent Advances in the Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Hypothalamic Neuronal Glucose Detection

The hypothalamus have been recognized for decades as one of the major brain centers for the control of energy homeostasis. This area contains specialized neurons able to detect changes in nutrients level. Among them, glucose-sensing neurons use glucose as a signaling molecule in addition to its fueling role. In this review we will describe the different sub-populations of glucose-sensing neurons present in the hypothalamus and highlight their nature in terms of neurotransmitter/neuropeptide expression. This review will particularly discuss whether pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons from the arcuate nucleus are directly glucose-sensing. In addition, recent observations in glucose-sensing suggest a subtle system with different mechanisms involved in the detection of changes in glucose level and their involvement in specific physiological functions. Several data point out the critical role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondria dynamics in the detection of increased glucose. This review will also highlight that ATP-dependent potassium (K_ATP) channels are not the only channels mediating glucose-sensing and discuss the new role of transient receptor potential canonical channels (TRPC). We will discuss the recent advances in the determination of glucose-sensing machinery and propose potential line of research needed to further understand the regulation of brain glucose detection.