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Adipose Tissue and Energy Expenditure: Central and Peripheral Neural Activation Pathways

  • Obesity Treatment (CM Apovian, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Increasing energy expenditure is an appealing therapeutic target for the prevention and reversal of metabolic conditions such as obesity or type 2 diabetes. However, not enough research has investigated how to exploit pre-existing neural pathways, both in the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS), in order to meet these needs. Here, we review several research areas in this field, including centrally acting pathways known to drive the activation of sympathetic nerves that can increase lipolysis and browning in white adipose tissue (WAT) or increase thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (BAT), as well as other central and peripheral pathways able to increase energy expenditure of these tissues. In addition, we describe new work investigating the family of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels on metabolically important sensory nerves, as well as the role of the vagus nerve in regulating energy balance.

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Abbreviations

Adrβ3:

Adrenergic receptor β3

AgRP:

Agouti-related peptide

ARC:

Arcuate nucleus

BAT:

Brown adipose tissue

BDNF:

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor

BMP:

Bone morphogenetic protein

CGRP:

Calcitonin gene-related peptide

CNS:

Central nervous system

DH:

Dorsal horn

DIO:

Diet-induced obesity

DRG:

Dorsal root ganglion

FGF21:

Fibroblast growth factor 21

HFD:

High-fat diet

LHA:

Lateral hypothalamic area

LXR:

Liver X receptor

NG:

Nodose ganglion

NGF:

Nerve growth factor

NPY:

Neuropeptide Y

NR:

Nuclear receptor

OT:

Oxytocin

OXTR:

Oxytocin receptor

PAG:

Periaqueductal gray

PGC-1α:

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha

PNS:

Peripheral nervous system

POA:

Preoptic area

PPARγ:

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma

PRV152:

Pseudorabies virus 152

PSNS:

Parasympathetic nervous system

PVH:

Paraventricular hypothalamus

SNS:

Sympathetic nervous system

SP:

Substance P

TG:

Trigeminal ganglion

TH:

Tyrosine hydroxylase

TRP:

Transient receptor potential

TRPV:

Transient receptor potential vanilloid

UCP1:

Uncoupling protein 1

VMH:

Ventromedial hypothalamus

VNS:

Vagus nerve stimulation

WAT:

White adipose tissue

References

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  1. School of Biology and Ecology and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, University of Maine, 5735 Hitchner Hall, Rm 301, Orono, ME, 04469, USA

    Magdalena Blaszkiewicz & Kristy L. Townsend

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  1. Magdalena Blaszkiewicz
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Blaszkiewicz, M., Townsend, K.L. Adipose Tissue and Energy Expenditure: Central and Peripheral Neural Activation Pathways. Curr Obes Rep 5, 241–250 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-016-0216-9

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