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The Journal of Neuroscience, July 1, 2009, 29(26):8302-8311; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1668-09.2009

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Behavioral/Systems/Cognitive
Mediobasal Hypothalamic Leucine Sensing Regulates Food Intake through Activation of a Hypothalamus–Brainstem Circuit

Clémence Blouet,¹ Young-Hwan Jo,^1,2 Xiaosong Li,¹ and Gary J. Schwartz^1,2

Departments of ¹Medicine and ²Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, Bronx, New York 10461

Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Gary J. Schwartz, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Golding 501, Bronx, NY 10461. Email: gjschwar{at}aecom.yu.edu

In response to nutrient stimuli, the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) drives multiple neuroendocrine and behavioral mechanisms to regulate energy balance. While central leucine reduces food intake and body weight, the specific neuroanatomical sites of leucine sensing, downstream neural substrates, and neurochemical effectors involved in this regulation remain largely unknown. Here we demonstrate that MBH leucine engages a neural energy regulatory circuit by stimulating POMC (proopiomelanocortin) neurons of the MBH, oxytocin neurons of the paraventricular hypothalamus, and neurons within the brainstem nucleus of the solitary tract to acutely suppress food intake by reducing meal size. We identify central p70 S6 kinase and Erk1/2 pathways as intracellular effectors required for this response. Activation of endogenous leucine intracellular metabolism produced longer-term reductions in meal number. Our data identify a novel, specific hypothalamus–brainstem circuit that links amino acid availability and nutrient sensing to the control of food intake.

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Received April 6, 2009; revised May 5, 2009; accepted May 24, 2009.

Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Gary J. Schwartz, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Golding 501, Bronx, NY 10461. Email: gjschwar{at}aecom.yu.edu

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