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Functional Interrogation of Adult Hypothalamic Neurogenesis with Focal Radiological Inhibition
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Developmental changes in embryonic hypothalamic neurons during prenatal fat exposure.

Kinning Poon1, Jessica R Barson, Shawn E Fagan

  • 1The Rockefeller University, Laboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology, New York, NY 10065, USA.

American Journal of Physiology. Endocrinology and Metabolism
|June 14, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Prenatal high-fat diet exposure alters embryonic hypothalamic neurons. This may lead to offspring overeating and weight gain, impacting neurodevelopment and appetite regulation.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Maternal high-fat diet (HFD) during pregnancy is linked to offspring overeating and weight gain.
  • Prenatal HFD exposure is known to affect postnatal neurogenesis and hypothalamic neuropeptide expression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if prenatal HFD exposure alters hypothalamic neuropeptide expression in embryos.
  • To determine if these changes are specific to neurons using an in vitro model.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized an in vitro model mimicking in vivo prenatal HFD exposure effects.
  • Compared isolated hypothalamic neurons and whole hypothalamus from embryonic day 19 (E19) embryos.
  • Analyzed mRNA expression of enkephalin (ENK) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) via quantitative PCR.
  • Used immunofluorescence cytochemistry to assess ENK and NPY expressing cells and their distribution.

Main Results:

  • Prenatal HFD exposure increased mRNA expression of enkephalin (ENK) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) in embryonic hypothalamus and isolated neurons.
  • The number of cells expressing ENK and NPY increased in HFD-exposed embryos.
  • Prenatal HFD shifted the neuronal population from low to high peptide levels for ENK and NPY.

Conclusions:

  • Neuronal cultures serve as a viable in vitro model for studying diet-induced developmental effects.
  • Prenatal HFD exposure alters the population of embryonic hypothalamic neurons expressing ENK and NPY.
  • These early neuronal changes may underlie later offspring overeating and weight gain observed in HFD-exposed offspring.