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Updated: Mar 8, 2026
Body Composition and Metabolic Caging Analysis in High Fat Fed Mice
Published on: May 24, 2018
Obesity and neuroinflammatory phenotype in mice lacking endothelial megalin
Fernando Bartolome1,2, Desiree Antequera1,2, Eva Tavares3
1Neurodegenerative Disorders Group, Instituto de Investigacion Hospital 12 de Octubre (i + 12), Madrid, Spain.
Background:
The multiligand receptor megalin controls the brain uptake of a number of ligands, including insulin and leptin. Despite the role of megalin in the transport of these metabolically relevant hormones, the role of megalin at the blood-brain-barrier (BBB) has not yet been explored in the context of metabolic regulation.
Methods:
Here we investigate the role of brain endothelial megalin in energy metabolism and leptin signaling using an endothelial cell-specific megalin deficient (EMD) mouse model.
Results:
We found megalin is important to protect mice from developing obesity and metabolic syndrome when mice are fed a normal chow diet. EMD mice developed neuroinflammation, by triggering several pro-inflammatory cytokines, displayed reduced neurogenesis and mitochondrial deregulation.
Conclusions:
These results implicate brain endothelial megalin expression in obesity-related metabolic changes through the leptin signaling pathway proposing a potential link between obesity and neurodegeneration.
