Alterations of proteome, mitochondrial dynamic and autophagy in the hypothalamus during activity-based anorexia

Restrictive anorexia nervosa is associated with reduced eating and severe body weight loss leading to a cachectic state. Hypothalamus plays a major role in the regulation of food intake and energy homeostasis. In the present study, alterations of hypothalamic proteome and particularly of proteins involved in energy and mitochondrial metabolism have been observed in female activity-based anorexia (ABA) mice that exhibited a reduced food intake and a severe weight loss. In the hypothalamus, mitochondrial dynamic was also modified during ABA with an increase of fission without modification of fusion. In addition, increased dynamin-1, and LC3II/LC3I ratio signed an activation of autophagy while protein synthesis was increased. In conclusion, proteomic analysis revealed an adaptive hypothalamic protein response in ABA female mice with both altered mitochondrial response and activated autophagy.