Parabrachial neuron types categorically encode thermoregulation variables during heat defense
Open Access
- 4 September 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Science Advances
- Vol. 6 (36), eabb9414
- https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abb9414
Abstract
Heat defense is crucial for survival and fitness. Transmission of thermosensory signals into hypothalamic thermoregulation centers represents a key layer of regulation in heat defense. Yet, how these signals are transmitted into the hypothalamus remains poorly understood. Here, we reveal that lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPB) glutamatergic prodynorphin and cholecystokinin neuron populations are progressively recruited to defend elevated body temperature. These two nonoverlapping neuron types form circuits with downstream preoptic hypothalamic neurons to inhibit the thermogenesis of brown adipose tissues (BATs) and activate tail vasodilation, respectively. Both circuits are activated by warmth and can limit fever development. The prodynorphin circuit is further required for regulating energy expenditure and body weight homeostasis. Thus, these findings establish that the genetic and functional specificity of heat defense neurons occurs as early as in the LPB and uncover categorical neuron types for encoding two heat defense variables, inhibition of BAT thermogenesis and activation of vasodilation.Keywords
Funding Information
- National Key Research and Development Program of China Stem Cell and Translational Research (2019YFA0801900)
- National Nature Science Foundation of China (31771169)
- Shanghai Science and Technology Committee of Shanghai City (19140903800)
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