2022
TET3 epigenetically controls feeding and stress response behaviors via AGRP neurons
Xie D, Stutz B, Li F, Chen F, Lv H, Sestan-Pesa M, Catarino J, Gu J, Zhao H, Stoddard CE, Carmichael GG, Shanabrough M, Taylor HS, Liu ZW, Gao XB, Horvath TL, Huang Y. TET3 epigenetically controls feeding and stress response behaviors via AGRP neurons. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2022, 132: e162365. PMID: 36189793, PMCID: PMC9525119, DOI: 10.1172/jci162365.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAgRP neuronsNeuropeptide YExpression of AgRPControl of feedingHypothalamic agoutiAnxiolytic effectsNeurotransmitter GABAMouse modelLeptin signalingStress-like behaviorsGenetic ablationNeuronsAgRPCritical central regulatorsEnergy expenditureGABAEnergy metabolismAppetiteFeedingCentral regulatorMetabolismCentral controlHuman cellsTET3ObesityVentromedial hypothalamic OGT drives adipose tissue lipolysis and curbs obesity
Wang Q, Zhang B, Stutz B, Liu ZW, Horvath TL, Yang X. Ventromedial hypothalamic OGT drives adipose tissue lipolysis and curbs obesity. Science Advances 2022, 8: eabn8092. PMID: 36044565, PMCID: PMC9432828, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn8092.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVentromedial hypothalamusWhite adipose tissueVMH neuronsAdipose tissueBody weightLipid metabolismRapid weight gainCounterregulatory responsesSympathetic activitySympathetic innervationAdipocyte hypertrophyTissue lipolysisNeuronal excitabilityFood intakePhysical activityObesity phenotypesGenetic ablationWeight gainHomeostatic set pointEnergy expenditureNeuronsInnervationLipolysisSignificant changesCellular sensorsAgRP neurons control structure and function of the medial prefrontal cortex
Stutz B, Waterson MJ, Šestan-Peša M, Dietrich MO, Škarica M, Sestan N, Racz B, Magyar A, Sotonyi P, Liu ZW, Gao XB, Matyas F, Stoiljkovic M, Horvath TL. AgRP neurons control structure and function of the medial prefrontal cortex. Molecular Psychiatry 2022, 27: 3951-3960. PMID: 35906488, PMCID: PMC9891653, DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01691-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMedial prefrontal cortexAgRP neuronsNon-selective dopamine receptor antagonistBrain functionPrefrontal cortexHypothalamic AgRP neuronsMedial thalamic neuronsAdministration of clozapineDopamine receptor antagonistVentral tegmental areaOscillatory network activityHigher-order brain functionsHypothalamic agoutiThalamic neuronsChemogenetic inhibitionDopaminergic neuronsReceptor antagonistTegmental areaNeuronal pathwaysSensorimotor gatingAdult miceModulatory impactAmbulatory behaviorConstitutive impairmentNeuronsAgRP neurons control feeding behaviour at cortical synapses via peripherally derived lysophospholipids
Endle H, Horta G, Stutz B, Muthuraman M, Tegeder I, Schreiber Y, Snodgrass IF, Gurke R, Liu ZW, Sestan-Pesa M, Radyushkin K, Streu N, Fan W, Baumgart J, Li Y, Kloss F, Groppa S, Opel N, Dannlowski U, Grabe HJ, Zipp F, Rácz B, Horvath TL, Nitsch R, Vogt J. AgRP neurons control feeding behaviour at cortical synapses via peripherally derived lysophospholipids. Nature Metabolism 2022, 4: 683-692. PMID: 35760867, PMCID: PMC9940119, DOI: 10.1038/s42255-022-00589-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFasting-induced hyperphagiaCortical excitabilityAgRP neuronsLysophosphatidic acidPeripheral metabolismHigher body mass indexFasting-induced elevationHypothalamic AgRP neuronsEffects of LPABody mass indexHigher cortical excitabilityBrain lipid levelsCentral nervous systemPrevalence of typeGlutamatergic transmissionHypothalamic agoutiMass indexOvernight fastingPeptide neuronsCortical synapsesLipid levelsFood intakeCerebrospinal fluidNervous systemPhospholipid levels
2021
Hunger-promoting AgRP neurons trigger an astrocyte-mediated feed-forward auto-activation loop in mice
Varela L, Stutz B, Song JE, Kim JG, Liu ZW, Gao XB, Horvath TL. Hunger-promoting AgRP neurons trigger an astrocyte-mediated feed-forward auto-activation loop in mice. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2021, 131 PMID: 33848272, PMCID: PMC8121506, DOI: 10.1172/jci144239.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAgRP neuronsHypothalamic feeding circuitsInhibitory neurotransmitter GABAGhrelin administrationInhibitory toneAstrocytic responseMetabolic milieuProstaglandin E2Neurotransmitter GABANeuronal controlSynaptic plasticityGlial processesNeuronsNeural excitationMitochondrial adaptationsFood deprivationAstrocytesPerikaryaFeeding circuitRegion crucialFeedingObesityGABAExcitabilityChemogenetics
2019
Dopamine neuronal protection in the mouse Substantia nigra by GHSR is independent of electric activity
Stutz B, Nasrallah C, Nigro M, Curry D, Liu ZW, Gao XB, Elsworth JD, Mintz L, Horvath TL. Dopamine neuronal protection in the mouse Substantia nigra by GHSR is independent of electric activity. Molecular Metabolism 2019, 24: 120-138. PMID: 30833218, PMCID: PMC6531791, DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2019.02.005.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSN DA neuronsDA neuronsSubstantia nigraDA cellsDopamine outputNeuronal protectionNeuronal survivalParkinson's diseaseDA neuron survivalDA neuronal survivalDesigner drugs (DREADD) technologyNeuronal pacemaker activityElectrical activityMouse substantia nigraElectric activityNeuron electrical activityAnimal motor behaviorGhrelin activationGHSR activationTetrahydropyridine (MPTP) treatmentNeuroprotective factorsNeuron survivalDopamine neuronsGhrelin receptorExogenous administration
2018
Targeting AMPK Signaling as a Neuroprotective Strategy in Parkinson’s Disease
Curry DW, Stutz B, Andrews ZB, Elsworth JD. Targeting AMPK Signaling as a Neuroprotective Strategy in Parkinson’s Disease. Journal Of Parkinson's Disease 2018, 8: 161-181. PMID: 29614701, PMCID: PMC6004921, DOI: 10.3233/jpd-171296.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSerine/threonine kinaseFunction of AMPKParkinson's diseaseCellular energy balanceThreonine kinaseCellular stressorsIntracellular α-synuclein aggregatesProtein kinaseAMPK activationAMPK activityNumerous dietary supplementsPreclinical PD modelsNigrostriatal dopaminergic neuronsBroad neuroprotective effectsCell deathCommon neurodegenerative disorderAMPKΑ-synuclein aggregatesNeuroprotective treatmentNeuroprotective strategiesNeuroprotective effectsNeuronal atrophyPD patientsDopaminergic neuronsKinaseAltered Cortical and Hippocampal Excitability in TgF344-AD Rats Modeling Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology
Stoiljkovic M, Kelley C, Stutz B, Horvath TL, Hajós M. Altered Cortical and Hippocampal Excitability in TgF344-AD Rats Modeling Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology. Cerebral Cortex 2018, 29: 2716-2727. PMID: 29920597, PMCID: PMC7302691, DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy140.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTgF344-AD ratsHippocampal theta oscillationsAlzheimer's diseaseDisease pathologyTheta-phase gamma-amplitude couplingAge-matched wild-type counterpartsAD pathological featuresDisease-modifying therapiesAccumulation of amyloidPredictive animal modelsAlzheimer's disease pathologyHigh-voltage spindlesTheta oscillationsSignificant age-dependent declineAge-dependent declineHippocampal excitabilitySharp-wave ripplesAβ accumulationNeuronal lossAD ratsPathological featuresUrethane anesthesiaAD patientsAuditory gatingAD drugs
2017
Molecular and cellular reorganization of neural circuits in the human lineage
Sousa AMM, Zhu Y, Raghanti MA, Kitchen RR, Onorati M, Tebbenkamp ATN, Stutz B, Meyer KA, Li M, Kawasawa YI, Liu F, Perez RG, Mele M, Carvalho T, Skarica M, Gulden FO, Pletikos M, Shibata A, Stephenson AR, Edler MK, Ely JJ, Elsworth JD, Horvath TL, Hof PR, Hyde TM, Kleinman JE, Weinberger DR, Reimers M, Lifton RP, Mane SM, Noonan JP, State MW, Lein ES, Knowles JA, Marques-Bonet T, Sherwood CC, Gerstein MB, Sestan N. Molecular and cellular reorganization of neural circuits in the human lineage. Science 2017, 358: 1027-1032. PMID: 29170230, PMCID: PMC5776074, DOI: 10.1126/science.aan3456.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSingle-cell transcriptomic dataDistinct functional categoriesDistinct cell typesBiosynthesis genesTranscriptome sequencingHuman lineageTranscriptomic dataFunctional categoriesCellular reorganizationExpression differencesPhylogenetic reorganizationFunctional analysisCell typesGenesCellular featuresCellular differencesHuman specificityNeural circuitsLineagesMultiple levelsReorganizationSequencingHumansChimpanzeesAdult humans