Abstract
Originally described to be involved in feeding regulation, orexins/hypocretins are now also considered as major regulatory actors of numerous biological processes, such as pain, sleep, cardiovascular function, neuroendocrine regulation, and energy expenditure. Therefore, they constitute one of the most pleiotropic families of hypothalamic neuropeptides. Although their orexigenic effect is well documented, orexins/hypocretins also exert central effects on energy expenditure, notably on the brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis. A better comprehension of the underlying mechanisms and potential interactions with other hypothalamic molecular pathways involved in the modulation of food intake and thermogenesis, such as AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, is essential to determine the exact implication and pathophysiological relevance of orexins/hypocretins on the control of energy balance. Here, we will review the actions of orexins on energy balance, with special focus on feeding and brown fat function.
Highlights
Frontiers in EndocrinologyReceived: 16 November 2018 Accepted: 13 November 2019 Published: 10 December 2019. Citation: Milbank E and López M (2019) Orexins/Hypocretins: Key Regulators of Energy Homeostasis
Localized below the thalamus on the ventral face of the diencephalon, the hypothalamus is a master center for the integration of multiple signals and participates in the regulation of numerous homeostatic functions; the regulation of energy balance and endocrine axes being the most important ones [1,2,3,4,5]
One of the most important hypothalamic nuclei involved in the feeding regulation is the arcuate nucleus (ARC), which is composed by two main neuronal populations: (i) orexigenic neurons co-expressing neuropeptide Y (NPY) and agouti-related protein (AgRP) and (ii) anorexigenic ones co-expressing cocaine- and amphetamine- related transcript (CART) and pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC; the precursor of the alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone, α-MSH)
Summary
Received: 16 November 2018 Accepted: 13 November 2019 Published: 10 December 2019. Citation: Milbank E and López M (2019) Orexins/Hypocretins: Key Regulators of Energy Homeostasis. Described to be involved in feeding regulation, orexins/hypocretins are considered as major regulatory actors of numerous biological processes, such as pain, sleep, cardiovascular function, neuroendocrine regulation, and energy expenditure. They constitute one of the most pleiotropic families of hypothalamic neuropeptides. Their orexigenic effect is well documented, orexins/hypocretins exert central effects on energy expenditure, notably on the brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis.
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