Orexins increase glucose uptake in skeletal muscle via the hypothalamus-sympathetic nervous system-β2-adrenergic pathway

Abstract

The orexin/hypocretin neurons play an important role in the regulation of arousal level, food intake and motivated behaviors. The neuropeptides also regulate locomotor activity, sympathetic tone and energy expenditure. However, the regulatory role of orexins in glucose metabolism remains to be elucidated. Here we show that orexins stimulate in vivo glucose uptake in skeletal muscle in free-moving rats and mice through the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH)-sympathetic nervous system.