先前的研究发现,VMH中存在更高浓度的雌激素受体[2]。那么,这是不是意味着雌激素在某些代谢的调节上起着更重要的作用?近日,发表在PNAS上的一篇名为“Essential and sex-specific effects of mGluR5 in ventromedial hypothalamus regulating estrogen signaling and glucose balance”的文章,首次揭示了在缺乏谷氨酸受体5亚型(mGluR5)的情况下,雌性小鼠的SF1神经元活性会受到破坏,雌激素对葡萄糖代谢的保护作用会逆转为破坏作用[3]。
参考资料:
[1] Neuralregulationof pancreatic islet cell mass and function.
[2] Sexually dimorphicexpression of hypothalamic estrogen receptors α and β and Kiss1 in neonatalmale and female rats.
[3] Essential andsex-specific effects of mGluR5 in ventromedial hypothalamus regulating estrogensignaling and glucose balance.
[4] Fear Extinction InducesmGluR5-Mediated Synaptic and Intrinsic Plasticity in Infralimbic Neurons.
[5] ConditionalDeletion Of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in the Postnatal Brain Leads toObesity and Hyperactivity.