Oxytocin receptor-deficient mice developed late-onset obesity.

Abstract

The oxytocin receptor has been suggested to be involved in energy metabolism, such as food intake and energy consumption. Here, we demonstrate that oxytocin receptor-deficient (Oxtr-/-) male mice exhibited late-onset obesity with increases in abdominal fat pads and fasting plasma triglycerides. Daily food intake and spontaneous motor activity of Oxtr-/- mice were not significantly different as compared with wild-type mice. In contrast, brown adipose tissue in Oxtr-/- mice contained large lipid droplets and cold-induced thermogenesis was impaired. This study demonstrates that oxytocin receptor plays essential roles in the regulation of energy homeostasis.

• Authors: Yuki Takayanagi, Yoshiyuki Kasahara, Tatsushi Onaka, Nobuyuki Takahashi, Teruo Kawada, Katsuhiko Nishimori
• Journal: Neuroreport (Neuroreport) Vol. 19 Issue 9 Pg. 951-5 (Jun 11 2008) ISSN: 0959-4965 [Print] England
• PMID: 18520999 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Blood Glucose
• Receptors, Oxytocin
• Triglycerides
• Cholesterol

Topics

• Adipocytes, Brown (pathology)
• Age Factors
• Animals
• Blood Glucose
• Cholesterol (blood)
• Eating (genetics)
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Mice, Knockout
• Motor Activity (genetics)
• Obesity (blood, genetics, pathology, physiopathology)
• Receptors, Oxytocin (deficiency)
• Thermosensing (physiology)
• Triglycerides (blood)