{"title":"Glut1 Functions in Insulin-Producing Neurons to Regulate Lipid and Carbohydrate Storage in <i>Drosophila</i>.","authors":"Matthew R Kauffman, Justin R DiAngelo","doi":"10.3390/biom14081037","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Obesity remains one of the largest health problems in the world, arising from the excess storage of triglycerides (TAGs). However, the full complement of genes that are important for regulating TAG storage is not known. The <i>Glut1</i> gene encodes a <i>Drosophila</i> glucose transporter that has been identified as a potential obesity gene through genetic screening. Yet, the tissue-specific metabolic functions of Glut1 are not fully understood. Here, we characterized the role of Glut1 in the fly brain by decreasing neuronal <i>Glut1</i> levels with RNAi and measuring glycogen and TAGs. <i>Glut1RNAi</i> flies had decreased TAG and glycogen levels, suggesting a nonautonomous role of Glut1 in the fly brain to regulate nutrient storage. A group of hormones that regulate metabolism and are expressed in the fly brain are <i>Drosophila</i> insulin-like peptides (Ilps) 2, 3, and 5. Interestingly, we observed blunted <i>Ilp3</i> and <i>Ilp5</i> expression in neuronal <i>Glut1RNAi</i> flies, suggesting Glut1 functions in insulin-producing neurons (IPCs) to regulate whole-organism TAG and glycogen storage. Consistent with this hypothesis, we also saw fewer TAGs and glycogens and decreased expression of <i>Ilp3</i> and <i>Ilp5</i> in flies with IPC-specific <i>Glut1RNAi</i>. Together, these data suggest Glut1 functions as a nutrient sensor in IPCs, controlling TAG and glycogen storage and regulating systemic energy homeostasis.</p>","PeriodicalId":8943,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecules","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11353170/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Biomolecules","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.3390/biom14081037","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Obesity remains one of the largest health problems in the world, arising from the excess storage of triglycerides (TAGs). However, the full complement of genes that are important for regulating TAG storage is not known. The Glut1 gene encodes a Drosophila glucose transporter that has been identified as a potential obesity gene through genetic screening. Yet, the tissue-specific metabolic functions of Glut1 are not fully understood. Here, we characterized the role of Glut1 in the fly brain by decreasing neuronal Glut1 levels with RNAi and measuring glycogen and TAGs. Glut1RNAi flies had decreased TAG and glycogen levels, suggesting a nonautonomous role of Glut1 in the fly brain to regulate nutrient storage. A group of hormones that regulate metabolism and are expressed in the fly brain are Drosophila insulin-like peptides (Ilps) 2, 3, and 5. Interestingly, we observed blunted Ilp3 and Ilp5 expression in neuronal Glut1RNAi flies, suggesting Glut1 functions in insulin-producing neurons (IPCs) to regulate whole-organism TAG and glycogen storage. Consistent with this hypothesis, we also saw fewer TAGs and glycogens and decreased expression of Ilp3 and Ilp5 in flies with IPC-specific Glut1RNAi. Together, these data suggest Glut1 functions as a nutrient sensor in IPCs, controlling TAG and glycogen storage and regulating systemic energy homeostasis.
BiomoleculesBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology-Molecular Biology
CiteScore
9.40
自引率
3.60%
发文量
1640
审稿时长
18.28 days
期刊介绍:
Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X) is an international, peer-reviewed open access journal focusing on biogenic substances and their biological functions, structures, interactions with other molecules, and their microenvironment as well as biological systems. Biomolecules publishes reviews, regular research papers and short communications. Our aim is to encourage scientists to publish their experimental and theoretical results in as much detail as possible. There is no restriction on the length of the papers. The full experimental details must be provided so that the results can be reproduced.