Hypothalamic Astrocytes in Obesity

Cristina García-Cáceres, Chun Xia Yi, Matthias H. Tschöp

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

65 Scopus citations

Abstract

Obesity is characterized by a chronic and low-grade inflammation in tissues including the hypothalamus. Hypothalamic inflammation is considered an early and determining factor for the onset of obesity, a factor that occurs even before body weight gain. Within the hypothalamus, microglia and astrocytes produce cytokines that drive inflammatory responses. Astrocytes are directly affected by nutrient excess and might play a unique role in promoting hypothalamic inflammatory responses in obesity. This article reviews evidence supporting the role of hypothalamic astrocytes in obesity, and suggests a new approach for neuroendocrine research designed to reveal pathogenesis and develop novel treatment strategies against obesity.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)57-66
Number of pages10
JournalEndocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America
Volume42
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2013

Keywords

  • Astrocytes
  • Hypothalamic inflammation
  • Insulin resistance
  • Leptin
  • Obesity

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