The STAT3 signaling pathway in paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus is involved in the body weight regulation of mice
10.16557/j.cnki.1000-7547.2025.03.009
- VernacularTitle:下丘脑室旁核STAT3信号通路参与小鼠体重调节
- Author:
Yang HE
1
;
Haodong LIU
1
;
Penghui LI
1
;
Xing WANG
1
;
Chenguang DU
1
Author Information
1. 内蒙古农业大学兽医学院动物胚胎与发育工程自治区高等学校重点实验室,呼和浩特 010018;内蒙古农业大学职业技术学院,土右 014109
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
STAT3 signal pathway;
paraventricular nucleus;
weight regulation;
metabolism;
adipocyte;
mouse
- From:
Chinese Journal of Neuroanatomy
2025;41(3):327-334
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To investigate the role and molecular mechanisms of signal transducer and activator of tran-scription 3(STAT3)in the paraventricular nucleus(PVN)of the hypothalamus in regulating body weight and energy metabolism in mice.Methods:AAV2/9-hSyn-Cre-EGFP virus was stereotactically injected into the PVN of STAT3Flox/Flox mice to conditionally knock out(CKO)STAT3 in the PVN.STAT3 expression was verified via immunoflu-orescence staining and Western blot.Body weight and temperature were monitored,glucose tolerance was assessed using glucose tolerance tests in mice,and morphological changes in the liver,interscapular brown adipose tissue(IBAT),in-guinal white adipose tissue(IWAT),and quadriceps muscle were evaluated via hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining.RT-qPCR was used to measure mRNA levels of platelet-derived growth factor receptor α(PDGFRα),peroxisome prolifera-tor-activated receptor γ(PPARγ),hormone-sensitive lipase(HSL),and adipose triglyceride lipase(ATGL)in these tissues.Results:STAT3 protein expression in the PVN of CKO mice was significantly reduced,and the number of STAT3-positive neurons was also decreased.Compared to wild-type(WT)mice,CKO mice exhibited increased body weight,impaired thermogenesis in IBAT,and reduced glucose tolerance.HE staining revealed lipid droplet accumula-tion in hepatocytes of the liver,enlarged adipocytes with hypertrophic lipid droplets and leukocyte infiltration in adipose tissues,and intermuscular fat deposition in the quadriceps muscle.RT-qPCR analysis showed decreased mRNA levels of PDGFRα,HSL,and ATGL in the liver;upregulated PPARγ mRNA but downregulated HSL and ATGL mRNA in IBAT and IWAT;and reduced PPARγ and HSL mRNA levels in the quadriceps muscle of CKO mice.Conclusion:The STAT3 signaling pathway in the PVN is critical for maintaining systemic energy balance and serves as a key node in met-abolic regulation.
