Abstract
The nuclear receptor steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1) plays essential roles in the development and function of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH). Considerable evidence links the VMH and SF-1 with the regulation of energy homeostasis. Here, we demonstrate that SF-1 colocalizes in VMH neurons with the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) and that a specific CB1R agonist modulates electrical activity of SF-1 neurons in hypothalamic slice preparations. We further show that SF-1 directly regulates CB1R geneexpression via a SF-1-responsive element at -101 in its 5-flanking region. Finally, we show that knockout mice with selective inactivation of SF-1 in the brain have decreased expression of CB1R in the region of the VMH and exhibit a blunted response to systemi-cally administered CB1R agonists. These studies suggest that SF-1 directly regulates the expression of CB1R, which has been implicated in the regulation of energy homeostasis and anxiety-like behavior.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1950-1961 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Molecular Endocrinology |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 8 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 2008 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Molecular Biology
- Endocrinology