Control of energy metabolism by thyroid hormone in the hypothalamus – HYPOTHYRO

A better understanding of the brain mechanisms that control food intake and energy metabolism would help to face the worldwide obesity epidemic. Thyroid hormone is a key regulator of the hypothalamus control of energy metabolism. The mechanisms by which it controls both the secretion of neuropeptides and the sympathetic tune remain for a large part unknown. However, mouse genetics recently allowed uncoupling this central action of the hormone from the action that it exerts in many other organs. Our working hypothesis is that only few cell types are relevant to this local action of the hormone. HYPOTHYRO will use advanced genomics to gain an unprecedented view on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of action of thyroid hormone in hypothalamus. As thyroid hormone act directly on transcription by binding nuclear receptors, we will be able to identify the genes which transcription in activated by the hormone in the relevant glial and neuronal cell types.