Regulation of circadian behaviour and metabolism by REV-ERB-α and REV-ERB-β

Cho, H. et al. Nature doi:10.1038/nature11048 (29 March).

Regulation of circadian behaviour and metabolism by synthetic REV-ERB agonists

Solt, L.A. et al. Nature doi:10.1038/nature11030 (29 March).

These two studies disclose the contribution of the nuclear receptors REV-ERB-α and REV-ERB-β to the regulation of circadian rhythms and metabolic function, and provide evidence that this signaling pathway may be pharmacologically targeted.

Genome-wide meta-analysis identifies 56 bone mineral density loci and reveals 14 loci associated with risk of fracture

Estrada, K. et al. Nat. Genet. doi:10.1038/ng.2249 (15 April).

The authors carried out a meta-analysis on lumbar spine and femoral neck bone mineral density, identifying 56 loci that showed association, of which 32 loci were new associations. The associated loci had functions that included RANK signaling, mesenchymal stem cell differentiation, endochondral ossification and Wnt signaling.

NLRC4-driven production of IL-1β discriminates between pathogenic and commensal bacteria and promotes host intestinal defense

Franchi, L. et al. Nat. Immunol. doi:10.1038/ni.2263 (8 April).

The authors provide new understanding of how the immune system discriminates between commensal and pathogenic bacteria. They show that resident intestinal phagocytes, when infected with pathogenic bacteria, produce the cytokine IL-1b through activation of the NLRC4 inflammasome. This pathway, which is important in the clearance of the pathogenic bacteria, is not activated when the phagocytic cells are infected by commensal bacteria.

Tanycytes of the hypothalamic median eminence form a diet-responsive neurogenic niche

Lee, D.A. et al. Nat. Neurosci. doi:10.1038/nn.3079 (25 March).

Adult neurogenesis in the hypothalamus has been reported, and these authors now show that new neurons are formed in a part of the hypothalamus called the median eminence. Notably, median eminence neurogenesis was increased in mice on a high-fat diet, and blocking the formation of these neurons reduced weight gain and increased energy consumption in mice, even in those on a high-fat diet.