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Elevated hypothalamic beacon gene expression in Psammomys obesus prone to develop obesity and type 2 diabetes

International Journal of Obesity volume 26, pages 605–609 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: To investigate hypothalamic beacon gene expression at various developmental stages in genetically selected diabetes-resistant and diabetes-prone Psammomys obesus. In addition, effects of dietary energy composition on beacon gene expression were investigated in diabetes-prone P. obesus.

Methods: Hypothalamic beacon gene expression was measured using Taqman™ fluorogenic PCR in 4-, 8- and 16-week-old animals from each genetically selected line.

Results: Expression of beacon was elevated in the diabetes-prone compared with diabetes-resistant P. obesus at 4 weeks of age despite no difference in body weight between the groups. At 8 weeks of age, hypothalamic beacon gene expression was elevated in diabetes-prone animals fed a high-energy diet, and was correlated with serum insulin concentration.

Conclusion: P. obesus with a genetic predisposition for the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes have elevated hypothalamic beacon gene expression at an early age. Overexpression of beacon may contribute to the development of obesity and insulin resistance in these animals.

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Acknowledgements

Funding for this work was provided by Autogen Ltd, Australia and Merck-Lipha, Germany.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Metabolic Research Unit, School of Health Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia

    K Walder, K Whitecross & GR Collier

  2. Diabetes Research Unit, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel

    E Ziv, R Kalman & E Shafrir

  3. International Diabetes Institute, Caulfield, Victoria, Australia

    P Zimmet

Authors
  1. K Walder
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  2. E Ziv
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  3. R Kalman
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  4. K Whitecross
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  5. E Shafrir
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  6. P Zimmet
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  7. GR Collier
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Correspondence to K Walder.

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Walder, K., Ziv, E., Kalman, R. et al. Elevated hypothalamic beacon gene expression in Psammomys obesus prone to develop obesity and type 2 diabetes. Int J Obes 26, 605–609 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801965

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801965

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