Figure 6. Hypothalamic HDAC5 overexpression improves leptin sensitivity and ameliorates diet-induced obesity:

One week after AAV-mediated overexpression of HDAC5 or control GFP in the MBH, chow-fed male C57BL/6J mice (a,b) were administered i.p. with leptin (5 mg kg⁻¹) or PBS, and food intake was assessed for 24 h (n=7–8). The same mice were subsequently exposed to HFD feeding, subjected to leptin challenge tests (PBS versus Leptin 5 mg kg⁻¹) after 1 day (c,d) and after 10 weeks (e,f) of HFD exposure, and monitored for body weight gain (g), fat mass gain (h) and lean mass changes (i). Changes in body weight (j), fat mass (k) and lean mass (l) were monitored in male DIO mice after AAV-induced HDAC5 overexpression in the MBH, compared with AAV–GFP control mice (n=10–11). Values represent means±s.e.m. Statistical analyses were done by using two-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni post hoc tests (a–g,j), or two-tailed unpaired Student's t-tests (h,i,k,l). *P<0.05, **P<0.01 and ***P<0.001.