Figure 9.
Selective VMAT2 deletion in midbrain LepR neurons led to increased binge-like eating. HFD food intake (2.5 and 24 h) was measured an intermittent HFD access setting in control and LIC::Vmat2fl°x/fl°x mice. A, Diagram showing one cycle of total six cycles of the protocol used to measure binge-like eating (2.5-h feeding) and hedonic feeding (24-h feeding). A control experiment using a protocol with the presence of both chow and HFD all time was conducted in parallel. B–D, Food intake was measured during initial 2.5-h HFD feeding (B), 24-h HFD feeding (C), and 24-h chow feeding (D) on the test day with HFD added. Initial 2.5-h chow feeding during the test day was not presented due to the negligible amount of food consumed. Response to leptin of initial 2.5-h HFD feeding (E), 24-h HFD feeding (F), and 24-h chow feeding (G) on the test day with HFD added. Data were presented as mean ± SEM, and each subject data were the average of food intake over cycles 3–5. *p < 0.05, n = 7–8, two-way ANOVA tests with Tukey post hoc analyses.