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. 2020 Jan 9;34:54–71. doi: 10.1016/j.molmet.2020.01.002

Figure 4.

Figure 4

Medium-chain triglyceride but not long-chain triglyceride stimulates POMC neuronal melanocortin output to the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. (A) Schematic depicting the melanocortin output from POMC neurons to the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH). α-MSH release from POMC neurons terminating in the PVH activates post synaptic PVH neurons to suppress food intake. The 9-week-old C57Bl/6J male mice were administered (orally) water, trioleate (long-chain triglyceride, LCT), or trioctanoic acid (medium-chain triglyceride, MCT). Then 90 min later, brains were fixed with paraformaldehyde and processed for PVH. (B–C) α-MSH and (D–E) c-Fos immunoreactivity. Scale bar = 200 μm. Data are mean ± SEM. For all of the panels, p < 0.05 indicated by lines adjoining bars. Statistical analysis by one-way analysis of variance for data in panels C and E. n = 5 mice per group. Abbreviations: III, third ventricle; α-MSH, alpha melanocyte-stimulating hormone; ARC, arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus; PVH, paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus.