Cell Metabolism: Alcoholism Busters!

It is well known that drinking alcohol is harmful to health.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD), characterized by chronic relapse over time after abstinence from alcohol, has become one of the major public health problems worldwide

Interestingly, human and primate livers can produce a hormone called fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), which inhibits alcohol intake in primates

Human and primate livers produce a hormone called fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), which inhibits alcohol intake in primates

FGF21 suppresses alcohol consumption through an amygdalo-striatal circuit

The study showed that injecting nonhuman primates with FGF21 and its analogs reduced alcohol intake by 50 percent

Injecting FGF21 and its analogs into nonhuman primates reduced alcohol intake by 50%

Why worry? Only Dukang

Considering the negative effects of excessive drinking on health and survival, it is not surprising that mammals have evolved corresponding physiological systems to sense and regulate alcohol intake

Professor Matthew Potthoff, from the University of Iowa's Carver School of Medicine, said: "In considering how and why these specific mechanisms evolved, it is interesting to see that the neural circuits regulating FGF21-mediated inhibition of sugar and alcohol intake apparently arose independently.

Schematic diagram of this study

Schematic diagram of this study Schematic diagram of this research

FGF21 is produced by the liver in response to metabolic and nutritional challenges, it can be transmitted across the blood-brain barrier to the central nervous system, and has functions to regulate energy homeostasis and macronutrient balance

Unfortunately, although scientists have found that dopamine levels in the brain are affected by FGF21, it is not clear which neural circuit FGF21 regulates the inhibition of alcohol consumption

In this latest study, the team found that the use of FGF21 and its analogs reduced the use of FGF21 and its analogs in the non-human primate with a strong innate preference for alcohol, the West African green monkey (Chlorocebus sabaeus) by 50% alcohol intake

Not only that, but even in mice and primates with alcohol dependence due to chronic alcohol exposure, injection of FGF21 and FGF21 analogs significantly reduced alcohol intake in experimental animals

FGF21 and its analogs inhibit alcohol intake in West African green monkeys

FGF21 and its analogs inhibit alcohol intake in West African green monkeys FGF21 and its analogs inhibit alcohol intake in West African green monkeys

The research team further explored the neural mechanism by which FGF21 and FGF21 analogs produce the inhibitory effect of alcohol

FGF21 alters glutamate transmission in the nucleus accumbens

FGF21 alters glutamate transmission in the nucleus accumbens FGF21 alters glutamate transmission in the nucleus accumbens

Briefly, FGF21 signaling in neurons projecting from the basolateral amygdala to the nucleus accumbens inhibits alcohol intake by altering the activity of specific subsets of these neurons

FGF21 signals KLB-expressing neurons in the basolateral amygdala to inhibit alcohol intake

FGF21 signals KLB-expressing neurons in the basolateral amygdala to inhibit alcohol intake FGF21 signals KLB-expressing neurons in the basolateral amygdala to inhibit alcohol intake

Kyle Flippo, Ph.

 

Original source:

Original source:

Kyle H.
Flippo, et al.
FGF21 suppresses alcohol consumption through an amygdalo-striatal circuit .
Cell Metabolism, 2022, VOLUME 34, ISSUE 2, P317-328.

FGF21 suppresses alcohol consumption through an amygdalo-striatal circuitLeave

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