A parabrachial-hypothalamic parallel circuit governs cold defense in mice

Wen Z. Yang, Hengchang Xie, Xiaosa Du, Qian Zhou, Yan Xiao, Zhengdong Zhao, Xiaoning Jia, Jianhui Xu, Wen Zhang, Shuang Cai, Zhangjie Li, Xin Fu, Rong Hua, Junhao Cai, Shuang Chang, Jing Sun, Hongbin Sun, Qingqing Xu, Xinyan Ni, Hongqing Tu, Ruimao Zheng, Xiaohong Xu, Hong Wang, Yu Fu, Liming Wang, Xi Li, Haitao Yang, Qiyuan Yao, Tian Yu (), Qiwei Shen () and Wei L. Shen ()
Additional contact information
Wen Z. Yang: Shanghaitech University
Hengchang Xie: Shanghaitech University
Xiaosa Du: Shanghaitech University
Qian Zhou: Shanghaitech University
Yan Xiao: Shanghaitech University
Zhengdong Zhao: Shanghaitech University
Xiaoning Jia: Shanghaitech University
Jianhui Xu: Chengdu Medical College
Wen Zhang: Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Shuang Cai: Zunyi Medical University
Zhangjie Li: Shanghaitech University
Xin Fu: Shanghaitech University
Rong Hua: Fudan University
Junhao Cai: Shanghaitech University
Shuang Chang: Shanghaitech University
Jing Sun: Shanghaitech University
Hongbin Sun: Shanghaitech University
Qingqing Xu: Chongqing Medical University
Xinyan Ni: Shanghaitech University
Hongqing Tu: Shanghaitech University
Ruimao Zheng: Peking University
Xiaohong Xu: Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Hong Wang: Chinese Academy of Sciences; Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions
Yu Fu: Technology and Research (A*STAR)
Liming Wang: Shenzhen Bay Laboratory
Xi Li: Chongqing Medical University
Haitao Yang: Shanghaitech University
Qiyuan Yao: Fudan University
Tian Yu: Zunyi Medical University
Qiwei Shen: Fudan University
Wei L. Shen: Shanghaitech University

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-18

Abstract: Abstract Thermal homeostasis is vital for mammals and is controlled by brain neurocircuits. Yet, the neural pathways responsible for cold defense regulation are still unclear. Here, we found that a pathway from the lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPB) to the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH), which runs parallel to the canonical LPB to preoptic area (POA) pathway, is also crucial for cold defense. Together, these pathways make an equivalent and cumulative contribution, forming a parallel circuit. Specifically, activation of the LPB → DMH pathway induced strong cold-defense responses, including increases in thermogenesis of brown adipose tissue (BAT), muscle shivering, heart rate, and locomotion. Further, we identified somatostatin neurons in the LPB that target DMH to promote BAT thermogenesis. Therefore, we reveal a parallel circuit governing cold defense in mice, which enables resilience to hypothermia and provides a scalable and robust network in heat production, reshaping our understanding of neural circuit regulation of homeostatic behaviors.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40504-6

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