KAIST 생명과학과동창회
  • News & Events
  • News

News

Gut hormone triggers craving for more proteins

Gut hormone triggers craving for more proteins
Overview of the microbiome–gut–brain axis. CNMa is upregulated by Atf4 and Mitf (and possibly other unknown factors) during the deprivation of essential amino acids, and this acts on CNMaR-expressing neurons to stimulate the compensatory appetite for essential amino acids. Credit: The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

A new study led by KAIST researchers using fruit flies reveals how protein deficiency in the diet triggers cross talk between the gut and brain to induce a desire to eat foods rich in proteins or essential amino acids. This finding reported in the May 5 issue of Nature can lead to a better understanding of malnutrition in humans.

"All organisms require a balanced intake of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats for their well being," explained KAIST neuroscientist and professor Greg Seong-Bae Suh. "Taking in sufficient calories alone won't do the job, as it can still lead to severe forms of malnutrition including kwashiorkor, if the diet does not include enough proteins," he added.

Scientists already knew that inadequate  intake in organisms causes a preferential choice of foods rich in proteins or essential amino acids but they didn't know precisely how this happens. A group of researchers led by Professor Suh at KAIST and Professor Won-Jae Lee at Seoul National University (SNU) investigated this process in flies by examining the effects of different genes on food preference following protein deprivation.

The group found that protein deprivation triggered the release of a gut hormone called neuropeptide CNMamide (CNMa) from a specific population of enterocytes—the intestine lining cells. Until now, scientists have known that enterocytes release digestive enzymes into the intestine to help digest and absorb nutrients in the gut. "Our study showed that enterocytes have a more complex role than we previously thought," said Professor Suh.

Enterocytes respond to protein deprivation by releasing CNMa that conveys the nutrient status in the gut to the CNMa receptors on nerve cells in the brain. This then triggers a desire to eat foods containing .

Interestingly, the KAIST-SNU team also found that the microbiome -Acetobacterbacteria—present in the gut produces amino acids that can compensate for mild protein deficit in the diet. This basal level of amino acids provided by the microbiome modifies CNMa release and tempers the flies' compensatory desire to ingest more proteins.

The research team was able to further clarify two signaling pathways that respond to protein loss from the diet and ultimately produce the CNMa hormone in these specific enterocytes.

The team said that further studies are still needed to understand how CNMa communicates with its receptors in the brain, and whether this happens by directly activating nerve cells that link the gut to the brain or by indirectly activating the brain through blood circulation. Their research could provide insights into the understanding of similar process in mammals including humans.

"We chose to investigate a simple organism, the fly, which would make it easier for us to identify and characterize key nutrient sensors. Because all organisms have cravings for needed nutrients, the nutrient sensors and their pathways we identified in flies would also be relevant to those in mammals. We believe that this research will greatly advance our understanding of the causes of metabolic disease and eating-related disorders," Professor Suh added.

 

https://phys.org/news/2021-05-gut-hormone-triggers-craving-proteins.html

https://www.sciencecodex.com/gut-hormone-triggers-craving-more-proteins-673523

https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/gut-hormone-release-triggers-craving-for-protein-finds-fly-study-348858

https://www.miragenews.com/gut-hormone-triggers-craving-for-more-proteins-561159/

 

 


List of Articles
번호 제목 글쓴이 날짜 조회 수
109 허원도 교수님(유다슬이 박사)_제10회 에쓰-오일 우수학위논문상'의 생명과학 분야 대상 수상 생명과학과 2021.02.22 795
108 KAIST-원진 세포치료센터 기부 및 투자 약정 업무협약식 생명과학과 2021.02.22 1067
107 서성배 교수님(김진은 석박사통합과정)_2020 대한민국 인재상 수상 생명과학과 2021.02.25 1837
106 정원석 교수님_국내 연구진, 우리 뇌가 계속 일할 수 있는 이유 밝혀 생명과학과 2021.02.26 1611
105 조병관 교수님_Antibiotic tolerance study paves way for new treatments 생명과학과 2021.03.03 723
104 조병관교수님_온실가스를 바이오 물질로 전환…미생물 활용한 '인공광합성' 성공 생명과학과 2021.03.10 762
103 김대수 교수님_스트레스로 악화 '근긴장이상증' 억제 신약 개발…수술없는 약물치료 기대 생명과학과 2021.03.11 1779
102 서성배 교수님(양대욱 박사)_세종과학펠로우십 선정 생명과학과 2021.03.18 961
101 김대수 교수님_ 카이스트 교수 `뇌 과학이 인생에 필요한 순간`(브라이트) 출간 생명과학과 2021.05.04 1752
100 서성배 교수님_동물의 식습관을 조절하는 원리 규명해 네이처 게재​ 생명과학과 2021.05.11 550
99 손종우교수님 UTSW – UT Dallas 국제 공동 연구팀 연구성과_Scientists Identify Source of Weight Gain From Antipsychotics 생명과학과 2021.05.14 671
98 손종우 교수님_비정형 항정신병 약물에 의한 비만의 원인 규명​ 생명과학과 2021.05.17 583
» 서성배 교수님_Gut hormone triggers craving for more proteins 생명과학과 2021.05.18 672
96 정원석 교수님_KAIST, 신경세포의 흥분성 증가로 인한 뇌 질환 기제 규명 생명과학과 2021.06.03 1342
95 서성배 교수님_동물 뇌 신경세포가 과식 억제한다 생명과학과 2021.06.16 624
94 전상용, 송지준 교수님_다양한 변이에도 면역 가능한 인플루엔자 백신 개발 생명과학과 2021.06.30 708
93 한진희 교수님_기억이 만들어지는 원리 최초로 규명했다 생명과학과 2021.07.14 700
92 정인경 교수님_유전자 온-오프 스위치 비밀 밝히는 정인경 카이스트 교수 생명과학과 2021.07.26 1046
91 한진희 교수님_ 치매 치료에 열 올리는 KAIST·연구기관 생명과학과 2021.08.18 549
90 김은준 교수님_시냅스 뇌질환 연구 김은준 IBS단장 “치료약 없는 자폐 연구 도전” 생명과학과 2021.08.23 643
Board Pagination Prev 1 ... 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Next
/ 22