Necdin controls Foxo1 acetylation in hypothalamic arcuate neurons to modulate the thyroid axis

J Neurosci. 2012 Apr 18;32(16):5562-72. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0142-12.2012.

Abstract

The forkhead transcription factor Foxo1 regulates energy homeostasis by modulating gene expression in the hypothalamus. Foxo1 undergoes post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation and acetylation, which modulate its functional activities. Sirtuin1 (Sirt1), a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent protein deacetylase, regulates the acetylation status of Foxo1 in mammalian cells. Necdin, a pleiotropic protein required for neuronal development and survival, interacts with both Sirt1 and p53 to facilitate p53 deacetylation. The necdin gene (Ndn), an imprinted gene transcribed only from the paternal allele, is strongly expressed in hypothalamic neurons. Here, we demonstrate that necdin controls the acetylation status of Foxo1 in vivo in hypothalamic arcuate neurons to modulate the thyroid function. Necdin forms a stable ternary complex with Sirt1 and Foxo1, diminishes Foxo1 acetylation, and suppresses the transcriptional activity of Foxo1 in vitro. Paternal Ndn mutant mice express high levels of acetylated Foxo1 and mRNAs encoding agouti-related protein and neuropeptide Y in the hypothalamus in vivo during the juvenile period. The mutant mice exhibit endocrine dysfunction characteristic of hypothalamic hypothyroidism. Chemically induced hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism lead to hypothalamic responses similar to those under necdin-deficient and excessive conditions, respectively, suggesting that thyroid hormone serves as a negative regulator of this system. These results suggest that necdin regulates Foxo1 acetylation and neuropeptide gene expression in the arcuate neurons to modulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis during development.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylation
  • Age Factors
  • Agouti-Related Protein / metabolism
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Carbon Dioxide / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Transformed
  • Chromatin Immunoprecipitation
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation / genetics
  • Humans
  • Hypothalamus / cytology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / deficiency
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neurons / physiology*
  • Neuropeptide Y / metabolism
  • Nuclear Proteins / deficiency
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • Oxygen Consumption / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Repressor Proteins / metabolism*
  • Sirtuin 1 / metabolism
  • Thyroid Gland / metabolism*
  • Thyrotropin / blood
  • Thyrotropin / genetics
  • Thyroxine / blood
  • Transfection
  • Triiodothyronine / blood

Substances

  • Agouti-Related Protein
  • Agrp protein, mouse
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Foxp1 protein, mouse
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Neuropeptide Y
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Repressor Proteins
  • necdin
  • Triiodothyronine
  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Thyrotropin
  • Sirt1 protein, mouse
  • Sirtuin 1
  • Thyroxine