Go to JCI Insight
  • About
  • Editors
  • Consulting Editors
  • For authors
  • Publication ethics
  • Alerts
  • Advertising
  • Job board
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • By specialty
    • COVID-19
    • Cardiology
    • Gastroenterology
    • Immunology
    • Metabolism
    • Nephrology
    • Neuroscience
    • Oncology
    • Pulmonology
    • Vascular biology
    • All ...
  • Videos
    • Conversations with Giants in Medicine
    • Author's Takes
  • Reviews
    • View all reviews ...
    • Lung inflammatory injury and tissue repair (Jul 2023)
    • Immune Environment in Glioblastoma (Feb 2023)
    • Korsmeyer Award 25th Anniversary Collection (Jan 2023)
    • Aging (Jul 2022)
    • Next-Generation Sequencing in Medicine (Jun 2022)
    • New Therapeutic Targets in Cardiovascular Diseases (Mar 2022)
    • Immunometabolism (Jan 2022)
    • View all review series ...
  • Viewpoint
  • Collections
    • In-Press Preview
    • Commentaries
    • Research letters
    • Letters to the editor
    • Editorials
    • Viewpoint
    • Top read articles
  • Clinical Medicine
  • JCI This Month
    • Current issue
    • Past issues

  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • Specialties
  • Reviews
  • Review series
  • Conversations with Giants in Medicine
  • Author's Takes
  • In-Press Preview
  • Commentaries
  • Research letters
  • Letters to the editor
  • Editorials
  • Viewpoint
  • Top read articles
  • About
  • Editors
  • Consulting Editors
  • For authors
  • Publication ethics
  • Alerts
  • Advertising
  • Job board
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
Leptin, nutrition, and the thyroid: the why, the wherefore, and the wiring
Jeffrey S. Flier, … , Mark Harris, Anthony N. Hollenberg
Jeffrey S. Flier, … , Mark Harris, Anthony N. Hollenberg
Published April 1, 2000
Citation Information: J Clin Invest. 2000;105(7):859-861. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI9725.
View: Text | PDF
Commentary

Leptin, nutrition, and the thyroid: the why, the wherefore, and the wiring

  • Text
  • PDF
Abstract

Authors

Jeffrey S. Flier, Mark Harris, Anthony N. Hollenberg

×

Figure 1

Options: View larger image (or click on image) Download as PowerPoint
Maintenance of the thyroid axis by leptin through actions on the TRH neu...
Maintenance of the thyroid axis by leptin through actions on the TRH neuron in the PVN of the hypothalamus. A sufficient level of leptin signaling is needed to maintain TRH expression in the hypothalamic PVN, which is necessary for normal production of TSH and production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid. Two mechanisms may be involved. In one, leptin regulates arcuate neurons expressing proopiomelanocortin (POMC) (induced by leptin) and AgRP (suppressed by leptin). These arcuate neurons project to TRH neurons, where they influence TRH expression by antagonistic actions of α-MSH (stimulatory) and AgRP (inhibitory) on MC4Rs. Leptin may also act directly on TRH neurons through leptin receptors on these cells. In the absence of leptin signaling, the feedback loop between T4/T3 and the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid system is lost. Hence, although levels of T4/T3 may be low, TRH and TSH levels remain suppressed.

Copyright © 2023 American Society for Clinical Investigation
ISSN: 0021-9738 (print), 1558-8238 (online)

Sign up for email alerts