| Literature DB >> 18703058 |
Giovanna R Degasperi1, Talita Romanatto, Raphael G P Denis, Eliana P Araújo, Juliana C Moraes, Natália M Inada, Aníbal E Vercesi, Lício A Velloso.
Abstract
Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) is highly expressed in the hypothalamus; however, little is known about the functions it exerts in this part of the brain. Here, we hypothesized that UCP2 protects hypothalamic cells from oxidative and pro-apoptotic damage generated by inflammatory stimuli. Intracerebroventricular injection of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha)-induced an increase of UCP2 expression in the hypothalamus, which was accompanied by increased expression of markers of oxidative stress and pro-apoptotic proteins. The inhibition of UCP2 expression by an antisense oligonucleotide enhanced the damaging effects of TNF-alpha. Conversely, increasing the hypothalamic expression of UCP2 by cold exposure reversed most of the effects of the cytokine. Thus, UCP2 acts as a protective factor against cellular damage induced by an inflammatory stimulus in the hypothalamus.Entities:
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Year: 2008 PMID： 18703058 DOI： 10.1016/j.febslet.2008.08.006
Source DB: PubMed Journal: FEBS Lett ISSN： 0014-5793 Impact factor: 4.124