Project Description:

Astrocyte glucose metabolism is essential for the delivery of energy substrates to neurons and may regulate a variety of brain functions. We have revealed an essential role of the transcription factor HIF-1 in the regulation of astrocytic glycolysis (J Neurosci 32,9727, 2012). In obesity, hypothalamic astrocyte activity and glucose uptake is changed. Using in vitro systems we will analyze the effect of adipocytes/obesity on HIF-1 signaling in mouse astrocytes.


Experimental Methods:

• Primary cultures of murine hypothalamic astrocytes
• Co-culture systems
• DNA and RNA extraction, PCR, qPCR
• Western blotting, immunocytochemistry
• Chromatin immunoprecipitation and reporter gene assays