Figure 6

Suppression of orexigenic gene expression by Zj7 in hypothalamic ARC of DIO mice. Twelve-week-HFD-fed obese mice were subjected to a two-week treatment with the vehicle or Zj7 (50 mg/kg) (daily, i.p.). (A) In situ hybridization (ISH) results showed that the expression of Agrp, Npy and Cdkn1a, but not Ghrh, is significantly downregulated by Zj7 treatment (vehicle, n = 7; Zj7, n = 6). (B) Immunofluorescence images of OTP, POMC and TH (vehicle, n = 7; Zj7, n = 6). Representative images are shown. Quantification was based on the relative intensity of ISH signals or by counting the number of labelled cells using ImageJ in three rostral to caudal sections for each mouse. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. Statistical differences were determined by Student’s t-test; *p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001, and ‘ns’ indicates not significant. Scale bars: 100 μm. (C) The working model for the selective action of Zj7. Zj7 impinges on the orexigenic action of GR by modulating the association of GR and Bsx and preventing the recruitment of GR to Agrp-GRE but not to classical GRE.