Beacon - A novel gene involved in the regulation of energy balance

The hypothalamus plays a major role in the control of energy balance via th e coordination of several neuropeptides and their receptors, We used a uniq ue polygenic animal model of obesity, Psammomys obesus, and performed diffe rential display polymerase chain reaction on hypothalamic mRNA samples to i dentify novel genes involved in obesity. In this study, we describe a novel gene that encodes a small protein we have termed "beacon," Beacon mRNA gen e expression in the hypothalamus was positively correlated with percentage of body fat. Intracerebroventricular infusion of beacon resulted in a dose- dependent increase in food intake and body weight and an increase in hypoth alamic expression of neuropeptide Y (NPY), Simultaneous infusion of beacon and NPY significantly potentiated the orexigenic response and resulted in r apid body weight gain. These data suggest a role for beacon in the regulati on of energy balance and body weight homeostasis that may be mediated, at l east in part, through the NPY pathway.