Short-chain fatty acids and ketones directly regulate sympathetic nervous system via G protein-coupled receptor 41 (GPR41)

The maintenance of energy homeostasis is essential for life, and its dysregulation leads to a variety of metabolic disorders. Under a fed condition, mammals use glucose as the main metabolic fuel, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced by the colonic bacterial fermentation of dietary fiber also contribute a significant proportion of daily energy requirement. Under ketogenic conditions such as starvation and diabetes, ketone bodies produced in the liver from fatty acids are used as the main energy sources. To balance energy intake, dietary excess and starvation trigger an increase or a decrease in energy expenditure, respectively, by regulating the activity of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). The…

• KC
  Kowa Company
• MO
  Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
• KL
  Kowa Life Science Foundation
• AP
  Astellas Pharma
• AF
  Astellas Foundation for Research on Metabolic Disorders
• JS
  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
• JS
  Japan Science and Technology Agency