Central activation of chaperone-mediated autophagy reduces appetite by fine-tuning hypothalamic amino acid pools: new insights from fish

American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology 2026 Open access

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Authors: Steffi Reji, Emilio J. Vélez, Ayelén Melisa Blanco, Cécile Heraud, Vincent Véron, Karine Dias, Alexandre Stella, Odile Burlet-Schiltz, Simon Schnebert, Jérôme Roy, Florian Beaumatin, Beth M. Cleveland
+2 more José L Soengas, Iban Seiliez
DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00765.2025
Cited by: 1
References: 53

Abstract

This study shows in vivo, in a nonmammalian vertebrate, that chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) regulates appetite. It demonstrates that hypothalamic CMA activity increases during feed deprivation and that pharmacological activation of CMA suppresses feed intake by locally modulating amino acid availability. These findings reveal a previously uncharacterized link between CMA, hypothalamic amino acid pools, and appetite regulation, and suggest a novel intracellular mechanism linking proteostasis to nutrient sensing and feeding behavior in vertebrates.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Autophagy in Disease and Therapy Regulation of Appetite and Obesity Zebrafish Biomedical Research Applications

Publication details

Journal / source
American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology
Publisher
American Physiological Society
Volume
330
Issue
3
Pages
C590–C604
Publication date
12 January 2026
Language
EN