Analysis of the brain GLP-1 circuitry at cellular level to characterise its roles in the control of food intake
Lead Research Organisation:
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
Department Name: Neuroscience Physiology and Pharmacology
Abstract
Obesity, diabetes, and associated diseases such as hypertension, are a serious health burden for patients and a strain on healthcare services. A class of drugs that are increasingly being used clinically to treat obesity (and diabetes) are glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs). GLP-1 is a hormone that is produced by our gut and released into the blood after a meal. Its main role is to help keeping sugars low in the blood, but it also generates the feeling of fullness, i.e. satiation. GLP-1RAs reproduce the effect of the hormone GLP-1 and that is how they suppress eating.
Interestingly, GLP-1 is also produced in the brain, and acts there to suppress eating. It has been widely assumed that GLP-1RAs also mimic the action of GLP-1 released by the brain and that this contributes to their anti-obesity effect. However, our laboratory has now shown that this is not the case, but that activation of the nerve cells in the brain that produce GLP-1, the PPG neurons, suppress eating independently from and in addition to clinically-used GLP-1RAs.
Whilst this is a highly exciting finding PPG neurons fulfil a variety of roles in our brain; they reduce food intake, but they also raise heart rate, reduce alcohol consumption, change body temperature and play a role in our response to stress. We hypothesise that different subgroups of these cells govern these different functions. Thus, the major aim of this research is to identify those different subgroups of PPG neurons that fulfil the different functions, and then selectively activate only those that suppress food intake for obesity treatment, and possibly even inhibit another group of these neurons that raises heart rate.
Understanding in detail how these PPG neuron groups fulfil their functions and revealing their individual properties will then facilitate the design a novel treatment strategy that could work in patients.
Interestingly, GLP-1 is also produced in the brain, and acts there to suppress eating. It has been widely assumed that GLP-1RAs also mimic the action of GLP-1 released by the brain and that this contributes to their anti-obesity effect. However, our laboratory has now shown that this is not the case, but that activation of the nerve cells in the brain that produce GLP-1, the PPG neurons, suppress eating independently from and in addition to clinically-used GLP-1RAs.
Whilst this is a highly exciting finding PPG neurons fulfil a variety of roles in our brain; they reduce food intake, but they also raise heart rate, reduce alcohol consumption, change body temperature and play a role in our response to stress. We hypothesise that different subgroups of these cells govern these different functions. Thus, the major aim of this research is to identify those different subgroups of PPG neurons that fulfil the different functions, and then selectively activate only those that suppress food intake for obesity treatment, and possibly even inhibit another group of these neurons that raises heart rate.
Understanding in detail how these PPG neuron groups fulfil their functions and revealing their individual properties will then facilitate the design a novel treatment strategy that could work in patients.
Technical Summary
The proposal derives from recent findings that brainstem preproglucagon neurons (PPGs) are the predominant source of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) in the brain, that chemogenetic activation of PPGs produces marked hypophagia, and that their hypophagic effect persists in the presence of an anti-obesity GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA). This suggests that PPG neuronal activation reduces food intake via pathways separate from, and in addition to, the action of GLP-1RAs. The programme of research is designed to characterise in detail the pharmacological pathways to achieve this hypophagic effect, to discover the circuitry underlying the multitude of effects of PPG neuronal activation, and to delineate this circuitry from that activated by clinically-used GLP-1RAs.
These aims will be achieved by a combination of in vivo and in vitro studies using genetically modified mouse models expressing cre-recombinase in GLP-1 producing cells. We will identify and manipulate PPG subgroups to interrogate their function. We will transduce PPGs by projection target using retrograde AAVs encoding cre-dependent DREADDs and fluorescent reporters, to neuroanatomically map and functionally characterise these subpopulations using various behavioural assays. We will use single-nucleus transcriptomics to generate 'fingerprints' of the neuronal subgroups with translationally desirable behavioural outputs (e.g. satiation without nausea) to identify pharmacological targets that can be used to selectively activate these PPG subgroups in lean and obese mice. We will validate those identified targets in vitro, using imaging and electrophysiology in brain slice preparations from mice expressing genetically encoded Ca2+ sensors in PPGs. This research will provide us with deep understanding of the cellular-level architecture of the entire brain GLP-1 system and how the physiological functions of central GLP-1 signalling are organised to modulate diverse aspects of energy homeostasis and behaviour.
These aims will be achieved by a combination of in vivo and in vitro studies using genetically modified mouse models expressing cre-recombinase in GLP-1 producing cells. We will identify and manipulate PPG subgroups to interrogate their function. We will transduce PPGs by projection target using retrograde AAVs encoding cre-dependent DREADDs and fluorescent reporters, to neuroanatomically map and functionally characterise these subpopulations using various behavioural assays. We will use single-nucleus transcriptomics to generate 'fingerprints' of the neuronal subgroups with translationally desirable behavioural outputs (e.g. satiation without nausea) to identify pharmacological targets that can be used to selectively activate these PPG subgroups in lean and obese mice. We will validate those identified targets in vitro, using imaging and electrophysiology in brain slice preparations from mice expressing genetically encoded Ca2+ sensors in PPGs. This research will provide us with deep understanding of the cellular-level architecture of the entire brain GLP-1 system and how the physiological functions of central GLP-1 signalling are organised to modulate diverse aspects of energy homeostasis and behaviour.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Stefan Trapp (Principal Investigator) | |
Frank Reimann (Co-Investigator) |
Publications

Holt MK
(2025)
Modulation of stress-related behaviour by preproglucagon neurons and hypothalamic projections to the nucleus of the solitary tract.
in Molecular metabolism
Description | Targeting specific brain GLP-1 receptors to treat obesity |
Amount | £1,309,343 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/Z50614X/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2024 |
End | 09/2027 |
Description | European Incretin Study Group |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | We organised and hosted in Cambridge the meeting of the European Incretin Study Group - a 2-day conference involving 40 oral presentations and ~80 posters, and including international academic and industrial delegates. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Media Interview leading to public facing article about GLP-1 based weight loss drugs |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Interview by Science Writer Rachel Brazil to help her produce a piece on GLP-1 receptor agonists for Chemistry World |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://www.chemistryworld.com/features/the-glp-1-weight-loss-revolution/4019901.article |
Description | Public GLP-1 Webinar by Chemistry World |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A webinar entitled "Harnessing Hormones for Health - Taking GLP-1 from research to reality" to educate interested scientists and lay people about how the latest weight loss drugs such as Wegovy work. Attended by 150 listeners live and now available as an online resource. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
URL | https://www.chemistryworld.com/webinars/harnessing-hormones-for-health-taking-glp-1-from-research-to... |