Kappa opioid receptor activation increases thermogenic energy expenditure which drives increased feeding.Opioid receptors, including the kappa opioid receptor (KOR), exert control over thermoregulation and feeding behavior.  Herein, we report studies examining how roles for KOR signaling in regulating thermogenesis, feeding, and energy balance may be interrelated using pharmacological interventions, genetic tools, quantitative thermal imaging, and metabolic profiling.  Importantly, pharmacologic, or genetic inhibition of brown adipose tissue thermogenesis prevented the elevated food intake triggered by KOR activation.  Furthermore, our data reveal that KOR-mediated thermogenesis elevation is reversibly disrupted by chronic high-fat diet, implicating KOR signaling as a potential mediator in high-fat diet-induced weight gain.
THERM