# Estrogen Signaling in the Ventromedial Hypothalamus Modulates Adipose Tissue Metabolic Adaptation

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO · 2024 · $45,210

## Abstract

While sexual dimorphisms have been reported in the adipose tissue’s metabolic adaptation to environmental
temperature or nutritional challenges, the sex-specific mechanisms regulating adipose tissue’s responses are
not fully understood. There is increasing evidence demonstrating that the female sex hormone, estrogen, plays
a vital role in sex dimorphic control of adipose tissue metabolism. We and others have consistently shown that
central estrogen signaling mediated by estrogen receptor α (ERα) increases sympathetic activity, promotes
brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis and white adipose tissue (WAT) browning, and diminishes excessive
adiposity. ERα is abundantly expressed in the ventrolateral region of the ventromedial hypothalamus (vlVMH), a
sex-dimorphic structure and the only ERα site in the brain that directly modulates BAT thermogenesis. Despite
the abundant evidence supporting the role of ERαvlVMH in energy expenditure and metabolic function, it is still
unclear whether ERαvlVMH-originated networks respond to environmental challenges, subsequently regulating
adipose tissue metabolic adaptations. Here, we aim to test whether estrogen-initiated ERαvlVMH signaling and
its downstream circuit contribute to sex dimorphic regulation of adipose tissue metabolic adaptation. The first
aim is to determine if ERαvlVMH sex-dimorphically modulates BAT and WAT metabolism in response to
temperature or nutritional challenge. The second aim is to determine if the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) relays
ERαvlVMH neuron signals to adipose tissue to modulate metabolic adaptation. Results from these studies will
advance our current understanding of adipose tissue plasticity and adaptation in general. Further, our studies
will reveal the brain ERα-originated networks that respond to temperature or nutritional challenges and initiate
subsequent changes in adipose tissue metabolism.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10841391
- **Project number:** 5F31DK132918-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Valeria Cecilia Torres Irizarry
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $45,210
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-06-16 → 2025-04-27

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10841391

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10841391, Estrogen Signaling in the Ventromedial Hypothalamus Modulates Adipose Tissue Metabolic Adaptation (5F31DK132918-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10841391. Licensed CC0.

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