# The integration of nutrient-specific satiety signals in the brain to control food intake.

> **NIH NIH R01** · UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $354,525

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Most studies in the field of feeding regulation have primarily concentrated on the impact of energy
homeostasis on feeding behavior, with less attention to the hormones and neural mechanisms governing
nutrient-specific feeding. Leveraging the genetic advantages and well-characterized nervous and gut
systems of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, we aim to explore the neuronal mechanisms that underlie
nutrient-specific feeding regulation. Our preliminary findings highlight a specific group of Dh31R+/AstC+
neurons as target neurons for the gut-derived peptide Diuretic hormone 31 (Dh31) in regulating protein
consumption. Additionally, we have identified another subset of gut cells that are responsive to sucrose
intake and the essential role of its receptor in suppressing sucrose feeding. This proposal aims to investigate
the molecular and neural mechanisms underlying the regulation of dietary protein and sucrose consumption,
with a particular focus on how gut-derived peptide hormones, triggered by specific nutrient intake, activate
neural targets in the brain to govern nutrient- specific feeding regulation. Furthermore, we propose
identifying the central neural hub where various nutrient- specific feeding circuits converge to modulate food
intake. The proposed experiments include characterizing the neural substrate of the gut hormone Dh31
responsible for suppressing protein feeding (Aim 1), elucidating the satiety signal for sucrose and
understanding the neural mechanism governing sucrose feeding regulation (Aim 2), and identifying the
central hub that integrates signals for both protein and sucrose to regulate overall food intake (Aim 3). The
expected mechanistic insights from this research will illuminate the processes through which diverse
macronutrient signals influence feeding behavior, highlighting the interplay between gut-derived signals and
neural pathways.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10940915
- **Project number:** 1R01DK140213-01
- **Recipient organization:** UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Hui-Hao Lin
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $354,525
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-01 → 2029-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10940915

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10940915, The integration of nutrient-specific satiety signals in the brain to control food intake. (1R01DK140213-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10940915. Licensed CC0.

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