Role of astroglial ACBP in energy metabolism flexibility and feeding responses to metabolic challenges in male mice

Acyl-CoA Binding Protein (ACBP), also known as Diazepam Binding Inhibitor (DBI), has recently emerged as a hypothalamic and brainstem gliopeptide regulating energy balance. Previous work has shown that the ACBP-derived octadecaneuropeptide exerts strong anorectic action via POMC neuron activation and the melanocortin-4 receptor. Importantly, targeted ACBP loss-of-function in astrocytes promotes hyperphagia and diet-induced obesity while its overexpression in arcuate astrocytes reduces feeding and body weight. Despite this knowledge, the role of astroglial ACBP in adaptive feeding and metabolic responses to acute metabolic challenges has not been investigated. Using different paradigms, we found that ACBP deletion in Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP)-positive astrocytes does not affect diet-induced weight loss in obese male mice nor metabolic parameters in chow-fed mice (e.g. energy expenditure, body temperature) during fasting, cold exposure and at thermoneutrality. In contrast, astroglial ACBP deletion impairs meal pattern and feeding responses during refeeding after a fast and during cold exposure, thereby showing that ACBP is required to mount an appropriate feeding response in states of increased energy demand. These findings challenge the general view that astroglial ACBP exerts anorectic effects and suggest that regulation of feeding by ACBP is dependent on metabolic status.