Fig. 5: Activation of the LPB^Vglut2 → DMH projection increases iBAT thermogenesis and suppresses body weight gain.

a Simultaneously recording T_core and T_iBAT in freely behaving mice at high temporal resolution using wired probes while activation of the LPB^Vglut2 → DMH projection. b Changes in T_core and T_iBAT in response to photoactivation of the LPB^Vglut2 → DMH projection in the sham group and iBAT denervation group (n = 5 mice each). Light pattern: 473 nm, 12 mW, 10 Hz, 10 ms, 2-s on 2-s off, 10 min. c Relative UCP1 expression levels in iBAT 3-h after photoactivation of the LPB^Vglut2 → DMH projection (n = 9 mice each). d Testing the effect of two-week photoactivation of the LPB^Vglut2 → DMH projection on body weight of DIO mice fed with HFD. e A representative trace of T_core change (left panel) following four times of photoactivations of the LPB^Vglut2 → DMH projection in a day and the comparison (right panel) of T_core change for each photoactivation. f Mice after two weeks of photoactivation (left, ChR2 group; right, GFP group). g, h Changes in body weight (g) and cumulative food intake (h) during two weeks of photoactivation (ChR2, n = 9 mice; GFP, n = 5 mice). i–l Changes in iBAT weight (i), iWAT weight (j), body composition (k), and cold-induced energy expenditure (l) after two-week photoactivation (i–k, ChR2, n = 6 mice; GFP, n = 6; l, ChR2, n = 9 mice; GFP, n = 5 mice). All data are the mean ± sem, and (g, h) were analyzed by two-way RM ANOVA followed by Bonferroni’s multiple comparisons tests, (c, and i–l) were analyzed by unpaired t-test. The p-values are calculated based on statistical tests in Supplementary Table 2. *p ≤ 0.05; **p ≤ 0.01; ns, not significant. Source data are provided as a Source data file.