Repeated hypoglycemia blunts the responsiveness of glucose-inhibited GHRH neurons by remodeling neural inputs and disrupting mitochondrial structure and function.

Abstract

Hypoglycemia is a frequent complication of diabetes, limiting therapy and increasing morbidity and mortality. With recurrent hypoglycemia, the counter-regulatory response (CRR) to decreased blood glucose is blunted, resulting in hypoglycemia unawareness. The mechanisms leading to these blunted effects remain incompletely understood. Here, we identify, with in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry and the tissue clearing capability of iDisco, that GHRH neurons represent a unique population of arcuate nucleus neurons activated by glucose deprivation in vivo. Repeated glucose deprivation reduces GHRH neuron activation and remodels excitatory and inhibitory inputs to GHRH neurons. We show low glucose sensing is coupled to GHRH neuron depolarization, decreased ATP production and mitochondrial fusion. Repeated hypoglycemia attenuates these responses during low glucose. By maintaining mitochondrial length with the small molecule, mdivi-1, we preserved hypoglycemia sensitivity in vitro and in vivo. Our findings present possible mechanisms for the blunting of the CRR, broaden significantly our understanding of the structure of GHRH neurons and for the fist time, propose that mitochondrial dynamics play an important role in hypoglycemia unawareness. We conclude that interventions targeting mitochondrial fission in GHRH neurons may offer a new pathway to prevent hypoglycemia unawareness in diabetic patients.