Affiliations
Research Associate, Monell Chemical Senses Center
Education
B.S., Biological Sciences, UCSal (Brazil)
M.Sc., Biotechnology and Investigative Medicine, Fiocruz (Brazil)
Ph.D., Cell Biology, UFMG (Brazil)
Laboratory Of
Dr. Guillaume de Lartigue
Research Summary
“We speak with the left hemisphere”. That famous statement from the physician Pierre Paul Broca (1824-1880) marked the onset of cerebral asymmetry research. Brain asymmetries are key components of sensory, cognitive, and motor systems of humans and other animals. However, it is still unclear if laterality is present in the peripheral nerves that survey the body’s physiological status and send the information to the brain. My research aims to unravel how left and right vagus nerves perceive and communicate information about the food we eat to the brain to terminate a meal. Using state-of-the-art in vivo calcium imaging and other cutting-edge techniques, my aim is to assess, target and manipulate vagal sensory neuron activity in a live animal to identify the separate functional roles for left and right vagus nerves in meal termination. Understanding the underlying gut-brain axis communication and how it is disrupted in metabolic disorders, such as obesity, diabetes and Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome (IBD), my research will help to pave the way for better targeted therapies.
Keywords
vagus nerve, in vivo imaging, nodose ganglia, gut-brain axis, neurobiology of feeding, lateral asymmetry
Representative Publications
McDougle M, de Araujo A, Vergara M, Yang M, Singh A, Braga I, Urs N, Warren B, de Lartigue G. Labeled lines for fat and sugar reward combine to promote overeating. bioRxiv. 2022.
Brierley DI, Holt MK, Singh A, de Araujo A, McDougle M, Vergara M, Afaghani MH, Lee SJ, Scott K, Maske C, Langhans W, Krause E, de Kloet A, Gribble FM, Reimann F, Rinaman L, de Lartigue G, Trapp S. Central and peripheral GLP-1 systems independently suppress eating. Nat Metab. 2021.
Lee SJ, Krieger JP, Vergara M, Quinn D, McDougle M, de Araujo A, Darling R, Zollinger B, Anderson S, Pan A, Simonnet EJ, Pignalosa A, Arnold M, Singh A, Langhans W, Raybould HE, de Lartigue G. Blunted Vagal Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript Promotes Hyperphagia and Weight Gain. Cell Rep. 2020.
Fonseca RC, Bassi GS, Brito CC, Rosa LB, David BA, Araújo AM, Nóbrega N, Diniz AB, Jesus ICG, Barcelos LS, Fontes MAP, Bonaventura D, Kanashiro A, Cunha TM, Guatimosim S, Cardoso VN, Fernandes SOA, Menezes GB, de Lartigue G, Oliveira AG. Vagus nerve regulates the phagocytic and secretory activity of resident macrophages in the liver. Brain Behav Immun. 2019.
Araujo AM, Antunes MM, Mattos MS, Diniz AB, Alvarenga DM, Nakagaki BN, Carvalho É, Lacerda VAS, Carvalho-Gontijo R, Goulart J, Mafra K, Freitas-Lopes MA, Oliveira HMC, Dutra CM, David BA, Mendes Silva A, Quesniaux V, Ryffel B, Oliveira SC, Barber GN, Mansur DS, Cunha TM, Rezende RM, Oliveira AG, Menezes GB. Liver Immune Cells Release Type 1 Interferon Due to DNA Sensing and Amplify Liver Injury from Acetaminophen Overdose. Cells. 2018.
