Daily consumption of curcumin attenuates the activation of NMDA receptors on glutamatergic neurons in an obese post-menopausal mouse model.
Description
Curcumin, found in the turmeric root is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. We previously demonstrated that curcumin lowered blood pressure in obese male, but not obese female mice. The reasoning behind the gender difference and the mechanism(s) in which this occurred is unknown. Thus, we wanted to determine if curcumin could regulate the phosphorylation of NMDA receptors and whether the activation of these receptors occurred on excitatory [i.e., glutamatergic] neurons in the paraventricular nucleus [PVN], a cardio regulatory site in the brain. Our interest in NMDA receptors stem from its ability to regulate blood pressure by mediating the activity of excitatory [i.e., glutamatergic] and inhibitory [GABAergic] neurons. We proposed that curcumin could block the activation of glutamatergic neurons in the PVN by attenuating the phosphorylation of NMDA receptors (pNMDAR) on these neurons, resulting in a decrease in blood pressure. Brains from perfused animals were sectioned thirty microns thick. Sections were collected throughout the hypothalamus and processed at the same time to ensure uniformity of immunostaining. Histological expression of VGLUT and pNMDAR were colocalized in the paraventricular nucleus. In obese males and female mice with estrogen, curcumin did not decrease the activation of NMDA receptors. However, in obese ovariectomized mice, the expression of pNMDAR was significantly dampened. We also observed a decrease in blood pressure in curcumin treated obese OVX mice. Taken together, these data suggest that curcumin lowers blood pressure in obese OVX mice, in part by attenuating the activation of NMDA receptors on glutamatergic neurons.
Citation Information
Bunge, Tatiana; Sanchez-Tarre, Stephania; John, Kevin; and Barnes, Maria, "Daily consumption of curcumin attenuates the activation of NMDA receptors on glutamatergic neurons in an obese post-menopausal mouse model." (2026). Office of Research DMU Research Symposium. 76.
https://digitalcommons.dmu.edu/researchsymposium/2025rs/2025abstracts/76
Daily consumption of curcumin attenuates the activation of NMDA receptors on glutamatergic neurons in an obese post-menopausal mouse model.
Curcumin, found in the turmeric root is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. We previously demonstrated that curcumin lowered blood pressure in obese male, but not obese female mice. The reasoning behind the gender difference and the mechanism(s) in which this occurred is unknown. Thus, we wanted to determine if curcumin could regulate the phosphorylation of NMDA receptors and whether the activation of these receptors occurred on excitatory [i.e., glutamatergic] neurons in the paraventricular nucleus [PVN], a cardio regulatory site in the brain. Our interest in NMDA receptors stem from its ability to regulate blood pressure by mediating the activity of excitatory [i.e., glutamatergic] and inhibitory [GABAergic] neurons. We proposed that curcumin could block the activation of glutamatergic neurons in the PVN by attenuating the phosphorylation of NMDA receptors (pNMDAR) on these neurons, resulting in a decrease in blood pressure. Brains from perfused animals were sectioned thirty microns thick. Sections were collected throughout the hypothalamus and processed at the same time to ensure uniformity of immunostaining. Histological expression of VGLUT and pNMDAR were colocalized in the paraventricular nucleus. In obese males and female mice with estrogen, curcumin did not decrease the activation of NMDA receptors. However, in obese ovariectomized mice, the expression of pNMDAR was significantly dampened. We also observed a decrease in blood pressure in curcumin treated obese OVX mice. Taken together, these data suggest that curcumin lowers blood pressure in obese OVX mice, in part by attenuating the activation of NMDA receptors on glutamatergic neurons.
