Localization of phospho-tyrosine489-β-adducin immunoreactivity in the hypothalamic tanycytes and its involvement in energy homeostasis

β-Adducin is a cytoskeletal protein that interacts with the actin filaments to suppress actin polymerization and facilitate actin-spectrin binding. We have previously shown that β-adducin is phosphorylated by Fyn at tyrosine489 in the rat brain and bound to its Src-homology 2 domain. In the present study, we examined the immunohistochemical localization of the tyrosine489-phosphorylated form of β-adducin (pY489-β-adducin) in the rat brain. Among brain regions, highest immunoreactivity was located in the hypothalamic tanycytes that are of glial origin lining around the third cerebral ventricle. Their immunoreactive processes extended into the arcuate nucleus, ventromedial hypothalamus and the median eminence. In addition, the pY489-β-adducin immunoreactivity in the tanycytes was enhanced after fasting for 36–48 h, being associated with a morphological change of the DARPP-32-immunoreactivity. Intraperitoneal injection of 2-deoxy-d-glucose also enhances pY489-β-adducin immunoreactivity in the tanycytes, along with increased food intake. These results suggest that tyrosine phosphorylation of β-adducin in the tanycytes is involved in hypothalamic regulation of food intake and energy homeostasis.