Reduction of body mass gain in obese mice submitted to overexpression of NHLH2 in the hypothalamus. A, Schematic representation of the protocols used for evaluation of the impact of modulating hypothalamic NHLH2 in diet-induced obese mice that were introduced to an HFD 4 weeks before the lentivirus injections, the obesity treatment model. Transcript expressions of Nhlh2 (B) and Pcsk1 (gene coding for PC1/3) (C). Food intake (D), body mass (E), body mass gain during the 6 week intervention (F), adiposity as determined using DEXA (G,H), epididymal white adipose tissue mass (I), and mean epididymal white adipocyte size (J,K). Transcripts for Tnfa and Il1b were determined in the hypothalamus of mice (L,M). Light- and dark-phase locomotor activity (N), whole day locomotor activity (O), BAT temperature (P,Q), and BAT microscopic morphology (R). *p < 0.05 versus SC4h. K, Red asterisk represents crown-like structures. Crossed lines indicate measurement of adipocyte areas. DXA, Dual X-ray absorptiometry; eWAT, epididymal white adipose tissue; HYP, hypothalamus; OE, overexpression; OE4h, overexpression fed an HFD for 4 weeks before lentivirus injections and maintained on an HFD thereafter until the end of the experimental period; SC, scrambled; SC4h, scrambled fed an HFD for 4 weeks before lentivirus injection and maintained on an HFD thereafter until the end of the experimental period. B, C, L, M, n = 6; D-F, I, n = 6-9; G, H, N-R, n = 4.