Premium
Is the central melanocortin system involved in mediating the actions of neuronostatin?
Author(s) -
Yosten Gina L. C.,
Samson Willis K.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.23.1_supplement.1022.5
Subject(s) - melanocortin , orexigenic , melanocortin 3 receptor , endocrinology , medicine , appetite , melanocortin receptor , neuropeptide y receptor , melanocortin 4 receptor , neuropeptide , receptor , biology , chemistry
Neuronostatin (NST), a recently discovered 13 amino acid peptide, is encoded in the somatostatin pro‐hormone. It is produced throughout the body, in particular in brain areas known to be important in metabolic and autonomic regulation, where it exerts direct membrane effects. NST decreases, in a dose‐related fashion, both food and water intake in ad libitum fed rats when injected into the lateral cerebroventricle (i.c.v.). Additionally, i.c.v. NST causes a biphasic increase in mean arterial pressure (MAP) in conscious rats. Because the central melanocortin system is involved in both appetite regulation and cardiovascular control, we sought to determine if the actions of NST required activation of melanocortin receptors. Rats were injected at 1650 with either the melanocortin ¾ receptor antagonist SHU9119 and NST, or NST alone. Food and water intakes were recorded. For cardiovascular studies, rats were pretreated with SHU9119 or saline, and treated with either NST or saline 15 minutes later. We found that pretreatment with SHU9119 abrogated the effect of NST on both food/water intake and MAP, indicating that the actions of NST are likely mediated by activation of central melanocortin systems. Neuronostatin can now be added to the list of neuropeptides with known orexigenic/anorexigenic potency. These data further support the concept of co‐ordinated CNS mechanisms regulating metabolic and autonomic function.