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Nesfatin‐1 influences the excitability of subfornical organ neurons
Author(s) -
Kuksis Markus Arnis,
Dai Li,
Ferguson Alastair V
Publication year - 2013
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.27.1_supplement.1123.3
Subject(s) - subfornical organ , depolarization , thirst , membrane potential , hyperpolarization (physics) , endocrinology , neuroscience , medicine , chemistry , osmoreceptor , biology , blood pressure , renin–angiotensin system , organic chemistry , nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
Nesfatin‐1, a centrally acting anorexigenic peptide, is produced in several brain areas involved in metabolic function and has been implicated in appetite and thirst reflexes. The present study was thus undertaken to determine the specific role of nesfatin‐1 in appetite and thirst regulation mediated by the subfornical organ (SFO). We first used RT‐PCR and were able to confirm the presence of nesfatin‐1 in SFO. We then used whole‐cell patch clamp recordings to investigate the influence of nesfatin‐1 on the membrane potential of dissociated SFO neurons. Approximately 68.8% (42 of 61) of neurons tested showed a response to nesfatin‐1 (10 nM and 1 nM). Of the responding neurons, 50% depolarized by a mean depolarization of 10.6 ± 1.64 mV (n=21) and 50% hyperpolarized by a mean hyperpolarization of −8.8 ± 2.2 mV (n=21). No effect was observed at a concentration of 100 pM (n=3). This study has demonstrated that nesfatin‐1 has the ability to change the membrane potential of SFO neurons, and therefore can be identified as a potential modulator of SFO function. Supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research