Increased hypothalamic neuropeptide Y messenger RNA levels in two rat models of diabetes.
Elevated levels of immunoreactive hypothalamic neuropeptide Y have recently been reported both in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and in the spontaneously diabetic BB rat. We have measured the levels of neuropeptide Y encoding messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) in both of these rat models to determine whether an increase in neuropeptide Y gene expression is a contributory factor to the increases in hypothalamic neuropeptide Y immunoreactive peptide content. In the hypothalami of both the spontaneously diabetic BB/E and the streptozotocin-diabetic animals, neuropeptide Y mRNA showed significant elevations (to 204 +/- 13% (+/- SE) and 387 +/- 48% of control values, respectively, p less than 0.01 for both). Our results demonstrate that two models of insulin-deficient diabetes in the rat are associated with increased hypothalamic neuropeptide Y mRNA. Taken with the known effects of neuropeptide Y on food intake these results suggest that increased neuropeptide Y synthesis in the hypothalamus may be related to the hyperphagia seen in the diabetic condition.
Jones
P M
PM
Department of Medicine, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK.
Pierson
A M
AM
Williams
G
G
Ghatei
M A
MA
Bloom
S R
SR
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015342:DNA Probes; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011913:Rats, Inbred BB; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D001786:Blood Glucose; D015342:DNA Probes; D007328:Insulin; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D012333:RNA, Messenger