Psychopharmacological activity of anaphylatoxin C3a in rat hypothalamus.
C3a anaphylatoxin injected into the perifornical hypothalamic region of sated rats increased the eating response to norepinephrine and the drinking response to carbamyl choline but had no effect on food or water intake in sated, saline control animals. This potentiation of drug-stimulated intakes was reversible by intrahypothalamic injection of catecholamine receptor antagonists haloperidol and phentolamine. We propose that C3a acts as a catecholamine agonist in the central nervous system. The results suggest that C3a may play a role in mediating the neuropsychiatric manifestations associated with immune complex formation or deposition in the central nervous system.
D000818:Animals; D002217:Carbachol / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015926:Complement C3a; D004326:Drinking / Q000187:drug effects*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects*; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000494:pharmacology; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D010646:Phentolamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D003176:Complement C3; D015926:Complement C3a; D002217:Carbachol; D006220:Haloperidol; D009638:Norepinephrine; D010646:Phentolamine