title: Desmethionine-bombesin receptor antagonist blocks bombesin-induced inhibition of alcohol intake.
abstract: [D-Phe6,Des-Met14]bombesin(6-14), ethyl amide (D-BN) is a specific, competitive receptor antagonist of bombesin, a neuropeptide that inhibits alcohol and food intake. We tested the effects of IP injected D-BN (4-400 micrograms/kg) on bombesin-induced (4 micrograms/kg) reduction of caloric intake. In the first experiment, ad lib-fed female and male rats (Ns = 18) were deprived of water for 23 h, injected with peptides or saline in randomized sequences of doses, and immediately given access to 5% w/v ethanol for 30 min, followed by 30 min of water. In a second experiment, male rats (N = 10) were injected with the antagonist at 10 or 20 min prior to bombesin injection and alcohol access, and behaviors were observed and quantified once a minute with an instantaneous time-sampling technique. D-BN injection blocked the bombesin-induced reduction in alcohol intake (> or = 40 micrograms/kg) and food intake (> or = 200 micrograms/kg). When injected 20 min prior to access, D-BN alone (200 micrograms/kg) initially elevated alcohol drinking and later increased feeding behaviors and decreased resting, relative to saline injection. Results indicate bombesin-induced reduction of alcohol intake depends on a specific peptidergic receptor process, and endogenous bombesin-like peptide could act physiologically to elicit satiation with ethanol and food.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Southern Colorado, Pueblo 81001-4901.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Ballou
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Marrinan
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kulkosky
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D001839:Bombesin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018004:Receptors, Bombesin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D018004:Receptors, Bombesin; C086327:bombesin (6-14)-ethylamide, Phe(6)-des-Met(14)-; D000431:Ethanol; D001839:Bombesin