title: Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) induced anorexia is not influenced by a melanocortin 4 receptor blockage.
abstract: CRF and melanocortin (MSH/ACTH) peptides share a number of central effects including anorexia and grooming. The effects of CRF may be secondary, due to CRF's effects on melanocortin peptide release. We investigated if the newly discovered selective melanocortin 4 receptor antagonist HS014 could influence CRF induced anorexia and grooming. The data show that ICV administration of CRF (3 mg/rat), significantly reduced food intake, feeding time and feeding episodes whereas it increased grooming time and grooming episodes. HS014 (5 mg/rat), that previously has been shown to antagonize the anorectic effect and the excessive grooming induced by alpha-MSH, did however not influence any of the behavioral effects induced by CRF when the peptides were administered together. The data indicate that the anorectic and grooming effects of CRF are independent of pathways involving the MC4 receptors. These data suggest that the anorectic and grooming effect of CRF are not due to a secondary effect caused by increase in release of melanocortins acting on the central MC receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Modena, Italy. helgis@bmc.uu.se
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Vergoni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bertolini
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Wikberg
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Schiöth
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000855:Anorexia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D006120:Grooming / Q000187:drug effects; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D044105:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4; D018043:Receptors, Corticotropin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: C116941:HS014 cyclic peptide; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D044105:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4; D018043:Receptors, Corticotropin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone