Urocortin reduces oxygen consumption in lean and ob/ob mice.
A vast number of intensive studies have been undertaken to clarify the mechanisms of energy balance. This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of urocortin, an endogenous ligand for corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) type 2 receptor, on oxygen consumption in lean and genetically obese (ob/ob) mice. Oxygen consumption was measured after intraperitoneal injection in unrestrained mice at an environmental temperature of 22 degrees C of one of the following: urocortin, deamidated form of urocortin (urocortin OH) or CRF. The intraperitoneal injection of urocortin (0.3-3 nmol) dose-dependently decreased oxygen consumption in lean mice. The inhibitory effect induced by urocortin was more potent than that induced by CRF or urocortin OH. The ranking potency was urocortin > urocortin OH > CRF. Urocortin significantly reduced oxygen consumption in ob/ob mice as well as in lean mice. These results suggest that urocortin decreases oxygen consumption, and that the CRF type 2 receptor may influence energy balance in lean and ob/ob mice.
Asakawa
A
A
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Kobe University School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.
Inui
A
A
Ueno
N
N
Makino
S
S
Fujimiya
M
M
Fujino
M A
MA
Kasuga
M
M
D000818:Animals; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008820:Mice, Obese; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D054832:Urocortins
D054832:Urocortins; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone