title: An anorexic lipid mediator regulated by feeding.
abstract: Oleylethanolamide (OEA) is a natural analogue of the endogenous cannabinoid anandamide. Like anandamide, OEA is produced in cells in a stimulus-dependent manner and is rapidly eliminated by enzymatic hydrolysis, suggesting a function in cellular signalling. However, OEA does not activate cannabinoid receptors and its biological functions are still unknown. Here we show that, in rats, food deprivation markedly reduces OEA biosynthesis in the small intestine. Administration of OEA causes a potent and persistent decrease in food intake and gain in body mass. This anorexic effect is behaviourally selective and is associated with the discrete activation of brain regions (the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus and the nucleus of the solitary tract) involved in the control of satiety. OEA does not affect food intake when injected into the brain ventricles, and its anorexic actions are prevented when peripheral sensory fibres are removed by treatment with capsaicin. These results indicate that OEA is a lipid mediator involved in the peripheral regulation of feeding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychobiology, Complutense University, 28233 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rodríguez de Fonseca
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Escuredo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nava
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Murillo-Rodríguez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giuffrida
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: LoVerme
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gaetani
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kathuria
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gall
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Piomelli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001067:Appetite Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology*; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000378:metabolism*; D019301:Oleic Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D009829:Oleic Acids; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D001067:Appetite Depressants; D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D009829:Oleic Acids; C440229:Oleylethanolamide; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D019301:Oleic Acid; C078814:anandamide