Effects of caloric restriction on gene expression in the arcuate nucleus.
Neuroendocrine alterations that repress energy-costly physiologic processes such as reproduction and growth and induce stress responses, might underlie the antiaging effect of caloric restriction (CR). Neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARH) might have a pivotal role in these neuroendocrine alterations. We investigated the effects of CR on gene expression of neuropeptide Y (NPY), proopiomelanocortin (POMC), growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), somatostatin (SRIH), and cyclophilin (CP) in the ARH in male F344 rats at 6 months of age. Rats were fed ad libitum or a 30% caloric restricted diet with a modified alternate-days feeding regimen from 6 weeks of age. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) methods were used to quantify mRNA levels over multiple time points during the 12-h/12-h dark/light cycle over a 2-days feeding cycle. The present study demonstrated that CR increased NPY-mRNA levels, but decreased POMC, GHRH, and CP mRNA levels differentially over the feeding cycle. The SRIH level was not significantly affected by CR. The present results support the neuroendocrine hypothesis of CR.
Shimokawa
Isao
I
Department of Respiratory and Digestive Medicine, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki City 852-8523, Japan. shimo@net.nagasaki-u.ac.jp
Fukuyama
Tamaki
T
Yanagihara-Outa
Kurumi
K
Tomita
Masato
M
Komatsu
Toshimitsu
T
Higami
Yoshikazu
Y
Tuchiya
Tomoshi
T
Chiba
Takuya
T
Yamaza
Yoshiharu
Y
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001111:Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D031204:Caloric Restriction; D021983:Cyclophilins / Q000235:genetics; D017931:DNA Primers; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D015870:Gene Expression; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000235:genetics; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000235:genetics; D013997:Time Factors
D017931:DNA Primers; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013004:Somatostatin; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; D021983:Cyclophilins