title: Leptin receptor expression in the basolateral nucleus of amygdala of conditioned taste aversion rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether serum leptin level and the leptin receptor (OB-R) expression in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) change following conditioned taste aversion (CTA) formation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The serum leptin concentration was measured by rat leptin RIA kit, long and short forms of leptin receptor (OB-Rb and OB-Ra) mRNA in the brain sections were examined by in situ hybridization (ISH) and the expression of OB-R was assessed by immunohistochemistry ABC method with a highly specific goat anti-OB-R antibody.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The level of serum leptin didn't show significant difference between CTA and control group. Comparing with the control group, the CTA group had an increase on count of OB-R immunohistochemistry positive-stained cells in the BLA (127+/-12 vs 48+/-9 per 1 mm(2)). The OB-Rb mRNA expression level enhanced by 11.9 % in the BLA, while OB-Ra mRNA level increased by 7.4 % on the choroid plexus in CTA group. So BLA was supposed to be a region where interactions between gustatory and vagal signals take place.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BLA is one of the sites, which are responsible for CTA formation in the brain. Leptin and OB-R maybe involved in neuronal communication for CTA. So leptin and its receptors probably take part in CTA and integration of autonomic and extroceptive information.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Jian-Qun
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Guo-Gang
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yi-Li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D054411:Receptors, Leptin; D013649:Taste
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D054411:Receptors, Leptin