title: Recombinant leptin in the hypothalamic response to late fasting.
abstract: The aim of the current study was to gain further insight into the implication of leptin in the regulation of hypothalamic gene expression during long-term food deprivation with emphasis on phase 3 of fasting (P3, late protein breakdown). Among plasma parameters, glucose, non-esterified fatty acids, and insulin levels tended to be decreased by leptin infusion, whilst corticosterone levels remained unchanged. From Northern blot analysis, NPY, AGRP, and MCH mRNA gene expressions were differentially regulated during prolonged fasting in leptin-perfused rats. In comparison with fed animals, NPY, AGRP, and MCH mRNA levels in P3 rats treated with leptin either remained stable or increased slightly. Regarding anorexigenic peptides (CART and POMC) and prepro-OX, fasting with leptin induced only slight changes in gene expression. Similar data have been obtained in leptin-treated fasted rats at various doses within the physiological range. We conclude that leptin and particularly low levels of plasma leptin can reasonably be considered as a constituent of a signal triggering the fasting-induced enhanced drive for refeeding in P3.
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Ecologie et Physiologie Energétiques, UPR 9010 CNRS, associé à l'Université Louis Pasteur, 23 rue Becquerel, 67087 Strasbourg Cedex 2, France. Fabrice.Bertile@c-strasbourg.fr
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bertile
authors.forename: Hugues
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oudart
authors.forename: Yvon Le
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Maho
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Raclot
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D005508:Food Deprivation; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin; D009479:Neuropeptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012313:RNA