title: Activation of c-fos expression in the rat inferior olivary nucleus by ghrelin.
abstract: Ghrelin, a novel 28-amino-acid hormone secreted by gastric oxyntic glands, stimulates food intake and induces adiposity. We examined whether ghrelin activates the inferior olivary nucleus. Systemic administration of ghrelin (37 nmol/kg) induced the expression of c-fos immunoreactivity in inferior olive neurons (n=6 rats). The number of neurons containing c-fos staining was significantly increased in the ghrelin-treated rats (65+/-14 vs.11+/-6 positive neurons, n=5). No significant difference in c-fos-positive neurons was observed between left (32+/-5) and right (33+/-6) inferior olivary nuclei. The number of c-fos-positive neurons in rats with bilateral vagotomy was not significantly different from those with intact vagal nerves. The present study demonstrates that ghrelin induces c-fos expression in inferior olivary nucleus via a central mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Michigan Gastrointestinal Peptide Center, University of Michigan, 2101 Taubman, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0346, USA.
authors.forename: Weizhen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Theodore R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yuexian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Yongyi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Mulholland
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D054439:Ghrelin; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009847:Olivary Nucleus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014628:Vagotomy / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos