title: Responsiveness to peripherally administered melanocortins in lean and obese mice.
abstract: To elucidate mechanisms of melanocortin action, we investigated the effects of a melanocortin receptor agonist (melanotetan II [MTII]) in lean C57BL/6J and obese (DIO, ob/ob, UCP1-DTA) mice. MTII administration (100 microg q.i.d. i.p.) for 24 h results in similar weight loss but a more pronounced decrease of food intake in DIO mice. After 4 and 8 days of MTII treatment, however, the reduction in both food intake and body weight is more pronounced in DIO mice than in lean mice. MTII administration for 24 h prevents food deprivation-induced alterations in hypothalamic neuropeptide Y (NPY) and liver adiponectin receptor 1 and adiponectin receptor 2 mRNA expression, but does not alter hypothalamic mRNA expression of melanocortin 4 receptor or adiponectin serum and mRNA expression levels. NPY and agouti gene-related protein (AgRP) mRNA expression after 8 days of MTII is increased to levels comparable to pair-fed mice. In summary, 1) MTII is an effective treatment for obesity and related metabolic defects in leptin-resistant (DIO, UCP1-DTA) and leptin-sensitive (ob/ob) mouse models of obesity; 2) the effects of MTII on food intake and body weight are more pronounced in DIO mice than in lean mice; 3) the tachyphylactic effect after prolonged MTII administration appears to be, at least in part, caused by a compensatory upregulation of NPY and AgRP mRNA levels, whereas decreasing leptin levels may play a very minor role in mediating tachyphylaxis; and 4) alterations in adiponectin receptor mRNA expression after fasting or MTII treatment may contribute to altered insulin sensitivity and needs to be studied further.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Susann
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blüher
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ziotopoulou
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Bullen
authors.forename: Stergios J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Moschos
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ungsunan
authors.forename: Efi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kokkotou
authors.forename: Eleftheria
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maratos-Flier
authors.forename: Christos S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Mantzoros
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000187:drug effects; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D020738:Leptin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008820:Mice, Obese; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000378:metabolism; D054419:Receptors, Adiponectin; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D013851:Thinness; D013997:Time Factors; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D054419:Receptors, Adiponectin; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C475419:adiponectin receptor 1, mouse; D000521:alpha-MSH