Central administration of leucine, but not isoleucine and valine, stimulates feeding behavior in neonatal chicks.
Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are essential amino acids that play a major role in brain energy metabolism. This study was done to elucidate whether central injection of BCAAs influences feeding behavior in chicks. We found that the intracerebroventricular injection of leucine (200 microg) significantly stimulated food intake in neonatal chicks during 30 min postinjection. Additionally, the starting time of feeding and pecking rhythm after injection were significantly accelerated by leucine. In contrast, isoleucine and valine had no effect on ingestive response during experiment periods. Moreover, a metabolite of leucine (alpha-ketoisocaproic acid) at an equimolar concentration of leucine also did not increase food intake in chicks. These results suggest that leucine induces hyperphagia of neonatal chicks and it may be due to the synthesized glutamate by exogenous leucine.
Izumi
Tomofumi
T
Laboratory of Animal Science, Department of Agrobiological Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8566, Japan.
Kawamura
Kazuya
K
Ueda
Hiroshi
H
Bungo
Takashi
T
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001069:Appetite Regulation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002645:Chickens; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006963:Hyperphagia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D007532:Isoleucine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D007651:Keto Acids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D007930:Leucine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014633:Valine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
D007651:Keto Acids; D007532:Isoleucine; D018698:Glutamic Acid; C013082:alpha-ketoisocaproic acid; D007930:Leucine; D014633:Valine