title: Changes of hypothalamic alpha-MSH and CART peptide expression in diet-induced obese rats.
abstract: Two hypothalamic peptides, cocaine and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) and alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH), recognized as anorexigenic neuropeptides to suppress the feeding behavior, were monitored in rats fed with a high-fat (HIF) diet for 14 weeks. While half of the rats developed obesity (diet-induced obese, DIO), some did not (diet resistant, DR). Compared to the DR rats and the control rats (fed with standard chow), DIO rats were accompanied by a markedly higher energy intake and a decrease in the number of neurons carrying alpha-MSH and CART peptide in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus. Failure of hypothalamic anorexigenic peptides CART and alpha-MSH to increase their content in response to HIF diet may play a key role for overly high energy consumption, resulting in obesity.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Research Institute, Peking University, 38 Xue-Yuan Road, Beijing 100083, PR China.
authors.forename: De-Run
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Xiao-Dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yu-Shun
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: You
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Xiao-Min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jaw-Kang
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ji-Sheng
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001111:Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D015870:Gene Expression; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000098882:Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript Protein
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000098882:Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript Protein; D000521:alpha-MSH