title: Distribution of proglucagon mRNA and GLP-1 in the brainstem of chicks.
abstract: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), structurally similar to glucagon, synthesized from the precursor proglucagon, is a well known anorexigenic peptide in the brain of several animal species. However, there are no previous reports concerning GLP-1-containing neurons in the chick brain. The aim of the present study was to investigate the distribution of proglucagon mRNA and GLP-1-immunoreactive (GLI) perikarya in various regions of the chick brain. We detected proglucagon mRNA in the brainstem, and to a lesser extent in the telencephalon. In the brainstem, a study using immunohistochemistry revealed that GLI perikarya were present in the nucleus motorius nervi facialis pars dosalis, nucleus motoris dorsalis nervi vagi and nucleus tractus solitarii. Furthermore, we found that proglucagon mRNA expression in the brainstem decreased after 24 h fasting. The present findings support the idea that endogenous GLP-1 is involved in feeding behavior of chicks.
authors.affiliation: United Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan. tetsu@brs.kyushu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tachibana
authors.forename: Kohzy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hiramatsu
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Furuse
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Fumiaki
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yoshizawa
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugahara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000378:metabolism*; D002645:Chickens / Q000502:physiology*; D004435:Eating; D005215:Fasting / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D005934:Glucagon / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; D008297:Male; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism*; D052336:Proglucagon; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D052336:Proglucagon; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; D005934:Glucagon