The short chain sugar acid, 2-buten-4-olide, activates oxytocin-secreting neurons but not arginine vasopressin-secreting neurons in the hypothalamus of rats.
The effects of intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of 2-buten-4-olide (2-B4O), an endogenous sugar acid, on the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal system were examined in rats. Plasma oxytocin (OXT) levels were significantly increased 15-60 min after i.p. administration of 2-B4O (100 mg/kg), whereas plasma arginine vasopressin (AVP) did not change. Dual immunostaining revealed that Fos-like immunoreactivity (LI) was predominantly observed in OXT-secreting neurons in the paraventricular (PVN) and the supraoptic nuclei (SON) 120 min after i.p. administration of 2-B4O. In addition, many Fos-LI neurons were observed in the nucleus of the tractus solitarius (NTS) after i.p. administration of 2-B4O. These results suggest that a peripherally administered high dose of 2-B4O activates OXT-secreting neurons in the hypothalamus through activation of NTS neurons, possibly as a result of a stress response.
Kawasaki
Makoto
M
Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Kitakyushu 807-8555, Japan.
Yamaga
Chiyo
C
Onaka
Tatsushi
T
Saito
Jun
J
Mera
Takashi
T
Hashimoto
Hirofumi
H
Fujihara
Hiroaki
H
Okimoto
Nobukazu
N
Ohnishi
Hideo
H
Nakamura
Toshitaka
T
Ueta
Yoichi
Y
D015107:4-Butyrolactone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001067:Appetite Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000378:metabolism*; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000166:cytology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000378:metabolism*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew
D001067:Appetite Depressants; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D010121:Oxytocin; C004511:butenolide; D015107:4-Butyrolactone