title: Acetylcholinesterase activity changes on visceral organs of VMH lesion-induced obese rats.
abstract: It is accepted that the tone of the parasympathetic nervous system increases after VMH lesion, whereas the sympathetic tone decreases. To reinforce investigations over outcomes from disturbances of the hypothalamic neuronal systems on peripheral autonomic nerve activity this study determined the acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity in visceral organs, known as vagal targets, from VMH-lesioned obese rats. It was found that AchE activity was significantly increased in liver, pancreas, and stomach from these animals. However, it was not changed in kidneys, being decreased in spleen. The results suggest that AchE activity is enhanced in vagus innervated tissues to following up the unbalance of the autonomic nervous system as observed in VMH lesion-induced obesity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Physiology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil. marcuspaes@ufma.br
authors.forename: Antonio M A
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Paes
authors.forename: Sandra R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Carniatto
authors.forename: Flávio A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Francisco
authors.forename: Nilton A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: Paulo C F
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Mathias
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001069:Appetite Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D004064:Digestive System / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006963:Hyperphagia / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014697:Ventromedial Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000293:injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014781:Viscera / Q000294:innervation* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D000109:Acetylcholine