title: Interleukin-1 beta-induced anorexia is reversed by ghrelin.
abstract: Interleukins, in particular interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), reduce food intake after peripheral and central administration, which suggests that they contribute to anorexia during various infectious, neoplastic, and autoimmune diseases. On the other hand, ghrelin stimulates food intake by acting on the central nervous system (CNS) and is considered an important regulator of food intake in both rodents and humans. In the present study, we investigated if ghrelin could reverse IL-1beta-induced anorexia. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of 15, 30 or 45 ng/microl of IL-1beta caused significant suppression of food intake in 20 h fasting animals. This effect lasted for a 24h period. Ghrelin (0.15 nmol or 1.5 nmol/microl) produced a significant increase in cumulative food intake in normally fed animals. However, it did not alter food intake in 20 h fasting animals. Central administration of ghrelin reduced the anorexic effect of IL-1beta (15 ng/microl). The effect was observed 30 min after injection and lasted for the next 24h. This study provides evidence that ghrelin is an orexigenic peptide capable of antagonizing IL-1beta-induced anorexia.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Ciudad Universitaria, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: Patricia Verónica
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: Andrea Beatriz
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Cragnolini
authors.forename: Helgi Birgir
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Schiöth
authors.forename: Teresa Nieves
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Scimonelli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000855:Anorexia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000502:physiology*; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D053583:Interleukin-1beta