title: Food deprivation increases the mRNA expression of micro-opioid receptors in the ventral medial hypothalamus and arcuate nucleus.
abstract: Activation of micro-opioid receptors makes animals hyperphagic and increases their preference for a high-fat diet. Previous studies have suggested that this receptor population plays a role in mediating the hyperphagia that is associated with food deprivation. In this paper, we tested the hypothesis that food deprivation will increase the expression of micro-opioid receptors in the ventral medial hypothalamus and arcuate nucleus (VMH/ARC). Food deprivation resulted in a significant increase in the mRNA expression of micro-opioid receptors in the VMH/ARC and the lateral hypothalamus (LH) after 48 h of fasting but not after 24 or 12 h of fasting in either the light or dark. We did not observe a change in the mRNA expression of kappa- or delta-opioid receptors after food deprivation. When food-deprived animals were given a choice between a low-fat diet and a high-fat diet, they were hyperphagic and consumed significantly more of the high-fat diet. When the micro-opioid receptors were blocked with beta-funaltrexamine (selective mu-opioid receptor antagonist), prior to giving food-deprived animals access to both a low-fat and high-fat diet, it significantly decreased the percentage of high-fat diet consumed. These data demonstrate that hypothalamic micro-opioid receptors may contribute to the hyperphagia and increased preference for a high-fat diet that is associated with food deprivation.
authors.affiliation: Dietary Obesity Laboratory, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, 6400 Perkins Rd., Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA. maria.barnes@pbrc.edu
authors.forename: Maria J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.forename: Stefany D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Primeaux
authors.forename: George A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Bray