Xenin, a gastrointestinal peptide, regulates feeding independent of the melanocortin signaling pathway.
OBJECTIVE
Xenin, a 25-amino acid peptide, was initially isolated from human gastric mucosa. Plasma levels of xenin rise after a meal in humans, and administration of xenin inhibits feeding in rats and chicks. However, little is known about the mechanism by which xenin regulates food intake. Signaling pathways including leptin and melanocortins play a pivotal role in the regulation of energy balance. Therefore, we addressed the hypothesis that xenin functions as a satiety factor by acting through the melanocortin system or by interacting with leptin.


METHODS
The effect of intracerebroventricular and intraperitoneal administration of xenin on food intake was examined in wild-type, agouti, and ob/ob mice. The effect of intracerebroventricular injection of SHU9119, a melanocortin receptor antagonist, on xenin-induced anorexia was also examined in wild-type mice. To determine whether the hypothalamus mediates the anorectic effect of xenin, we examined the effect of intraperitoneal xenin on hypothalamic Fos expression.


RESULTS
Both intracerebroventricular and intraperitoneal administration of xenin inhibited fasting-induced hyperphagia in wild-type mice in a dose-dependent manner. The intraperitoneal injection of xenin also reduced nocturnal intake in ad libitum-fed wild-type mice. The intraperitoneal injection of xenin increased Fos immunoreactivity in hypothalamic nuclei, including the paraventricular nucleus and the arcuate nucleus. Xenin reduced food intake in agouti and ob/ob mice. SHU9119 did not block xenin-induced anorexia.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that xenin reduces food intake partly by acting through the hypothalamus but via signaling pathways that are independent of those used by leptin or melanocortins.
Leckstrom
Arnold
A
Department of Physiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Kim
Eun Ran
ER
Wong
Davie
D
Mizuno
Tooru M
TM
D000818:Animals; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects*; D005215:Fasting / Q000502:physiology; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D053486:Melanocortins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008820:Mice, Obese; D009496:Neurotensin; D016761:Oncogene Proteins v-fos / Q000378:metabolism; D010455:Peptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D044101:Receptors, Melanocortin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D020738:Leptin; D053486:Melanocortins; D016761:Oncogene Proteins v-fos; D010455:Peptides; D044101:Receptors, Melanocortin; C077659:xenin 25; C103272:SHU 9119; D009496:Neurotensin; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones