The endocannabinoid arachidonylethanolamide attenuates aspects of lipopolysaccharide-induced changes in energy intake, energy expenditure and hypothalamic Fos expression.
Arachidonylethanolamide (AEA), an endocannabinoid, regulates both appetite and the immune system. The present study investigated in the rat the ability of AEA (1mg/kg, s.c.) to attenuate the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced (100μg/kg, i.p.) changes in metabolic indices and Fos expression within hypothalamic and mesolimbic systems. AEA attenuated LPS-induced fever and hypophagia, abolished LPS-induced decreases in Fos expression within the arcuate and ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus, while both AEA and LPS independently increased Fos expression within the nucleus accumbens. These results highlight the importance of hypothalamic and mesolimbic systems in the regulation of appetite and energy partitioning.
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia. jacob.hollis@monash.edu
Jacob H
JH
Hollis
Hossein
H
Jonaidi
Moyra
M
Lemus
Brian J
BJ
Oldfield
D000818:Animals; D001069:Appetite Regulation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005334:Fever / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D055809:Illness Behavior / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; C078814:anandamide