title: Intraperitoneal injection of neuropeptide Y (NPY) alters neurotrophin rat hypothalamic levels: Implications for NPY potential role in stress-related disorders.
abstract: Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a 36-amino acid peptide which exerts several regulatory actions within peripheral and central nervous systems. Among NPY actions preclinical and clinical data have suggested that the anxiolytic and antidepressant actions of NPY may be related to its antagonist action on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The neurotrophins brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) are proteins involved in the growth, survival and function of neurons. In addition to this, a possible role of neurotrophins, particularly BDNF, in HPA axis hyperactivation has been proposed. To characterize the effect of NPY on the production of neurotrophins in the hypothalamus we exposed young adult rats to NPY intraperitoneal administration for three consecutive days and then evaluated BDNF and NGF synthesis in this brain region. We found that NPY treatment decreased BDNF and increased NGF production in the hypothalamus. Given the role of neurotrophins in the hypothalamus, these findings, although preliminary, provide evidence for a role of NPY as inhibitor of HPA axis and support the idea that NPY might be involved in pathologies characterized by HPA axis dysfunctions.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, 00179 Rome, Italy. francesca.gelfo@email.it
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gelfo
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Bartolo
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tirassa
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Croce
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caltagirone
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Petrosini
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Angelucci
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D040921:Stress Disorders, Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor