title: Gastrin releasing peptides increase Fos-like immunoreactivity in the enteric nervous system and the dorsal vagal complex.
abstract: We and others have shown that gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) reduces food intake. In this study, we determined the activation of the gastrointestinal and dorsal vagal complex (DVC) neurons by various forms of GRP to determine the pathway involved in this reduction. We found the following: (1) GRP-10, -27 and -29 (2.1 nmol/kg, i.p.) increased the Fos-like immunoreactivity (Fos-LI, a marker for neuronal activation) in the myenteric neurons of the stomach and the area postrema (AP) of the DVC; (2) GRP-27 and GRP-29 increased the Fos-LI in the myenteric plexus of the duodenum; and (3) only GRP-29 increased the Fos-LI in the submucosal plexus of the duodenum. In conclusion, GRP may reduce food intake by activating the area postrema. The enteric neurons may have a potential role in this reduction through the direct activation of the AP or exerting local gut actions, such as the stimulation of gut motility or secretions.
authors: Gastroenterology Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USA.
authors: Martha C
authors: MC
authors: Washington
authors: Ayman I
authors: AI
authors: Sayegh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D031608:Area Postrema / Q000378:metabolism; D017615:Enteric Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D019886:Gastrin-Releasing Peptide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009197:Myenteric Plexus / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013368:Submucous Plexus / Q000378:metabolism; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D000099169:Fos-Related Antigen 1
chemical_list: D019886:Gastrin-Releasing Peptide; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D000099169:Fos-Related Antigen 1