title: Neuroendocrine regulatory peptide-1 and neuroendocrine regulatory peptide-2 influence differentially feeding and penile erection in male rats: sites of action in the brain.
abstract: The effect of NERP-1 and NERP-2, two recently discovered VGF-derived peptides, on feeding and penile erection was studied after injection into the lateral ventricles, the lateral hypothalamus, the arcuate nucleus or the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. NERP-2 (1-5 nmol), but not NERP-1 (2-4 nmol), increased feeding in a dose-dependent manner when injected into the lateral ventricles or bilaterally into the lateral hypothalamus but not into the arcuate or the paraventricular nucleus. The effect of NERP-2 given into the lateral ventricles was found in the first, but not in the second 60 min after treatment, and was antagonized by SB-408124, an orexin-1 receptor antagonist given into the lateral ventricles or the arcuate nucleus, but not into the paraventricular nucleus. However, SB-408124 was unable to reduce NERP-2-induced feeding when injected bilaterally into the lateral hypothalamus before NERP-2 given also bilaterally into the lateral hypothalamus. In contrast, NERP-1, but not NERP-2, induced penile erection in a dose-dependent manner when injected into the lateral ventricles or the arcuate nucleus, but not into the paraventricular nucleus or the lateral hypothalamus. The pro-erectile effect of NERP-1 was not prevented by the prior injection of d(CH(2))(5)Tyr (Me)(2)-Orn(8)-oxytocin or SB-408124 into the lateral ventricles. The present results suggest that while NERP-2 facilitates feeding by acting in the lateral hypothalamus, possibly by increasing orexin activity in the arcuate nucleus, NERP-1 facilitates penile erection by acting in the arcuate nucleus with a mechanism not related to orexin or oxytocin.
authors.affiliation: Bernard B Brodie Department of Neuroscience and Centre of Excellence for the Neurobiology of Addictions, University of Cagliari, and Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council, Cagliari Section, 09042 Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy. mrmelis@unica.it
authors.forename: Maria Rosaria
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Melis
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sanna
authors.forename: Salvatora
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Succu
authors.forename: Gian Luca
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Ferri
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Argiolas
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001111:Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D007026:Hypothalamic Area, Lateral / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D020547:Lateral Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D064446:Orexin Receptors; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000187:drug effects*; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064446:Orexin Receptors; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide; C542397:SB 408124; C523894:neuroendocrine regulatory peptide-1, rat; C523896:neuroendocrine regulatory peptide-2, rat; D010121:Oxytocin