title: A comparative study of the central effects of melanocortin peptides on food intake in broiler and layer chicks.
abstract: Broiler chicks eat more food than layer chicks. However, the causes of the difference in food intake in the neonatal period between these strains are not clear. In this study, we examined the involvement of proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived melanocortin peptides α-, β- and γ-melanocyte-stimulating hormones (MSHs) in the difference in food intake between broiler and layer chicks. First, we compared the hypothalamic mRNA levels of POMC between these strains and found that there was no significant difference in these levels between broiler and layer chicks. Next, we examined the effects of central administration of MSHs on food intake in these strains. Central administration of α-MSH significantly suppressed food intake in both strains. Central administration of β-MSH significantly suppressed food intake in layer chicks, but not in broiler chicks, while central administration of γ-MSH did not influence food intake in either strain. It is therefore likely that the absence of the anorexigenic effect of β-MSH might be related to the increased food intake in broiler chicks.
authors: Department of Bioresource Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, Kobe 657-8501, Japan. honda@tiger.kobe-u.ac.jp
authors: Kazuhisa
authors: K
authors: Honda
authors: Takaoki
authors: T
authors: Saneyasu
authors: Shin
authors: S
authors: Hasegawa
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Kamisoyama
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001066:Appetite / Q000187:drug effects*; D002645:Chickens / Q000378:metabolism*; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000187:drug effects*; D015870:Gene Expression; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D044105:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D019824:beta-MSH / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D019825:gamma-MSH / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D044105:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4; D019824:beta-MSH; D019825:gamma-MSH; D000521:alpha-MSH; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin