title: The number of preproghrelin mRNA expressing cells is increased in mice with activity-based anorexia.
abstract: Plasma levels of ghrelin, an orexigenic peptide, are increased during conditions of chronic starvation, such as in patients with anorexia nervosa. However, it is not known whether such increase can be related to the number of preproghrelin mRNA-expressing cells in the stomach, and if chronic starvation may activate a tentative central ghrelin production. In this work, in situ hybridization technique was used to analyze the presence and number of preproghrelin mRNA-expressing cells in the stomach and the hypothalamus of mice with activity-based anorexia (ABA) induced by the combination of running wheel activity with progressive, during 10 days, feeding-time restriction (FTR) and compared with sedentary FTR, ABA pair-fed (PF) and ad libitum-fed control mice. All food-restricted mice lost more than 20% of body weight. Body weight loss was similar in ABA and PF mice, but it was more pronounced than in FTR mice. Food intake was also lower in ABA than in FTR mice. Preproghrelin mRNA-expressing cells in the stomach were increased proportionally to the body weight loss in all food-restricted groups with the highest number in ABA mice. No preproghrelin mRNA-producing cells were detectable in the hypothalamus of either control or food-restricted mice. Thus, the increased number of gastric preproghrelin mRNA-producing cells during chronic starvation proportionally to the body weight loss and reduced food intake may underlie increased plasma ghrelin. Hyperactivity-induced anorexia appears to further increase the number of preproghrelin mRNA-producing cells in the stomach. No evidence was found for ghrelin expression in the hypothalamus, not even in any of the present experimental models.
authors.affiliation: Inserm UMR1073, Nutrition, Gut and Brain Laboratory, Rouen 76183, France; Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine (IRIB), Rouen University, Normandy University, Rouen, 76183, France.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: François
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 17177, Sweden.
authors.forename: Swapnali
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barde
authors.affiliation: Inserm UMR1073, Nutrition, Gut and Brain Laboratory, Rouen 76183, France; Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine (IRIB), Rouen University, Normandy University, Rouen, 76183, France; Department of Nutrition, Rouen University Hospital, CHU Charles Nicolle, Rouen, 76183, France.
authors.forename: Najate
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Achamrah
authors.affiliation: Inserm UMR1073, Nutrition, Gut and Brain Laboratory, Rouen 76183, France; Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine (IRIB), Rouen University, Normandy University, Rouen, 76183, France.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Breton
authors.affiliation: Animal Behavior Platform (SCAC), Rouen, 76183, France; Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine (IRIB), Rouen University, Normandy University, Rouen, 76183, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: do Rego
authors.affiliation: Inserm UMR1073, Nutrition, Gut and Brain Laboratory, Rouen 76183, France; Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine (IRIB), Rouen University, Normandy University, Rouen, 76183, France; Department of Nutrition, Rouen University Hospital, CHU Charles Nicolle, Rouen, 76183, France.
authors.forename: Moïse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coëffier
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 17177, Sweden.
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hökfelt
authors.affiliation: Inserm UMR1073, Nutrition, Gut and Brain Laboratory, Rouen 76183, France; Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine (IRIB), Rouen University, Normandy University, Rouen, 76183, France; Department of Nutrition, Rouen University Hospital, CHU Charles Nicolle, Rouen, 76183, France.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Déchelotte
authors.affiliation: Inserm UMR1073, Nutrition, Gut and Brain Laboratory, Rouen 76183, France; Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine (IRIB), Rouen University, Normandy University, Rouen, 76183, France. Electronic address: serguei.fetissov@univ-rouen.fr.
authors.forename: Sergueï O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Fetissov
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000855:Anorexia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology*; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D012333:RNA, Messenger
keywords: Anorexia; Feeding control; Hunger; Hypothalamus; In situ hybridization