title: Acute, but not chronic, stress increased the plasma concentration and hypothalamic mRNA expression of NUCB2/nesfatin-1 in rats.
abstract: Nesfatin-1, a newly discovered satiety peptide, has recently been reported to be involved in the stress response. Stress-induced expression of nesfatin-1 has been reported and few studies focus on its expression in the hypothalamus, which is the center of the stress response. To test our hypothesis that peripheral and hypothalamic nesfatin-1 overexpression should play an important role in the stress response and the associated hyperactivity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, acute stress (AS) was induced using water avoidance stress (WAS), and chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) was also induced using 3 consecutive weeks of 7 different stressors. The behavior of CUMS rats was evaluated by an open field test (OFT), sucrose preference test (SPT), and forced swimming test (FST). The activity of the HPA axis was detected by measurement of the plasma corticosterone concentration and hypothalamic mRNA expression of corticotropin-releasing-hormone (CRH). The plasma concentration and hypothalamic mRNA expression of nesfatin-1 were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR, respectively. The results showed that both AS and CUMS increased the plasma corticosterone concentration and hypothalamic CRH mRNA expression. Depression-like behavior was induced in CUMS rats, as indicated by a decreased movement distance, frequency of rearing and grooming in the OFT, and sucrose preference index and increased immobility in the FST. Moreover, the AS rats showed increased plasma concentration and hypothalamic mRNA expression of nesfatin-1, which were positively correlated with the plasma corticosterone concentration and hypothalamic CRH expression, respectively. These results indicated that acute stress, but not chronic stress, increased the plasma concentration and hypothalamic mRNA expression of NUCB2/nesfatin-1 in rats.
authors: School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032 Anhui, China.
authors: Ya-Yun
authors: YY
authors: Xu
authors: School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032 Anhui, China. Electronic address: gejinfang0528@163.com.
authors: Jin-Fang
authors: JF
authors: Ge
authors: School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032 Anhui, China.
authors: Gan
authors: G
authors: Qin
authors: The First Clinical College of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032 Anhui, China.
authors: Yao-Nan
authors: YN
authors: Peng
authors: The First Clinical College of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032 Anhui, China.
authors: Chao-Feng
authors: CF
authors: Zhang
authors: The First Clinical College of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032 Anhui, China.
authors: Xing-Rui
authors: XR
authors: Liu
authors: The First Clinical College of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032 Anhui, China.
authors: Li-Chuan
authors: LC
authors: Liang
authors: The First Clinical College of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032 Anhui, China.
authors: Zhong-Zheng
authors: ZZ
authors: Wang
authors: School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032 Anhui, China. Electronic address: cfhchina@sohu.com.
authors: Fei-Hu
authors: FH
authors: Chen
authors: School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032 Anhui, China.
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D003863:Depression; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000080866:Nucleobindins; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C000630652:Nucb1 protein, rat; D000080866:Nucleobindins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003345:Corticosterone
keywords: Acute stress; Chronic unpredictable mild stress; Depression; Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis; Nesfatin-1; Rat