title: Epigenetic regulation of nociceptin/orphanin FQ and corticotropin-releasing factor system genes in frustration stress-induced binge-like palatable food consumption.
abstract: Evidence suggests that binge eating may be caused by a unique interaction between dieting and stress. We developed a binge-eating model in which female rats with a history of intermittent food restriction show binge-like palatable food consumption after a 15-minute exposure to the sight of the palatable food (frustration stress). The aim of the present study was to investigate the regulation of the stress neurohormone corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system and of the nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) system genes in selective rat brain regions, using our animal model. Food restriction by itself seems to be responsible in the hypothalamus for the downregulation on messenger RNA levels of CRF-1 receptor, N/OFQ and its receptor (NOP). For the latter, this alteration might be due to selective histone modification changes. Instead, CRF gene appears to be upregulated in the hypothalamus as well as in the ventral tegmental area only when rats are food restricted and exposed to frustration stress, and, of relevance, these changes appear to be due to a reduction in DNA methylation at gene promoters. Moreover, also CRF-1 receptor gene resulted to be differentially regulated in these two brain regions. Epigenetic changes may be viewed as adaptive mechanisms to environmental perturbations concurring to facilitate food consumption in adverse conditions, that is, in this study, under food restriction and stressful conditions. Our data on N/OFQ and CRF signaling provide insight on the use of this binge-eating model for the study of epigenetic modifications in controlled genetic and environmental backgrounds.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pucci
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Vittoria
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Micioni Di Bonaventura
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Giusepponi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Adele
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical, Metabolic Sciences and Neurosciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Filaferro
authors.affiliation: Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Italy.|European Center for Brain Research (CERC)/Santa Lucia Foundation, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maccarrone
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ciccocioppo
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Italy. carlo.cifani@unicam.it.|Intramural Research Program, NIDA/NIH, Baltimore,, MD, USA. carlo.cifani@unicam.it.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cifani
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Italy. cdaddario@unite.it.|Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. cdaddario@unite.it.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: D'Addario
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D056912:Binge-Eating Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005639:Frustration; D018847:Opioid Peptides / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D000097629:Nociceptin
chemical_list: D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D018847:Opioid Peptides; D000097629:Nociceptin
keywords: Binge eating; corticotropin-releasing factor system; food restriction; frustration stress; nociceptin/orphanin FQ system; palatable food