The role of visfatin/ NAMPT in the regulation of feeding in goldfish (Carassius auratus)

Abstract

The protein NAMPT (nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, encoded by the NAPMT gene) is present in two forms. The intracellular form of NAMPT (iNAMPT) is the rate-limiting enzyme in a major nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) biosynthetic pathway and regulates cellular metabolism. NAMPT is also secreted by cells in the extracellular milieu, and referred to as extracellular NAMPT (eNAMPT or visfatin). In mammals, visfatin has been linked to various metabolic disorders. However, the role of visfatin in regulating energy homeostasis in fish is not known. In this study, we assessed the effects of nutritional status on NAMPT mRNA expression and the effects of visfatin peripheral injections on food intake and the expression of appetite regulators in goldfish. Our results show that NAMPT is widely expressed in peripheral tissues and brain. Fasting induced increases in NAMPT expression in liver but had no effect on either brain or intestine NAMPT expression levels. Intraperitoneal injections of visfatin (400 ng/g) induced an increase in food intake and in expression levels of hepatic leptin and sirtuin1. Visfatin injections decreased intestine CCK and PYY, and telencephalon (but not hypothalamic) orexin and NPY expression levels. Visfatin did not affect plasma glucose levels, intestine ghrelin or brain CART, POMC and AgRP expressions. These data suggest that visfatin/NAMPT might be involved in the regulation of feeding and energy homeostasis in goldfish.