Intake In Animals Research Articles

The Gut-Liver Axis in the Control of Energy Metabolism and Food Intake in Animals.

Recent research has convincingly demonstrated a bidirectional communication axis between the gut and liver that enables the gut microbiota to strongly affect animals' feeding behavior and energy metabolism. As such, the gut-liver axis enables the host to control and shape the gut microbiota and to protect the intestinal barrier. Gut microbiota-host communication is based on several gut-derived compounds, such as short-chain fatty acids, bile acids, methylamines, amino acid-derived metabolites, and microbial-associated molecular patterns, which act as communication signals, and multiple host receptors, which sense the signals, thereby stimulating signaling and metabolic pathways in all key tissues of energy metabolism and food intake regulation. Disturbance in the microbial ecosystem balance, or microbial dysbiosis, causes profound derangements in the regulation of appetite and satiety in the hypothalamic centers of the brain and in key metabolic pathways in peripheral tissues owing to intestinal barrier disruption and subsequent induction of hepatic and hypothalamic inflammation.

JAK2/STAT3 Pathway is Required for α7nAChR-Dependent Expression of POMC and AGRP Neuropeptides in Male Mice.

Cholinergic signalling mediated by the activation of muscarinic and nicotinic receptors has been described in the literature as a classic and important signalling pathway in the regulation of the inflammatory response. Recent research has investigated the role of acetylcholine, the physiological agonist of these receptors, in the control of energy homeostasis at the central level. Studies have shown that mice that do not express acetylcholine in brain regions regulating energy homeostasis present with excessive weight gain and hyperphagia. However, it has not yet been well-described in the literature which cholinergic receptor subunits are involved in this response; moreover, the signalling pathways responsible for the observed effects are not fully delineated. The hypothalamus is the regulating centre of energy homeostasis, and the α7 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) is highly expressed in this region. When active, α7nAChR recruits proteins such as JAK2/STAT3 to mediate its signalling; the same intracellular components are required by leptin, an anorexigenic hormone. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of the hypothalamic α7nAChR in the control of energy homeostasis. The work was performed on Swiss male mice. Initially, using immunofluorescent staining on brain sections, the presence of α7nAChR in hypothalamic cells regulating energy homeostasis was evaluated. Animals were submitted to stereotaxis in the lateral ventricle and intracerebroventricular stimulation (ICV) was used for the administration of an agonist (PNU) or antagonist (α-bungarotoxin) of α7nAChR. Metabolic parameters were evaluated and the expression of neuropeptides was evaluated in the hypothalamus by real-time PCR and western blot. The expression of hypothalamic neuropeptides was evaluated in mice treated with siRNA or inhibitors of JAK2/STAT3 (AG490 and STATTIC) proteins. We also evaluated food intake in α7nAChR knockout animals (α7KO). Additionally, in mouse hypothalamic cell culture (the mypHoA-POMC/GFP lineage), we evaluated the expression of neuropeptides and pSTAT3 after stimulation with PNU. Our results indicate co-localisation of α7nAChR with α-MSH, AgRP and NPY in hypothalamic cells. Pharmacological activation of α7nAChR reduced food intake and increased hypothalamic POMC expression and decreased NPY and AgRP mRNA levels and the protein content of pAMPK. Inhibition of α7nAChR with an antagonist increased the mRNA content of NPY and AgRP. Inhibition of α7nAChR with siRNA led to the suppression of POMC expression and an increase in AgRP mRNA levels. α7KO mice showed no changes in food intake. Inhibition of proteins involved in the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway reversed the effects observed after PNU stimulation. POMC-GFP cells, when treated with PNU, showed increased POMC expression and nuclear translocation of pSTAT3. Thus, selective activation of α7nAChR is able to modulate important markers of the response to food intake, suggesting that α7nAChR activation can suppress the expression of orexigenic markers and favour the expression of anorexics using the intracellular JAK2/STAT3 machinery.

Molecular Analysis of Leptin Gene Polymorphism in Achai, Sahiwal Cattle and Nili-ravi Buffalo Breeds of Pakistan

Pakistan is blessed with rich sheep genetic resources and being a source of milk, meat and wool sheep breeds are reared across the country. Despite its great economic importance very limited work has been done in Pakistan on sheep genetic exploration. Leptin hormone plays important role in milk yield, body weight, energy balance, feed intake, immune function and fertility performance in animals. The current study was carried out to investigate genetic polymorphism in exon III of Leptin gene (LEP) in indigenous animal breeds (Nilli-ravi buffalo, Sahiwal and Achai cattle) of Pakistan using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). PCR-RFLP analysis revealed that all the three studied animals breeds were polymorphic for i>LEP gene (having all the three genotypes AA, AB and BB) with frequency of 60%, 33% and 7% in Nili-ravi buffalo, 55%, 41% and 4% in Achai cattle and 52%, 45% and 3% in Sahiwal cattle breed. The genotype BB is highly desirable in cattle and buffalo breeds but its frequency is very low in our indigenous population. Studying genetic polymorphism of milk protein is important due to its application in dairy industry and these in formations could further be utilized for future breeding programs particularly for the enrichment of the rare genotype.

Relay of peripheral oxytocin to central oxytocin neurons via vagal afferents for regulating feeding

Oxytocin (Oxt), a neurohormone synthesized in the neurons of hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus induces milk-ejection and uterine contraction and regulates social behavior, stress responses, memory and food intake. Peripheral (intraperitoneal and subcutaneous) infusion of Oxt decreases food intake and body weight in obese animals via mechanisms involving vagal afferent nerves and in obese subjects when administered nasally. Peripherally injected and intracerebroventricularly injected Oxt inhibit food intake to similar extent and with similar time course. Thus, peripheral Oxt mimics the effects of central Oxt, however, underlying mechanisms are unclear. In the present study we explored whether intraperitoneal Oxt activates Oxt neurons in PVN via vagal afferents and whether this pathway is linked to inhibition of feeding. We here show that intraperitoneal Oxt injection induces c-Fos expression in PVN largely in Oxt neurons and inhibits food intake, and these effects are blunted by subdiaphragmatic vagotomy. The intraperitoneal Oxt-induced inhibition of food intake was blunted in Oxt KO mice, by intracerebroventricular injection of Oxt receptor antagonist, and by vagotomy. These results demonstrate that intraperitoneal Oxt injection activates PVN Oxt neurons via vagal afferent nerves, thereby inhibiting food intake. This vagal afferents-mediated Oxt's peripheral-to-central coupling may serve to promote satiety and possibly a series of neural functions of Oxt and to treat their disorders.

The novel cannabinoid CB1 receptor agonist AM11101 increases food intake in female rats.

Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) acts via cannabinoid CB1 receptors to increase feeding. Here, we assessed the orexigenic effect of AM11101, a novel CB1 receptor agonist designed to have a more favourable pharmacodynamic profile than THC. The acute, orexigenic effects of AM11101 and THC were compared in female rats. Food intake and meal patterns were also examined following once daily treatment with AM11101 and THC for 7days. AM11101 (0.01-0.1mg·kg-1 ) increased food intake during the first hour following both acute and chronic treatments in pre-fed and freely feeding animals. This orexigenic effect persisted for up to 4hr, with no compensatory decrease in feeding during the subsequent 4-22hr. THC (1mg·kg-1 ) increased 1-hr food intake in pre-fed animals, but was less reliable than AM11101 in increasing 1-hr food intake in freely feeding animals following both acute and chronic administration. The orexigenic effect of both compounds was due to an increase in meal size, not meal number. Our study provides the first demonstration that AM11101 increases short-term food intake via a selective increase in meal size. AM11101 promotes a more reliable orexigenic effect than THC in freely feeding animals, with no subsequent compensatory decrease in feeding. AM11101 may offer a greater efficacy than THC and its congeners in stimulating food intake in underweight clinical populations.

Starch Digestion Products Activate Enteroendocrine L-cells and Their Ileal Delivery Through the Diet Contributes to Weight Management in Mice (P08-005-19)

ObjectivesOur laboratory has recently shown that slowly digestible starch (SDS) that locationally digests to the ileum activates the gut-brain axis and reduces food intake in obese animals. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), oxyntomodulin (OXM), and peptide YY (PYY) are the main appetite-suppressing (anorexigenic) peptides of the intestinal enterendocrine L-cells that regulate postprandial insulin levels and satiety signals. We investigated the in vitro L-cell chemosensation of α-amylase starch digestion products, named maltooligosaccharides (MOS), and using SDS to deliver MOS in vivo. MethodsMouse (STC-1) and human (NCI-H716) cells were used to test chemosensation response and release of GLP-1, OXM and PYY after MOS treatment. Differential gene expression and comparable global protein profiling of STC-1 cell treated with MOS was tested using RNA sequencing and LC-MS/MS analysis. Alginate-entrapped SDS microspheres that digest distally into the ileum were used to examine the role of SDS in the intervention and prevention of obesity in C57BL/6 J obese and lean mice, respectively. Body weight, food intake and body composition were monitored periodically. ResultsMOS exhibited significantly higher stimulatory effect on GLP-1 and OXM secretion in mouse and human L-cells, respectively, compared to glucose. Multi-omics analysis showed that MOS induced exocytosis of GLP-1- and OXM-containing vesicles and did not induce positive regulation of the proglucagon gene suggesting that secretion, but not synthesis, of the proglucagon gene products was enhanced by MOS. In vivo Results showed that 20% SDS in low-fat diets significantly improved weight loss and food intake reduction in obese mice. Similarly, 15% SDS in high-fat diets showed significant reduction in body fat %, increase in lean body mass, and considerable reduction in weight gain rate and food intake in lean mice fed on high-fat diets. ConclusionsWe propose several insights into L-cell sensation of dietary starch-degraded MOS delivered by the consumption of slowly digestible starch. MOS exhibit unique influences on L-cell sensitivity and gut hormone productivity. The intricate role of dietary carbohydrates on gut physiological response, related to satiety and food intake could be a new approach for design of foods for obesity prevention. Funding SourcesWhistler Center for Carbohydrate Research, Purdue University. Supporting Tables, Images and/or Graphs▪▪

Adjunctive Lurasidone Suppresses Food Intake and Weight Gain Associated with Olanzapine Administration in Rats.

ObjectiveLurasidone is an antipsychotic drug that shows a relative lack of weight gain common to many antipsychotics. Aripiprazole and ziprasidone also show little weight gain and can reduce olanzapine-induced food intake and weight gain in animals, paralleling some clinical findings. We hypothesized that lurasidone would have similar actions.MethodsFemale Lister-hooded rats received intraperitoneal injection either 2× vehicle (saline), lurasidone (3 mg/kg) and vehicle, olanzapine (1 mg/kg) and vehicle, or olanzapine and lurasidone. Following drug administration food intake was measured for 60min. A further series of rats underwent a seven-day regime of once-daily administration of the above doses and free access to food and water. Weight gain over the course of the study was monitored.ResultsOlanzapine induced a significant increase in food intake while lurasidone showed no significant effect. Co-administration of lurasidone with olanzapine suppressed the increase in food intake. Repeated dosing showed an increase in body weight after seven days with olanzapine, and no significant effect observed with lurasidone, while repeated administration of lurasidone with olanzapine reduced the effect of olanzapine on the increase in body weight.ConclusionThese findings support our hypotheses in that lurasidone, in addition to a lack of effect on acute food intake and short term weight gain, can reduce olanzapine-induced food intake and weight gain in rats. This indicates the drug to have an active anti-hyperphagic mechanism, rather than solely the absence of a drug-induced weight gain that is such a severe limitation of drugs such as olanzapine.

Influence of Obesity in the Development of Chronic Kidney Disease: Contribution of Leptin and Angiotensin II in Inflammatory Processes

IntroductionObesity is associated with leptin resistance, as well as hyperactivity of the renin‐angiotensin system (RAS). Angiotensin II (Ang II) is an important pro‐inflammatory and pro‐fibrotic agent and is associated with the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the contribution of Ang II and leptin in the development of CKD associated with obesity.MethodsThe protocols are in agreement with CEUA (nº 13/2017). Twenty‐four mice aged 18 weeks were used: Six C57BL / 6J were assigned to the lean control group (CTL) and 18 ob/ob were randomly assigned to obese control group (ob ob) and obese treated with leptin group (ob ob ‐ lep). Treatment with leptin was done by osmotic mini‐pump insertion. Mini‐pumps were filled with a solution containing leptin at a dose of 3.5 μg/day for 42 days. During treatment period animals were kept in individual cages and food intake was monitored daily. Weight gain and blood glucose were monitored weekly. At the end of the treatment period, animals were kept in metabolic cages for 24 hours to evaluate water intake and urine collection. Ultimately, animals were submitted to euthanasia. Renal function was assessed by plasma creatinine and urea concentration. Renal tissue was used for evaluation of gene expression by qPCR. Statistical analysis was performed by one‐way ANOVA, followed by Bonferroni post‐test. Values of p <0.05 were considered statistically significant.ResultsOb ob ‐lep animals had a reduction in food intake when compared to the ob ob group. Food intake in ob ob – lep was similar to CTL group. In ob ob ‐ lep animals there was also a reduction in body weight compared to ob ob. There were no changes in water intake, urine flow and blood glucose among groups. There were also no changes in plasma creatinine values among groups, however, in the ob ob group there was an increase in serum urea and the leptin treatment partially reversed this parameter to values closer to CTL group. Regarding gene expression of RAS components, ob ob animals showed an increase in mRNA expression for angiotensinogen compared to CTL group and leptin treatment did not reverse this parameter. The expression of mRNA for renin is also increased in the ob ob group, however, leptin treatment reversed this increase to values similar to control. Inflammation in obese animals was confirmed by increased IL6 mRNA expression and leptin did not reverse this parameter. There was no significant difference in mRNA expression for MCP1 among groups, however, there was a tendency to an increase in the expression of this gene in obese animals and decrease in leptin treatment. Obesity increased nephrine and αSMA mRNA expression compared to CTL, and leptin reversed this increase. Obesity increased the mRNA expression for collagen I and leptin did not reverse this parameter.ConclusionLeptin treatment was efficient because it decreased food intake and weight gain in obese animals. Obesity impairs renal function, increases the activation of intra‐renal RAS, inflammation and fibrosis, and leptin therapy partially reverses these parameters, taking renoprotective role.Support or Funding InformationCNPq, CAPES and FAPESP.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Spinal cord injury by clip-compression induces anxiety and depression-like behaviours in female rats: The role of the inflammatory response

Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) promotes long-term disability that affects mobility and functional independence. The spinal cord inflammatory response after the initial mechanical insult substantially impacts locomotor impairment and development of neuropsychiatric disorders, including anxiety and depression. However, these psychiatric events are scarcely investigated in females. This study investigated the anxiety/depression-like behaviours and inflammatory responses related to the production/release of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in female adult Wistar rats submitted to severe clip-compression SCI. Data showed that SCI impaired the locomotor performance assessment by the BBB scale, but did not alter exploratory activity in open-field test. Animals’ locomotor impairment was associated with anxious and depressive-like behaviours characterised by a decreased amount of time in the open arms of the elevated plus-maze test, and the motivational reduction of social interaction and anhedonia assessed by social exploration and sucrose preference tests. By contrast, SCI decreased the immobility time in the forced swimming test. Moreover, SCI caused a significant increase in local and systemic proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, INF-γ, IL-1β, and IL-6) and a reduction in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Finally, there were significant negative correlations between depression-like behaviour, but not anxiety, and increased plasma concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and INF-γ. Additionally, the laminectomy procedure provoked the inflammatory response associated with reduced sucrose intake in Sham animals, although less expressively than in the SCI group. Collectively, these results indicate that SCI by clip-compression in female rats promotes a neuropsychiatric-like profile associated with an imbalance in the production/release of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines.

N/OFQ-NOP System in Food Intake.

While lifestyle modifications should be the first-line actions in preventing and treating obesity and eating disorders, pharmacotherapy also provides a necessary tool for the management of these diseases.However, given the limitations of current anti-obesity drugs, innovative treatments that improve efficacy and safety are needed.Since the discovery that the activation of the Nociceptin/Orphanin (N/OFQ) FQ peptide (NOP) receptor by N/OFQ induces an increase of food intake in laboratory animals, and the finding that this effect can be blocked by NOP antagonists, many NOP agonists and antagonists have been synthesized and tested in vitro and in vivo for their potential regulation of feeding behavior. Promising results seem to suggest that the N/OFQergic system may be a potential therapeutic target for the neural control of feeding behavior and related pathologies, especially in binge-like eating behavior.

Expression and Localization of Huntingtin-Associated Protein 1 (HAP1) in the Human Digestive System.

Huntingtin-associated protein 1 (HAP1) is a neuronal protein that is predominantly expressed in neurons in the brain. HAP1 is critical for maintenance of neuronal survival as well as regulation of food intake and body weight in animals. In addition to the critical role of HAP1 in the central nervous system, HAP1 is also found in endocrine cells, raising an interesting issue of whether HAP1 is expressed in the digestive system. To examine the expression and localization of HAP1 in the human gastrointestinal tract and to compare the differences of the HAP1 expression between benign and malignant tissues in the digestive system. We used Western blot and immunohistochemistry to examine the expression and distribution of HAP1 in the human gastrointestinal tract tissues. We observed that the presence of HAP1-positive cells in the gastrointestinal tract was not uniform with immunohistochemistry staining. Western blot revealed that only one isoform (75KD) HAP1 was present in the human gastrointestinal system. Interestingly, the expression of HAP1 was higher in the stomach than other regions of the gastrointestinal tract and was at the lowest level in the intestine. We also found that HAP1 was unlikely altered in benign gastric polyps, but was downregulated in pancreatic cancer. This is the first study showing the differential expression and location of HAP1 in the human digestive system. These findings suggested that HAP1 may have cell-type-dependent function in the gastrointestinal tract and may serve as a diagnostic marker for pancreatic cancer.

Neuropeptide Y and orexin immunoreactivity in the sparrow brain coincide with seasonal changes in energy balance and steroids.

The transition between the breeding and nonbreeding states is often marked by a shift in energy balance. Despite this well-known shift in energy balance, little work has explored seasonal differences in the orexigenic neuropeptides that regulate food intake in wild animals. Here we tested the hypothesis that free-living male song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) show seasonal changes in energetic state, circulating steroids, and both neuropeptide Y (NPY) and orexin (OX) immunoreactivity. Nonbreeding song sparrows had more fat and muscle, as well as a ketone and triglyceride profile suggesting a greater reliance on lipid reserves. Breeding birds had higher plasma androgens; however, nonbreeding birds did maintain androgen precursors in circulation. Nonbreeding birds had more NPY immunoreactivity, specifically in three brain regions: lateral septum, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and ventral tegmental area. Furthermore, nonbreeding birds had more OX immunoreactivity in multiple brain regions. Taken together, the data indicate that a natural shift in energy balance is associated with changes in NPY and OX in a region-specific manner.

Performance and mineral requirements of indigenous Canindé goats

Thirty-three castrated male Canindé goat kids (15.7 ± 0.41 kg) that were approximately 5 months old were used to estimate the body composition and dietary requirements of macrominerals (Ca, P, Mg, Na and K) and microminerals (Cu, Mn, Fe and Zn). Goat kids were distributed in a complete randomized design with four levels of feeding (0, 20, 40 and 60% feed restriction). Five animals were slaughtered at the start of the trial to serve as a baseline group and were used to estimate the initial body composition as well as to calculate mineral retention. Body composition was fit using a logarithmic equation in the form of a nonlinear model. Feed restriction reduced mineral intake and empty body weight gain in animals. The mineral composition of the bodies of Canindé goats weighing 15 to 25 kg ranged from 14.6 to 17.6 Ca, 6.15 to 4.97 P, 0.34 to 0.36 Mg, 1.62 to 1.54 K, 3.69 to 3.15 Na (g/kg EBW), 3.71 to 7.57 Cu, 3.02 to 8.44 Mn, 38.0 to 32.2 Fe, and 10.5 to 14.2 Zn (mg/kg EBW). Performance growth was reduced by feed restriction. The net mineral requirements of Canindé goat kids increased with body weight and it seems to be overestimated when is comparing from those recommended by international feed systems, which can be due the data base (e.g. animal species) used to create the systems; thus, the nutritional requirements of minerals presented in this research may contribute to mineral supplementation in growing goats.

Rapid antidepressant effects of deep brain stimulation of the pre-frontal cortex in an animal model of treatment-resistant depression.

A significant proportion of depressed patients fail to respond to treatment with antidepressant drugs. Such patients might nonetheless respond to deep brain stimulation of the prefrontal cortex. Deep brain stimulation has also been shown to normalize behaviour in the chronic mild stress (CMS) model of depression. However, these studies have involved animals that are in general treatment responsive. Thus, this is not the ideal situation in which to investigate how deep brain stimulation is effective where antidepressant drugs are not. Here, we studied the behavioural effects of deep brain stimulation in treatment-resistant animals. Wistar rats were exposed to chronic mild stress and concurrent treatment with saline or one of three antidepressant drugs, imipramine, citalopram and venlafaxine. Individuals were selected from the CMS-exposed drug-treated groups that had failed to increase their sucrose intake by week 5 of drug treatment. All animals were then implanted with deep brain stimulation electrodes in the ventro-medial prefrontal cortex, and tested for sucrose intake and in the elevated plus maze and novel object recognition test, following 2 × 2 h of deep brain stimulation. The selected drug-treated animals were found to be antidepressant-resistant in all three tests. With a single exception (sucrose intake in imipramine-treated animals), deep brain stimulation reversed the anhedonic, anxiogenic and dyscognitive effects of CMS in all four conditions, with no significant differences between saline- and drug-treated animals. These data provide a proof of principle that deep brain stimulation of the prefrontal cortex can be effective in a rat model of resistance to chronic antidepressant treatment, replicating the clinical effect of deep brain stimulation in treatment-resistant depression.

FGF21 increases water intake, urine output and blood pressure in rats.

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a hormone secreted by the liver in response to metabolic stress. In addition to its well-characterized effects on energy homeostasis, FGF21 has been shown to increase water intake in animals. In this study, we sought to further explore the effects of FGF21 on fluid homeostasis in rats. A single dose of a long-acting FGF21 analog, PF-05231023, significantly increased water consumption, which was accompanied by an elevation in urine output that appeared prior to a significant change in water intake. We observed that FGF21 rapidly and significantly increased heart rate and blood pressure in telemeter-implanted rats, before changes in urine output and water intake were observed. Our data suggest that sympathetic activation may contribute to the pathogenesis by which FGF21 increases blood pressure as the baroreceptor unloading induced reflex tachycardia was significantly elevated in FGF21-treated animals. However, FGF21 was still capable of causing hypertension in animals in which approximately 40% of the sympathetic post-ganglionic neurons were ablated. Our data suggest that FGF21-induced water intake is in fact secondary to diuresis, which we propose to be a compensatory mechanism engaged to alleviate the acute hypertension caused by FGF21.

A Systematic Review and Quantitative Meta-Analysis of Oxytocin's Effects on Feeding.

Oxytocin's anorexigenic effects have been widely documented and accepted; however, no paper has yet used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines to compile previous findings in a single systematic review and quantitative meta-analysis. The current paper aimed to identify published and unpublished studies examining the effects of oxytocin on energy intake in animals and humans, and the factors that moderate this effect. Web of Science, Pub Med, and Ovid were searched for published and unpublished studies reporting the effects of oxytocin on energy intake in wild-type animals and in humans, when administered in the absence of other active drugs or surgery. 2049 articles were identified through the original systematic literature search, from which 54 articles were identified as relevant for inclusion in this review. An additional 3 relevant articles were identified in a later update of the literature search. Overall, a single-dose of oxytocin was found to reduce feeding in animals. Despite several individual studies which found that this effect persists to the end of the third week of chronic administration in rodent models, overall, this anorexigenic effect did not hold in the meta-analyses testing the effects of chronic administration. There was no overall effect of oxytocin on energy intake in humans, although a trend was identified for oxytocin to reduce consumption of solid foods. Oxytocin reduces energy intake when administered as a single dose. Oxytocin can inhibit feeding over two- to three-week periods in rodent models. These effects typically do not persist beyond the third week of treatment. The anorexigenic effect of oxytocin is moderated by pregnant status, dose, method of administration, and diet composition. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Efecto prebiótico de los Arabinoxilanos y los Arabinoxilo-Oligosacáridos y su relación con la promoción de la buena salud

Los arabinoxilanos son polisacáridos presentes en los granos de los cereales, y como tales, forman parte de la fibra dietética consumida por humanos y animales. La hidrólisis química o enzimática de los arabinoxilanos produce arabinoxilo-oligosacáridos, los cuales pueden estar ramificados o no, con arabinosa. El objetivo de este trabajo fue exponer el uso potencial de los arabinoxilanos y arabinoxilo-oligosacáridos, como prebióticos, y el efecto de su consumo en la promoción de la buena salud, al estimular selectivamente el crecimiento y actividad metabólica de la microbiótica colónica benéfica. La información generada indica que los arabinoxilanos y arabinoxilo-oligosacáridos actúan modificando la microbiota de manera selectiva, y estimulan la respuesta biológica, favoreciendo la buena salud del hospedero, por su efecto antiobesogénico, regulador de la glucosa, antioxidante, anticancerígeno e inmunomodulador, con resultados similares o mejores en relación a prebióticos reconocidos. No obstante, es necesario ampliar el conocimiento que se tiene de ellos para sustentar su aplicación en la industria alimentaria, farmacéutica o biomédica.

Intense physical exercise potentiates glucose inhibitory effect over food intake of male Wistar rats.

What is the central question of this study? How does an acute session of exercise affect food intake of male Wistar rats? What is the main finding and its importance? Food intake in male Wistar rats is decreased in the first hour after physical exercise independent of the intensity. Moreover, high-intensity exercise potentiates the anorexic effect of peripheral glucose administration. This work raises new feeding-related targets that would explain how exercise drives body weight loss. Obesity has emerged as a critical metabolic disorder in modern society. An adequate lifestyle with a well-oriented programme of diet and physical exercise (PE) can prevent or potentially even cure obesity. Additionally, PE might lead to weight loss by increasing energy expenditure and decreasing hunger perception. In this article, we hypothesize that an acute exercise session would potentiate the glucose inhibitory effects on food intake in male Wistar rats. Our data show that moderate- or high-intensity PE significantly decreased food intake, although no changes in the expression of feeding-related neuropeptide in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus were found. Exercised animals demonstrated a reduced glucose tolerance and increased blood insulin concentration. Intraperitoneal administration of glucose decreased food intake in control animals. In the animals submitted to moderate-intensity PE, the decrease in food intake promoted by glucose was similar to controls; however, an interaction was observed when glucose was injected in the high-intensity PE group, in which food intake was significantly lower than the effect produced by glucose alone. A different pattern of expression was observed for the monocarboxylate transporter isoforms (MCT1, 2 and 4) and 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 3 (PFKFBP3) in the hypothalamus, which was dependent on the exercise intensity. In conclusion, PE decreases food intake independently of the intensity. However, an interaction between PE and the anorexic effect of glucose is only observed when a high-intensity exercise is performed. These data show an essential role of exercise intensity in the modulation of the glucose inhibitory effect on food intake.

ACE2 activator diminazene aceturate reduces adiposity but preserves lean mass in young and old rats.

The obesity epidemic is multi-generational and is particularly debilitating in the aging population, necessitating the use of pharmaceutical interventions. Recent evidence suggests that increasing the activity of the angiotensin converting enzyme-2 [ACE2]/angiotensin-(1-7)[Ang-(1-7)]/Mas receptor (MasR) axis in obese animal models leads to significant reductions in body weight. It was hypothesized that activation of ACE2 via diminazene aceturate (DIZE) will significantly reduce body weight of rats fed a high fat diet. Young and old (4 and 23 months, respectively) male Fisher 344 × Brown Norway rats were fed 60% high fat diet for one week, and subsequently given either 15 mg/kg/day DIZE s.c. or vehicle for three weeks. DIZE treatment resulted in a significant reduction of food intake and body weight in both young and old animals. However, that decrease was so dramatic in the older animals that they all nearly stopped eating. Interestingly, the TD-NMR assessments revealed that the weight-loss was primarily a result of decreased body fat percentage, with a relative preservation of lean mass. Tissue weights confirm the significant loss of white adipose tissue (WAT), with no change in muscle weights. Gene expression and serum ACE2 activity analyses implied that increased activation of the ACE2/Ang-(1-7)/MasR axis plays a role in reducing fat mass. Collectively, our results suggest that DIZE may be a useful tool in the study of obesity; however, caution is recommended when using this compound in older animals due to severe anorectic effects, although there is a mechanism by which muscle is preserved.

Chemerin: a multifaceted adipokine involved in metabolic disorders.

Metabolic syndrome is a global public health problem and predisposes individuals to obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Although the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated, accumulating evidence has uncovered a critical role of adipokines. Chemerin, encoded by the gene Rarres2, is a newly discovered adipokine involved in inflammation, adipogenesis, angiogenesis and energy metabolism. In humans, local and circulating levels of chemerin are positively correlated with BMI and obesity-related biomarkers. In this review, we discuss both peripheral and central roles of chemerin in regulating body metabolism. In general, chemerin is upregulated in obese and diabetic animals. Previous studies by gain or loss of function show an association of chemerin with adipogenesis, glucose homeostasis, food intake and body weight. In the brain, the hypothalamus integrates peripheral afferent signals including adipokines to regulate appetite and energy homeostasis. Chemerin increases food intake in seasonal animals by acting on hypothalamic stem cells, the tanycytes. In peripheral tissues, chemerin increases cell expansion, inflammation and angiogenesis in adipose tissue, collectively resulting in adiposity. While chemerin signalling enhances insulin secretion from pancreatic islets, contradictory results have been reported on how chemerin links to obesity and insulin resistance. Given the association of chemerin with obesity comorbidities in humans, advances in translational research targeting chemerin are expected to mitigate metabolic disorders. Together, the exciting findings gathered in the last decade clearly indicate a crucial multifaceted role for chemerin in the regulation of energy balance, making it a promising candidate for urgently needed pharmacological treatment strategies for obesity.