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Food intake inhibition in rainbow trout induced by activation of serotonin 5-HT2C receptors is associated with increases in POMC, CART and CRF mRNA abundance in hypothalamus

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Abstract

In rainbow trout, the food intake inhibition induced by serotonin occurs through 5-HT2C and 5-HT1A receptors, though the mechanisms involved are still unknown. Therefore, we assessed if a direct stimulation of 5-HT2C and 5-HT1A serotonin receptors (resulting in decreased food intake in rainbow trout), affects gene expression of neuropeptides involved in the control of food intake, such as pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART), corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF), and agouti-related peptide (AgRP). In a first set of experiments, the injection of the 5-HT2C receptor agonists MK212 (60 μg kg−1 icv) and WAY 161503 (1 mg kg−1 ip), and of the 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT (1 mg kg−1 ip and 30 μg kg−1 icv) induced food intake inhibition. In a second set of experiments, we observed that the injection of MK212 or WAY 161503 (1 and 3 mg kg−1) significantly increased hypothalamic POMC mRNA abundance. CART mRNA abundance in hypothalamus was enhanced by treatment with MK212 and unaffected by WAY 161503. The administration of the 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT did not induce any significant variation in the hypothalamic POMC or CART mRNA levels. CRF mRNA abundance was only affected by MK212 that increased hypothalamic values. Finally, hypothalamic AgRP mRNA abundance was only evaluated with the agonist 5-HT2C MK212 resulting in no significant effects. The results show that the reduction in food intake mediated by 5-HT2C receptors is associated with increases in hypothalamic POMC, CART and CRF mRNA abundance.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a research grant from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad and European Fund for Regional Development (AGL2013-46448-3-1-R and FEDER) to J.L.S. C.O.-R. was recipient of a predoctoral fellowship from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (BES‐2014‐068040).

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  1. Laboratorio de Fisiología Animal (Instituto de Acuicultura), Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Jorge J. Pérez-Maceira, María J. Mancebo & Manuel Aldegunde

  2. Laboratorio de Fisioloxía Animal, Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional e Ciencias da Saúde, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Vigo, 36310, Vigo, Spain

    Cristina Otero-Rodiño & José L. Soengas

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  1. Jorge J. Pérez-Maceira
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  2. Cristina Otero-Rodiño
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Correspondence to Manuel Aldegunde.

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Communicated by I. D. Hume.

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Pérez-Maceira, J.J., Otero-Rodiño, C., Mancebo, M.J. et al. Food intake inhibition in rainbow trout induced by activation of serotonin 5-HT2C receptors is associated with increases in POMC, CART and CRF mRNA abundance in hypothalamus. J Comp Physiol B 186, 313–321 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-016-0961-9

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