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Cafeteria diet-induced obese rats have an increased somatostatin protein content and gene expression in the periventricular nucleus

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Abstract

In human obesity, spontaneous and GRF stimulated growth hormone secretion have been shown to be blunted. We used cafeteria diet fed obese rats as a model to study the central mechanisms involved in growth hormone secretion changes which are observed in obesity. We analysed somatostatin messenger RNA and protein levels in the hypothalamic periventricular nucleus of the rats by non radioactive in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry respectively. The optical density of somatostatin mRNA, measured by a computerized image system, was significantly higher in cafeteria diet fed rats (1014±87 vs 444±45; p<0.05). The integrated optical density of somatostatin protein was also significantly higher in cafeteria rats compared to the control rats (222±36 vs 114±24; p<0.05). In conclusion, cafeteria diet induced obese rats have a higher somatostatin biosynthesis in the periventricular nucleus. Further studies are needed to establish the possible link of this increased somatostatin gene expression with the decreased GH production.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Free University of Brussels, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090, Brussel, Belgium

    X. Zhou, M. Delhase & E. L. Hooghe-Peters MD

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Free Univesity of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium

    J. De Schepper

  3. Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Free Univesity of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium

    A. Vergeylen

  4. Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Free Univesity of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium

    O. Luis

Authors
  1. X. Zhou
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  2. J. De Schepper
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  3. A. Vergeylen
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  4. O. Luis
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  5. M. Delhase
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  6. E. L. Hooghe-Peters MD
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Zhou, X., De Schepper, J., Vergeylen, A. et al. Cafeteria diet-induced obese rats have an increased somatostatin protein content and gene expression in the periventricular nucleus. J Endocrinol Invest 20, 264–269 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03350298

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03350298

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