Food intake regulation during pregnancy and lactation in mice with reduced activity of the melanocortin system

Hypothalamic melanortin receptor (MCR) activation inhibits appetite. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and Agouti Related Protein (AgRP) are coexpressed in some hypothalamic neurons and stimulate feeding, NPY via inhibition of MCR-expressing neurons, and AgRP via MCR4 antagonism. Mutation yellow at the mouse ago...

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Main Authors: E. N. Makarova, I. V. Romanova, N. M. Bazhan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, The Vavilov Society of Geneticists and Breeders 2016-05-01
Series:Вавиловский журнал генетики и селекции
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Online Access:https://vavilov.elpub.ru/jour/article/view/578
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author E. N. Makarova
I. V. Romanova
N. M. Bazhan
author_facet E. N. Makarova
I. V. Romanova
N. M. Bazhan
author_sort E. N. Makarova
collection DOAJ
description Hypothalamic melanortin receptor (MCR) activation inhibits appetite. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and Agouti Related Protein (AgRP) are coexpressed in some hypothalamic neurons and stimulate feeding, NPY via inhibition of MCR-expressing neurons, and AgRP via MCR4 antagonism. Mutation yellow at the mouse agouti locus (Ау) evokes MCR blockage and stimulates appetite in nulliparous females. The role of MCRs in food intake regulation during pregnancy and lactation is unclear. In this study we measured hypothalamic AgRP and NPY mRNA levels in virgin and mated C57Bl a/a (control) and Ау/a females on days 7, 13, 18 of pregnancy, 10, 21 of lactation, and after offspring separation, AgRP immunoreactivity in virgin and lactating females, and correlated gene expression with food intake (FI). Virgin Ау/a compared to a/a females had higher FI and lower AgRP expression. Pregnant Ау/a and a/a mice showed different patterns of food intake and neuropeptide expressions. NPY mRNA levels increased during pregnancy only in a/a mice, while AgRP mRNA levels increased in both genotypes being lower in Ау/a then in a/a mice. In lactating Ау/a and a/a mice, AgRP expression and NPY mRNA level were similar. AgRP expression was higher in lactating then in virgin Ау/a mice. The results obtained demonstrate that in nonbreeding female mice, MCR blockage is associated with AgRP expression inhibition which vanishes in lactation. In lactation, hyperphagia is independent of MCR blockage. In pregnancy, food intake regulation involves MCR signaling and activation of NPY and AgRP expression.
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publisher Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, The Vavilov Society of Geneticists and Breeders
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spelling doaj-art-c2b3bef521f1496289d8e81d14e125152025-02-01T09:58:02ZengSiberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, The Vavilov Society of Geneticists and BreedersВавиловский журнал генетики и селекции2500-32592016-05-0120213814410.18699/VJ16.124457Food intake regulation during pregnancy and lactation in mice with reduced activity of the melanocortin systemE. N. Makarova0I. V. Romanova1N. M. Bazhan2Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, Novosibirsk, RussiaI.M. Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, RAS, St. Petersburg, RussiaInstitute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, RussiaHypothalamic melanortin receptor (MCR) activation inhibits appetite. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and Agouti Related Protein (AgRP) are coexpressed in some hypothalamic neurons and stimulate feeding, NPY via inhibition of MCR-expressing neurons, and AgRP via MCR4 antagonism. Mutation yellow at the mouse agouti locus (Ау) evokes MCR blockage and stimulates appetite in nulliparous females. The role of MCRs in food intake regulation during pregnancy and lactation is unclear. In this study we measured hypothalamic AgRP and NPY mRNA levels in virgin and mated C57Bl a/a (control) and Ау/a females on days 7, 13, 18 of pregnancy, 10, 21 of lactation, and after offspring separation, AgRP immunoreactivity in virgin and lactating females, and correlated gene expression with food intake (FI). Virgin Ау/a compared to a/a females had higher FI and lower AgRP expression. Pregnant Ау/a and a/a mice showed different patterns of food intake and neuropeptide expressions. NPY mRNA levels increased during pregnancy only in a/a mice, while AgRP mRNA levels increased in both genotypes being lower in Ау/a then in a/a mice. In lactating Ау/a and a/a mice, AgRP expression and NPY mRNA level were similar. AgRP expression was higher in lactating then in virgin Ау/a mice. The results obtained demonstrate that in nonbreeding female mice, MCR blockage is associated with AgRP expression inhibition which vanishes in lactation. In lactation, hyperphagia is independent of MCR blockage. In pregnancy, food intake regulation involves MCR signaling and activation of NPY and AgRP expression.https://vavilov.elpub.ru/jour/article/view/578ау micefood intakepregnancylactationmelanocortin receptorsnpyagrp
spellingShingle E. N. Makarova
I. V. Romanova
N. M. Bazhan
Food intake regulation during pregnancy and lactation in mice with reduced activity of the melanocortin system
Вавиловский журнал генетики и селекции
ау mice
food intake
pregnancy
lactation
melanocortin receptors
npy
agrp
title Food intake regulation during pregnancy and lactation in mice with reduced activity of the melanocortin system
title_full Food intake regulation during pregnancy and lactation in mice with reduced activity of the melanocortin system
title_fullStr Food intake regulation during pregnancy and lactation in mice with reduced activity of the melanocortin system
title_full_unstemmed Food intake regulation during pregnancy and lactation in mice with reduced activity of the melanocortin system
title_short Food intake regulation during pregnancy and lactation in mice with reduced activity of the melanocortin system
title_sort food intake regulation during pregnancy and lactation in mice with reduced activity of the melanocortin system
topic ау mice
food intake
pregnancy
lactation
melanocortin receptors
npy
agrp
url https://vavilov.elpub.ru/jour/article/view/578
work_keys_str_mv AT enmakarova foodintakeregulationduringpregnancyandlactationinmicewithreducedactivityofthemelanocortinsystem
AT ivromanova foodintakeregulationduringpregnancyandlactationinmicewithreducedactivityofthemelanocortinsystem
AT nmbazhan foodintakeregulationduringpregnancyandlactationinmicewithreducedactivityofthemelanocortinsystem