Objective The G protein-coupled receptor 83 (GPR83) was recently demonstrated in warm sensitive neurons (WSN) of the hypothalamic preoptic area (POA) that participate in temperature homeostasis. Thus, we investigated whether GPR83 may have a role in regulating core body temperature (CBT) by reducing its expression in the POA. D issipation of energy in the form of heat is the primary mode of energy expenditure in mammals and can ultimately affect energy homeostasis. Thus, we also measured the level of important regulators of metabolism. Matherials/Methods Downregulation of GPR83 was obtained by lentiviral short-hairpin RNAs (shGPR83) vectors designed and selected for their ability to reduce GPR83 levels in vitro. Mice received POA injection of shGPR83 or non-silencing vectors and were monitored for CBT, motor activity, food intake body weight and circulating levels of IGF-1, insulin, leptin and adiponectin. Results Down-regulation of GPR83 in the POA resulted in a small (0.15°C) but significant reduction of CBT during the dark/active cycle of the day. Temperature reduction was followed by increased body weight gain independent of caloric intake. shGPR83 mice also had increased level of circulating adiponectin (31916 ± 952 pg/ml vs. 23474 ± 1507 pg/ml, p<0.01) while no change was observed for insulin, IGF-1 or leptin. Conclusions GPR83 may participate in central thermoregulation and the central control of circulating adiponectin. Further work is required to determine how GPR83 can affect POA WSN and what are the long term metabolic consequences of it down-regulation.

Adiponectin can act in the brain to increase energy expenditure and reduce body weight by mechanisms not entirely understood. We found that adiponectin type 1 and type 2 receptors (AdipoR1 and AdipoR2) are expressed in warm sensitive neurons of the hypothalamic preoptic area (POA) which play a critical role in the regulation of core body temperature (CBT) and energy balance. Thus, we tested the ability of adiponectin to influence CBT in wild-type mice and in mice deficient for AdipoR1 or AdipoR2. Local injection of adiponectin into the POA induced prolonged elevation of core body temperature and decreased respiratory exchange ratio (RER) indicating that increased energy expenditure is associated with increased oxidation of fat over carbohydrates. In AdipoR1 deficient mice, the ability of adiponectin to raise CBT was significantly blunted and its ability to decrease RER was completely lost. In AdipoR2 deficient mice, adiponectin had only diminished hyperthermic effects but reduced RER similarly to wild type mice. These results indicate that adiponectin can contribute to energy homeostasis by regulating CBT by direct actions on AdipoR1 and R2 in the POA.

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Inflammation and stress are regarded as two important atherogenic factors. Because stress can affect leukocyte distribution, we hypothesized that stress-mediated leukocyte extravasation can modify the inflammatory environment of the arterial wall possibly contributing to atherogenesis. To test this hypothesis we evaluated the inflammatory environment of the aorta in C57Bl/6 mice subjected to 3 and to 12 months of chronic stress and compared it to age matched non-stressed animals. Experiments were carried out in mice fed regular chow or atherogenic diets. Both treatments increased the expression of vascular and leukocyte adhesion molecules and leukocyte accumulation. At 3 months, stress but not an atherogenic diet elevated the number of CD4 cells, CD8 cells, macrophages, dendritic cells and neutrophils. These changes were associated with elevation of transcripts for ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, E-Selectin and Neuropeptide Y. At 12 months, stress or high cholesterol acted similarly to elevate the number of CD8 and macrophages, and synergistically on the number of all cell types investigated. At this time-point, strong synergism was also observed on the level of E-selectin and NPY in the aorta, but not in the circulation. Despite these effects, histological and morphological alterations of the arterial wall were severe in the atherogenic diet, but not in the stress groups. Thus, although stress and an atherogenic diet may both affect leukocyte accumulation in the aorta, they may contribute differently to atherogenesis.

Experiments on outbred mice showed that compound GB-115, a retropeptide analogue of the tetrapeptide cholecystokinin, produced a naloxone-dependent potentiating effect on morphine-induced analgesia in the hot-plate test, but did not modulate animal behavior in the tail-flick test in outbred mice. This potentiation of antinociceptive activity of morphine was probably related to the interaction of GB-115 with supraspinal opioidergic mechanisms.