Differential Appetite‐Related Responses to Central Neuropeptide S in Lines of Chickens Divergently Selected for Low or High Body Weight

Abstract

The anorexigenic 20 amino acid neuropeptide S (NPS) has not been studied in an animal model of hypo- or hyperphagia. The present study aimed to elucidate whether central NPS appetite-related effects are different in lines of chickens that had undergone long-term divergent selection for low (LWS) or high (HWS) body weight and that were hypo- and hyperphagic, respectively. It took a longer time for food intake to be reduced in LWS than HWS chicks administered the lowest dose of NPS tested (0.14 nmol) and, at the highest dose tested (0.56 nmol), they had a greater reduction in food intake than did HWS chicks. HWS chicks responded with a similar magnitude of food intake reduction that was independent of NPS dose. Although water intake was reduced concurrently with food intake after central NPS in both lines, blood glucose concentrations were not affected. Hypothalamic signalling was different between the lines. Although both lines respond to central NPS with decreased c-Fos immunoreactivity in the lateral hypothalamus, the periventricular nucleus had increased c-Fos immunoreactivity in LWS but not HWS chicks. After central NPS treatment, there was increased c-Fos immunoreactivity in the paraventricular nucleus in HWS but not LWS chicks. These data support the notion of differences in the central NPS system between the LWS and HWS lines and infer that central NPS may differentially affect appetite-related processes in other species that contain hypo- and hyperphagic individuals.

Identification of the first biased NPS receptor agonist that retains anxiolytic and memory promoting effects with reduced levels of locomotor stimulation

“…High expression of the NPSR has been found in the retrosplenial cortex, basolateral amygdala, ventral tegmental area (VTA), substantia nigra, parasubiculum, and various regions of the hypothalamus. The observed receptor distribution agrees with genetic association studies linking the NPS receptor with a variety of disease states including anxiety,(Leonard et al, 2008; Vitale et al, 2008; Xu et al, 2004) sleeping disorders,(Gottlieb, O'Connor & Wilk, 2007; Xu et al, 2004) obesity,(Cline, Godlove, Nandar, Bowden & Prall, 2007; Cline, Prall, Smith, Calchary & Siegel, 2008) panic disorder,(Okamura et al, 2007) PTSD,(Jungling et al, 2008; Meis, Bergado-Acosta, Yanagawa, Obata, Stork & Munsch, 2008) and substance abuse. (Badia-Elder, Henderson, Bertholomey, Dodge & Stewart, 2008; Cioccioppo, 2007; Kallupi et al, 2010) Central administration of NPS in mice enhances learning, increases arousal, and produces anxiolytic-like effects.…”

Extremely Different Behaviours in High and Low Body Weight Lines of Chicken are Associated with Differential Expression of Genes Involved in Neuronal Plasticity

“…The LWS chickens gained weight but HWS chickens did not show any alteration in food intake or body weight after a similar lesion (7). The lines also respond with different feeding behaviour to central stimulation of α‐melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) (8) or neuropeptide S (9), which further supports a neural involvement in the phenotypic differences.…”

“…of a-melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) (8) or neuropeptide S (9), which further supports a neural involvement in the phenotypic differences.…”

Differential expression of appetite‐regulating genes in avian models of anorexia and obesity

“…For example, LWS chicks have a lower threshold in the food intake response to anorexigenic factors, such as α‐melanocyte‐stimulating hormone (MSH), CRF, insulin, amylin, ghrelin and neuropeptide AF . By contrast, the HWS have a lower threshold response to the injection of neuropeptide S (NPS) and calcitonin and calcitonin gene‐related peptide than LWS, whereas, for both ghrelin and galanin, thresholds of sensitivity are similar in the lines. For two factors, there is a complete loss of response in one line: LWS chicks do not respond to neuropeptide Y (NPY) with increased food intake after exposure to a stressor and, under normal conditions, the HWS chicks do not decrease food intake in response to recombinant human leptin …”