Potes CS, Boyle CN, Wookey PJ, Riediger T, Lutz TA. Involvement of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 signaling pathway in amylin's eating inhibitory effect. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 302: R340 -R351, 2012. First published November 30, 2011 doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00380.2011.-Peripheral amylin inhibits eating via the area postrema (AP). Because amylin activates the extracellular-signal regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK) pathway in some tissues, and because ERK1/2 phosphorylation (pERK) leads to acute neuronal responses, we postulated that it may be involved in amylin's eating inhibitory effect. Amylin-induced ERK phosphorylation (pERK) was investigated by immunohistochemistry in brain sections containing the AP. pERK-positive AP neurons were double-stained for the calcitonin 1a/b receptor, which is part of the functional amylin-receptor. AP sections were also phenotyped using dopamine--hydroxylase (DBH) as a marker of noradrenergic neurons. The effect of fourth ventricular administration of the ERK cascade blocker U0126 on amylin's eating inhibitory action was tested in feeding trials. The number of pERK-positive neurons in the AP was highest ϳ10 -15 min after amylin treatment; the effect appeared to be dosedependent (5-20 g/kg amylin). A portion of pERK-positive neurons in the AP carried the amylin-receptor and 22% of the pERK-positive neurons were noradrenergic. Pretreatment of rats with U0126 decreased the number of pERK-positive neurons in the AP after amylin injection. U0126 also attenuated the ability of amylin to reduce eating, at least when the animals had been fasted 24 h prior to the feeding trial. Overall, our results suggest that amylin directly stimulates pERK in AP neurons in a time-and dose-dependent manner. Part of the AP neurons displaying pERK were noradrenergic. At least under fasting conditions, pERK was shown to be a necessary part in the signaling cascade mediating amylin's anorectic effect.ERK; MAPK; area postrema; amylin receptor; U0126 THE HOMEOSTATIC SYSTEM CONTROLLING food intake and body weight relies to a large extent on peripheral satiation signals.One of these signals is amylin, a peptide cosecreted with insulin by pancreatic -cells in response to nutrient ingestion (12, 41). At near-physiological plasma concentrations, amylin effectively decreases food intake in rats, and is considered a physiological satiation signal (4, 27). The amylin analog pramlintide causes weight loss in obese humans that is accompanied by sustained reductions in 24-h food intake, portion sizes, fast food intake, and binge eating tendencies (5, 57).Pharmacological and lesioning studies implicate the area postrema (AP) as the primary site of amylin's anorectic action (29,30,35), and an excitatory action of amylin on AP neurons has been confirmed by electrophysiological studies (49). Immunohistochemical studies using the immediate early gene product c-Fos as a marker of neuronal activation showed that peripheral amylin activates the AP, and subsequently the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS),...