neuropeptide-y and moxonidine

The antihypertensive agent moxonidine, an imidazoline Ii-receptor agonist, also induces hypophagia and lowers body weight in the obese spontaneously hypertensive rat, but the central mediation of this action and the neuronal pathways that moxonidine may interact with are not known. We studied whether moxonidine has anti-obesity effects in the genetically-obese and insulin-resistant fa/fa Zucker rat, and whether these are mediated through inhibition of the hypothalamic neuropeptide Y (NPY) neurones. Lean and obese Zucker rats were given moxonidine (3 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) or saline by gavage for 21 days. Moxonidine decreased food intake throughout by 20% in obese rats (P<0.001) and by 8% in lean rats (P<0.001), and reduced weight gain that final body weight was 15% lower in obese (P<0.001) and 7% lower in lean (P<0.01) rats than their untreated controls. Plasma insulin and leptin levels were decreased in moxonidine-treated obese rats (P<0.01 and P<0.05), but unchanged in treated lean rats. Uncoupling protein-1 gene expression in brown adipose tissue was stimulated by 40-50% (P< or =0.05) in both obese and lean animals given moxonidine. Obese animals given moxonidine showed a 37% reduction in hypothalamic NPY mRNA levels (P = 0.01), together with significantly increased NPY concentrations in the paraventricular nucleus (P<0.05), but no changes in the arcuate nucleus or other nuclei; this is consistent with reduced NPY synthesis in the arcuate nucleus and blocked release of NPY in the paraventricular nucleus. In lean animals, moxonidine did not affect NPY levels or NPY mRNA. The hypophagic, thermogenic and anti-obesity effects of moxonidine in obese Zucker rats may be partly due to inhibition of the NPY neurones, whose inappropriate overactivity may underlie obesity in this model.

Topics: Adipose Tissue; Animals; Anti-Obesity Agents; Antihypertensive Agents; Blood Glucose; Body Weight; Carrier Proteins; Eating; Feeding Behavior; Hormones; Hypothalamus; Imidazoles; Ion Channels; Leptin; Male; Membrane Proteins; Mitochondrial Proteins; Neurons; Neuropeptide Y; Obesity; Protein Biosynthesis; Rats; Rats, Zucker; RNA, Messenger; Uncoupling Protein 1

1. Desensitization of Gs-coupled receptors, the beta 2-adrenoceptor for example, involves rapid and slower components but little is known regarding the existence of rapid desensitization of Gi-coupled receptors and its possible mechanisms. In HEL-cells stimulation of alpha 2A-adrenoceptors by adrenaline or Y1-like neuropeptide Y receptors by neuropeptide Y, transiently mobilizes Ca2+ from intracellular stores via a Gi-protein. We have used this model to study the existence and possible mechanisms of rapid desensitization of a Gi-mediated cellular response. 2. Following stimulation by adrenaline or neuropeptide Y Ca2+ levels returned towards baseline a few minutes after agonist addition and were refractory to a second agonist exposure demonstrating rapid desensitization. Cross-desensitization experiments with neuropeptide Y, adrenaline and moxonidine demonstrated the presence of homologous (both receptors) and heterologous desensitization (neuropeptide Y receptors only), and that the alpha 2A-adrenoceptor desensitization was not specific for phenylethylamine (adrenaline) or imidazoline agonists (moxonidine). 3. The protein kinase C activator, phorbol ester, rapidly desensitized the hormonal Ca2+ responses and inhibitors of protein kinase C enhanced the hormonal responses inconsistently. The tyrosine kinase inhibitor, herbimycin, enhanced Ca2+ mobilization by adrenaline and neuropeptide Y, whereas the protein phosphatase inhibitor, okdadaic acid, did not affect Ca2+ mobilization or its desensitization. 4. In the absence of extracellular Ca2+ the endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase inhibitor, thapsigargin, reduced hormone-stimulated Ca2+ elevations, demonstrating that mobilization occurs from a thapsigargin-sensitive pool in the endoplasmic reticulum. The inositol phosphate-independent Ca2+release modulator, ryanodine, significantly enhanced adrenaline- and neuropeptide Y-stimulated Ca2+elevations. Blockade of the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase by thapsigargin in the presence of extracellular Ca2+ enhanced hormone-stimulated Ca2+ increases, demonstrating the importance of this enzyme for the termination of the Ca2+ signal.5. It is concluded that adrenaline and neuropeptide Y-stimulated Ca2+ mobilization in HEL-cells occurs from a thapsigargin- and ryanodine-sensitive store in the endoplasmic reticulum and desensitizes rapidly;this appears to involve multiple mechanisms including protein kinases, possibly acting on receptors, and Ca2+ release and sequestra

Topics: Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Antagonists; Antihypertensive Agents; Calcium; Calcium-Transporting ATPases; Cell Line; Endoplasmic Reticulum; Epinephrine; Fura-2; GTP-Binding Proteins; Humans; Imidazoles; Neuropeptide Y; Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; Potassium Chloride; Protein Kinase C; Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2; Receptors, Neuropeptide Y; Ryanodine; Terpenes; Thapsigargin