INCREASED APPETITE AUGMENTS HYPOTHALAMIC NPY Y1 RECEPTOR GENE-EXPRESSION - EFFECTS OF ANOREXIGENIC CILIARY NEUROTROPIC FACTOR

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a potent endogenous appetite transducer but th e NPY receptor subtype mediating the induction of appetite is unknown. Evaluation of hypothalamic NPY Y1 and Y5 receptor mRNA by RNase prote ction assay showed that appetite evoked either by fasting or food-rest riction increased expression of Y1 mRNA. Suppression of appetite by th e cytokine, ciliary neurotropic factor, blocked this increase in Y1 ge ne expression. In contrast Y5 mRNA levels were unchanged by these trea tments. These findings suggest that NPY-induced stimulation of appetit e requires signal transmission though Y1 receptor subtype in the hypot halamus. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science BN. All rights reserved.