Effect of 2-mercaptoacetate and 2-deoxy-D-glucose administration on the expression of NPY, AGRP, POMC, MCH and hypocretin/orexin in the rat hypothalamus

Using in situ hybridization, the mRNA levels encoding neuropeptide Y (NPY), agouti gene-related protein (AGRP), proopiomelanocortin (POMC), melanin-co ncentrating hormone (MCH) and hypocretin/orexin (HC/ORX) were investigated in the rat arcuate nucleus (Arc) and lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) 2 h af ter a single dose of the glucose antimetabolite 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG; 60 0 mg/kg) or of the fatty acid oxidation inhibitor mercaptoacetate (MA; 600 mu mol/kg). Two hours after 2-DG or MA injection food intake was significan tly increased. NPY and AGRP mRNA levels in the Are were increased by 2-DG b ut not affected by MA, and MCH mRNA levels in the LHA were increased by bot h antimetabolites. These results suggest that Are neurons expressing NPY an d AGRP are regulated by changes in glucose, but not fatty acid availability , whereas both factors affect MCH neurons in the LHA. NeuroReport 11:117-12 1 (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.