Brain-derived mast cells could mediate histamine-induced inhibition of food intake in neonatal chicks

In the present study, the effect of intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) admini stration of histamine on food intake of neonatal chicks was examined over 2 h, Histamine (100, 200 or 400 nmol, respectively) was injected in the late ral ventricle of 2-day-old chicks, and cumulative food intakes were measure d. i.c.v. injection of histamine significantly inhibited food intake in a d ose-dependent manner. In addition, compound 48/80, which causes degranulati on of mast cells and release of histamine, or thioperamide, which is an ant agonist of the histamine H3 autoreceptor and increases histamine release fr om histaminergic nerve terminals, was injected i.c.v. to clarify whether ma st cell- or neuron-derived histamine in the: central nervous system of chic ks is essential to the feeding inhibition. Central administration of compou nd 48/80 inhibited food intake with a dose-dependent manner, but thioperami de had no effect on feeding. An inhibitor of mast cell degranulation, sodiu m cromoglycate, somewhat attenuated food intake inhibited by compound 48/80 . These results suggest that brain-derived mast cells could be a major sour ce of histamine in the inhibition of food intake of neonatal chicks. (C) 20 00 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.