Abstract
Gonadotropin-inhibiting hormone (GnIH) is a newly discovered hypothalamic hormone which suppresses gonadotropin synthesis and release from the anterior pituitary. Recently, we found that intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of GnIH stimulated feeding behavior of chicks (Gallus gallus) and suggested that GnIH is one of orexigenic peptides. However, the mechanism underlying the orexigenic effect is still unknown. In the present study, we examined whether the orexigenic effect of GnIH is related to opioid and nitric oxide (NO) systems. The orexigenic effect of ICV-injected GnIH was attenuated by co-injection of beta-funaltrexamine (an opioid mu-receptor antagonist) but not ICI-174,864 and nor-binaltorphimine (antagonists of opioid delta- and kappa-receptors, respectively). The co-injection of non-selective NO synthase inhibitor did not affect GnIH-induced feeding behavior. The present study demonstrated that the GnIH-induced feeding might be mediated by opioid mu-receptor in chicks.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 21-25 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - A Molecular and Integrative Physiology |
Volume | 150 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2008 May |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Chicks
- Feeding
- Gonadotropin-inhibiting hormone
- Intracerebroventricular injection
- Opioid
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Physiology