VGF-Derived Peptide, TLQP-21, Regulates Food Intake and Body Weight in Siberian Hamsters

Preeti H. Jethwa, Amy Warner, Kanishka Nilaweera, John M. Brameld, John W. Keyte, Wayne G. Carter, Neil Bolton, Michael Bruggraber, Peter John Morgan, Perry Barrett, Francis J. P. Ebling

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

81 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The Siberian hamster survives winter by decreasing food intake and catabolizing abdominal fat reserves, resulting in a sustained, profound loss of body weight. VGF gene expression is photoperiodically regulated in the hypothalamus with significantly higher expression in lean Siberian hamsters. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of VGF in regulating these seasonal cycles by determining the effects of a VGF- derived peptide ( TLQP-21) on food intake and body weight. Acute intracerebroventricular administration of TLQP-21 decreased food intake, and chronic treatment caused a sustained reduction in food intake and body weight and decreased abdominal fat depots. Behavioral analysis revealed that TLQP-21 reduced meal size but not the frequency of feeding bouts, suggesting a primary action on satiety. Hamsters treated with TLQP-21 lost a similar amount of weight as pair-fed group in which food intake was matched to that of the TLQP-21-treated group. Central or peripheral treatment with TLQP-21 did not produce a significant effect on resting metabolic rate. We conclude that the primary action of TLQP-21 is to decrease food intake rather than increase energy expenditure. TLQP-21 treatment caused a decrease in UCP-1 mRNA in brown adipose tissue, but hypothalamic expression of orexigenic and anorexigenic neuropeptide genes remained unchanged after TLQP-21 treatment, although compensatory increases in NPY and AgRP mRNA were observed in the pair- fed hamsters. The effects of TLQP-21 administration are similar to those in hamsters in short days, suggesting that increased VG Factivity may contribute to the hypophagia that underlies the seasonal catabolic state.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4044-4055
Number of pages12
JournalEndocrinology
Volume148
Issue number8
Early online date26 Apr 2007
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2007

Keywords

  • gene-expression
  • messenger-RNA
  • phodopus-sungorus
  • arcuate nucleus
  • energy-balance
  • photoperiodic regulation
  • leptin receptor
  • adipose-tissue
  • rat
  • neuropeptide

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