Hypothalamic regulatory peptide disturbances in the spontaneously obese JCR: LA-corpulent rat

Central and lateral hypothalamic concentrations of 9 regulatory peptides implicated in the control of feeding behaviour were measured in corpulent (cp/cp) JCR:LA-cp rats which develop spontaneous obesity, hyperinsulinaemia and hyperlipidaemia, and in lean (+/?) controls. In female cp/cp rats, central hypothalamic levels of neuropeptide Y (NPY), neurotensin, somatostatin and substance P were significantly lower (p less than 0.02) than in lean female controls. Following food restriction with a 16% reduction in body weight, these differences were apparently reversed and there were also significant rises in the lateral hypothalamic concentrations of neurotensin and of galanin. The other 4 peptides examined (bombesin, calcitonin gene-related peptide, neuromedin B and vasoactive intestinal peptide) did not differ significantly between cp/cp and lean females, either fed freely or food-restricted. Male cp/cp rats showed no significant differences from lean males in central or lateral hypothalamic concentrations of any of the 9 peptides. NPY and galanin are powerful and specific central appetite stimulants, whereas neurotensin, substance P and somatostatin inhibit feeding when injected centrally. Disturbances in these putative appetite-regulating peptides may be involved in the hyperphagia and other hypothalamic abnormalities in this spontaneous obesity syndrome. The apparent absence of differences between the male corpulent and lean groups may relate to sexual dimorphism of the syndrome, which is more marked in the females.