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Updated: Jul 2, 2026
Fat Preference: A Novel Model of Eating Behavior in Rats
Published on: June 27, 2014
Fat diet affects leptin receptor levels in the rat cerebellum
Christos Koros1, George Boukouvalas, Kyriaki Gerozissis
1Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Objective:
The role of leptin receptors (Ob-Rs) within the hypothalamus in the control of energy expenditure has well been established. However, their role and regulation in other brain areas, including the cerebellum, is largely unexplored. In the present study we examined whether Ob-R levels in the rat cerebellum are influenced by a high-fat diet and if these changes are sexually divergent during adolescence.
Methods:
The fat diet (45% energy from fat) was applied from weaning to puberty (postnatal days [P] 22-42), from weaning to adulthood (P22-90), and from puberty to adulthood (P42-90) in female and male Wistar rats. Ob-R levels were detected by western blotting and the data from pubertal and adult rats were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance for the effects of diet and sex.
Results:
The fat diet affected Ob-R long isoform levels in a sexually dimorphic manner. In the cerebellum of all fat-fed male groups, Ob-R levels were reduced compared with their chow-fed counterparts (P < 0.05). In contrast, in female rat Ob-R levels were reduced only in the adult P22-90 group.
Conclusion:
Our data show for the first time that Ob-R levels in the rat cerebellum are subject to diet-induced alterations and that these changes are sexually dimorphic.
