Fasting- and Feeding-associated Changes in Enterostatin (Val-Pro-Asp-Pro-Arg)-like Immunoreactivity in the Rat Brain

Enterostatin (Val-Pro-Asp-Pro-Arg)-like immunoreactivity (VPDPR-LI) is unevenly distributed in the rat brain, with the highest concentration in the striatum. Fasting elevates the level of VPDPR-LI in the striatum but not in other regions of the rat brain. When fasted rats were fed, however, the striatal VPDPR-LI returns to the control (fed ad lib) level. These results, coupled with the anorectic properties of enterostatin, suggest an appetite regulatory role for endogenous VPDPR-LI in the rat.