Effects of fibroblast growth factors and related peptides on food intake by rats

The effects of acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF), basic FGF (bFGF), and related peptides, such as aFGF fragments, on food and water intake were investigated. Infusion of aFGF and bFGF into the third cerebral ventricle significantly suppressed food intake. The potency of aFGF was 1.5 that of bFGF in food intake inhibition. Both FGFs also suppressed water intake. Infusion of a carboxyl-terminal fragment of aFGF, aFGF-(114-140), did not affect food intake, whereas an amino-terminal fragment of aFGF, aFGF-(1-15), was significantly inhibitory. Other amino-terminal fragments, aFGF-(1-20) and aFGF-(1-29), did not affect food intake. However, [Ala16]aFGF-(1-29), in which the cysteine residue at position 16 was replaced with alanine, significantly suppressed food intake. Infusions of functional antagonists for FGFs, anti-aFGF, anti-bFGF, and anti-aFGF-(1-15) IgGs, into the lateral hypothalamus significantly increased food intake. The results suggest that: aFGF, bFGF, and some amino-terminal peptides of aFGF participate in the central regulation of food intake; the lateral hypothalamus is involved in their feeding suppression actions; and these peptides may function as physiologically relevant substances in the adult central nervous system, other than as neurotrophic factors.