Differential effects of pertussis toxin on body temperature changes induced by neuropeptide Y and NPY2-36

Many effects of NPY have been attributed to a decrease in the activity of adenylate cyclase. Pre-treatment with pertussis toxin (PTx) has been shown to inhibit many pharmacological effects of NPY including increased feeding following administration in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN). In the present study, we examined the influence of PTx pretreatment on the effects of NPY on body temperature following administration in the preoptic area (POA), a region which seems to be the most sensitive to the effects of the peptide on body temperature. The effects of the same pre-treatment on the action of NPY2-36 was also studied since we have found previously that this fragment produced opposite effects on body temperature to that of NPY when injected in the POA. PTx was administered 3 days prior to the injection of NPY or NPY2-36. Results indicate that the hypothermic effect of NPY produced in the POA was blocked by PTx whereas the hyperthermic effect of NPY2-36 was not affected. These results are important as they provide evidence that, in the POA at least, the receptors mediating the hypothermic effect of NPY might be biochemically different from those mediating the hyperthermic effect of NPY2-36.