Opioid receptor subtype control of galanin-induced feeding

This study examined the effects of specific antagonists to kappa- and mu-opioid receptors on the feeding induced by injecting galanin into the lateral cerebral ventricle (LCV). Galanin injected into the lateral cerebral ventricle of sated rats stimulated the consumption of high-fat diet when compared to controls injected with saline vehicle. The mu-opioid receptor antagonist, CTOP, completely abolished galanin-induced feeding in sated rats whereas the kappa-opioid receptor antagonist, nor-BNI, had no effect on galanin-induced feeding. Neither CTOP nor nor-BNI alone produced any change in food consumption in sated rats. In fasted rats, on the other hand, nor-BNI significantly decreased consumption of a high-fat diet (> 83%) when compared to animals treated with the saline vehicle, whereas CTOP had no significant effect. These findings suggest that galanin-induced feeding of a high-fat diet is selectively modulated by a pathway involving mu-opioid receptors whereas feeding induced by fasting is dependent on a pathway mediated by kappa-opioid receptors. These data also suggest that galanin does not mediate the feeding response after fasting.