Modulation of opioid-induced feeding behavior by endogenous nitric oxide in neonatal layer-type chicks

Abstract

The current study was designed to evaluate the effects of central administration of L-arginine (The precursor of nitric oxide), N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, selective opioid receptor agonists and involvement of central nitrergic/opioidergic systems on feeding behavior in neonatal layer-type chicks. The results of this study showed that the intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of L-arginine (400 and 800 nmol) significantly decreased food intake (P < 0.001) but the injection of 200 nmol L-arginine had no effect on cumulative food intake in FD3 chickens (P > 0.05). The ICV injection of L-NAME (200 and 400 nmol) increased food intake (P < 0.001) but 100 nmol of L-NAME had no significant effect (P > 0.05). On the other hand, the co-injection of 100 nmol L-NAME significantly attenuated the anorexigenic effect of 800 nmol L-arginine (P < 0.001). Moreover, the food intake of chicks was significantly decreased by ICV injection of DAMGO (μ-opioid receptor agonist, 125 pmol) (P < 0.001) while both DPDPE (δ-opioid receptor agonist, 40 pmol) and U-50488H (κ-opioid receptor agonist, 30 nmol) significantly stimulated food intake (P < 0.001). In addition, the hypophagic effect of DAMGO was significantly amplified by administration of L-arginine (P < 0.001) while the administration of L-NAME attenuated the hypophagic effect of DAMGO (P < 0.001). In contrast, co-injection of L-arginine or L-NAME with DPDPE had no effect on the hyperphagia induced by DPDPE as well as the hyperphagic effect of U-50488H on food intake was not affected by concurrent injection of L-arginine or L-NAME (P > 0.05). These results suggest that nitrergic and opioidergic systems have an important role on feeding behavior in the CNS of neonatal layer-type chicks and it seems that interaction between them is mediated by μ-opioid receptor.

Endocannabinoid and nitric oxide interaction mediates food intake in neonatal chicken

“…For example, NO is involved in the hypothermia, catalepsy and anxiogenic or anxiolytic effects induced by CB 1 receptor agonists (Roohbakhsh et al, 2007). Central food intake regulation is a complex phenomenon, a diversity of neurotransmitters acts via a complex neurological pathway in several nucleuses of the CNS and co-operate together to regulate feed intake in animals (Zendehdel et al, 2014b;Alimohammadi et al, 2015). Within the hypothalamus CB 1 receptors expressed within the pre-synaptic nerve terminals of the ARC, PVN, ventromedial and lateral hypothalamus (Wittmann et al, 2007).…”

Involvement of Gaba and Cannabinoid Receptors in Central Food Intake Regulation in Neonatal Layer Chicks: Role of CB1 and Gabaa Receptors

“…In each group, 12 birds received the injection, but just data of those individuals where the dye was present in their lateral ventricle (12 chickens per group), was used for the analysis. All experimental procedures were done from 8:00 A.M. until 3:30 P.M. Also, the time course for feeding behavior was selected by previous studies (Jonaidi et al, 2012;Zendehdel & Hassanpour 2014;Alimohammadi et al, 2015;Alizadeh et al, 2015;Hassanpour et al, 2015).…”

The interaction of central nitrergic and GABAergic systems on food intake in neonatal layer-type chicks

“…After injection, the chick was immediately returned to its cage and fresh food and water were supplied. Cumulative food intake (gr) was measured at 30, 60 and 120 min after the injection and the time course of food consumption was selected from previous studies (Alimohammadi et al 2015;Jonaidi et al 2012). Food consumption was expressed as a percentage of body weight to adjust body weight differences.…”

“…Numerous studies over the past several decades have shown that complex neurochemical pathways in different parts of the brain regulate appetite and food intake in animals (Alimohammadi et al 2015). Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous neurotransmitter in the brain and is made from l-arginine by nitric oxide synthase (NOS) (Morris 2004).…”

“…Intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of Nω-Nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), NOS inhibitor, decreased food intake in rats (De Luca et al 1995) and avian species (Choi et al 1994) and NO is recognized as an orexigenic molecule. On the other hand, some studies in neonatal chicks showed contrary results and L-NAME stimulated food intake (Alimohammadi et al 2015;Hassanpour et al 2015) and NO Abstract Most physiological behaviors such as food intake are controlled by the hypothalamus and its nuclei. It has been demonstrated that injection of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus with nitric oxide (NO) donors elicited changes in the concentration of some amino acids, including GABA.…”