Vagal afferent mediates the anorectic effect of peripheral secretin

PLoS One. 2013 May 30;8(5):e64859. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0064859. Print 2013.

Abstract

Secretin (SCT) is a classical peptide hormone that is synthesized and released from the gastrointestinal tract after a meal. We have previously shown that it acts both as a central and peripheral anorectic peptide, and that its central effect is mediated via melanocortin system. As peripheral satiety signals from the gastrointestinal tract can be sent to the brain via the vagal afferent or by crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB), we therefore sought to investigate the pathway by which peripheral SCT reduces appetite in this study. It is found that bilateral subdiaphragmatic vagotomy and treatment of capsaicin, an excitotoxin for primary afferent neurons, could both block the anorectic effect of peripherally injected SCT. These treatments are found to be capable of blunting i.p. SCT-induced Fos activation in pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons within the hypothalamic Arcuate Nucleus (Arc). Moreover, we have also found that bilateral midbrain transaction could block feeding reduction by peripheral SCT. Taken together, we conclude that the satiety signals of peripheral SCT released from the gastrointestinal tract are sent via the vagus nerves to the brainstem and subsequently Arc, where it controls central expression of other regulatory peptides to regulate food intake.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Appetite Depressants / pharmacology*
  • Brain Stem / cytology
  • Brain Stem / drug effects
  • Brain Stem / metabolism
  • Brain Stem / physiology
  • Eating / drug effects
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Neurons, Afferent / cytology
  • Neurons, Afferent / drug effects*
  • Neurons, Afferent / metabolism
  • Neurons, Afferent / physiology
  • Pro-Opiomelanocortin / metabolism
  • Secretin / pharmacology*
  • Vagus Nerve / cytology*

Substances

  • Appetite Depressants
  • Secretin
  • Pro-Opiomelanocortin

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Hong Kong government RGC grants GRF763809 to Billy K. C. Chow. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.