Infrared heat treatment reduces food intake and modifies expressions of TRPV3-POMC in the dorsal medulla of obesity prone rats.

PURPOSE Infrared heat, a transient receptor potential vanilloid type-3 (TRPV3) sensitive stimulus, may have potential physiological effects beneficial to treating metabolic syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS Obesity prone (OP) and obesity resistant (OR) rats were fed for seven days on a high-fat diet. Heat treated OP rats were exposed twice daily to infrared light for 20 min each, separated by 80 min of rest. Food intake, blood pressure, blood glucose, and body weight measurements were taken daily and compared between treated OP rats, untreated OP rats, and OR controls. The animals were perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde, and immunohistochemistry was performed on the coronal brainstem sections with polyclonal antibodies against TRPV3 and pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC). The positive-staining cells in the medulla nuclei were quantified using a microscope with reticule grid. RESULTS Food intake, body weight, and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) were higher in OP rats, a diet-induced metabolic syndrome model, accompanied by a reduced expression of POMC, an anorectic agent, in the hypoglossal nucleus (HN) and medial nucleus tractus solitarius (mNTS). Food intake in heat-treated OP rats was significantly decreased. POMC positive neuron count was increased in the HN and mNTS of OP rats following treatment. TRPV3 positive staining neurons were increased in the HN and mNTS of OP control rats and decreased following the heat treatments. CONCLUSION Lowered POMC and heightened TRPV3 expressions in the HN and mNTS are involved in development of hyperphagia and obesity in OP rats. Exposure to infrared heat modifies TRPV3 and POMC expression in the brainstem, reducing food intake.