Effects of acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF), an endogenous satiety substance, on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis were examined under pentobarbital sodium anesthesia in rats. A guide cannula was inserted into the cerebral third ventricle and a vascular indwelling catheter was inserted into the right atrium from the jugular vein 2 wk and 3 days, respectively, before the exper...

We examined whether growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) may promote non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep via activation of GABAergic neurons in the preoptic area. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with EEG, EMG electrodes and a unilateral intracerebroventricular cannula. Groups of rats received injections (3 microl icv) with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GHRH) (0.1 nmol/100 g body wt...

Effects of exogenous acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF), which is increased in the brain by food intake, on the plasma levels of catecholamines and on sympathetic efferent outflow were examined in anesthetized rats. A guide cannula was inserted into the cerebral third ventricle, and a vascular indwelling catheter was inserted into the right atrium from the jugular vein. Plasma epinephrine (...

3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamic acid (TMCA) is one of the constituents in Onji (roots of Polygala tenuifolia WILLD), an herbal medicine used for sedative in Japanese traditional Kampo medicine. Our previous study revealed that oral administration of this compound prolongs sleeping time induced by hexobarbital in mice to exhibit sedative action. In the present study, we investigate the effects of TMCA ...

Oxyntomodulin (OXM), a proglucagon-derived peptide, is a well known anorexigenic peptide found inthe gut and brain of mammals. The present study was carried out to investigate the central effect of OXM onfood intake in non-fasted and fasted Ross broiler chicks. At four weeks of age, a guide cannula wasstereotaxically implanted into the right lateral ventricle of each bird. Two experiments were ...

This study was designed to determine the contribution of the central nervous system (CNS) to the effects of glucagon-like peptide-1-(7-36) amide (tGLP-1) on arterial blood pressure and heart rate in rats. Accordingly, intracerebroventricular administration of the peptide produced an increase in cardiovascular parameters, which was blocked by previous administration of exendin-(9-39) through the...

1. The cardiovascular effects after intracerebroventricular injections of substance P were investigated in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto and in spontaneously hypertensive rats. 2. Substance P increased blood pressor in both rat strains. Wistar-Kyoto rats responded with moderate, dose-dependent blood pressure increases, and heart rate decreased; spontaneously hypertensive rats showed two- to three-f...

We previously reported that binding of prorenin to the (pro)renin receptor (PRR) plays a major role in brain angiotensin II formation and the development of deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertension. Here, we designed and developed an antagonistic peptide, PRO20, to block prorenin binding to the PRR. Fluorescently labeled PRO20 bound to both mouse and human brain tissues with dissoci...

Intracerebroventricular injection of CRF or urocortin (Ucn) reduces appetite and body weight. CRFR1 and CRFR2, the receptors for CRF and Ucn, are expressed in neurons associated with appetite-control and metabolism, but their relative contributions in mediating CRF- or Ucn-induced hypophagia and weight loss are not known. We used homozygous mice lacking CRFR1 (CRFR1-/-) and wild-type littermate...

We examined the role of central nitric oxide (NO) in the baroreceptor reflex in conscious rabbits. Intracerebroventricular infusion of 20 μmol of N ω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) to block central NO resulted in increases in arterial pressure, renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA), and plasma catecholamine levels, and the pressor response was suppressed by pretreatment with pentolini...