Alarin stimulates food intake and gonadotrophin release in male rats.

ABSTRACT:

Background and purpose

Alarin is a recently discovered member of the galanin peptide family encoded by a splice variant of galanin-like peptide (GALP) mRNA. Galanin and GALP regulate energy homeostasis and reproduction. We therefore investigated the effects of alarin on food intake and gonadotrophin release.

Experimental approach

Alarin was administered into the third cerebral ventricle (i.c.v.) of rats, and food intake or circulating hormone levels were measured. The effect of alarin on the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis was investigated in vitro using hypothalamic and anterior pituitary explants, and immortalized cell lines. Receptor binding assays were used to determine whether alarin binds to galanin receptors.

Key results

The i.c.v. administration of alarin (

SUBMITTER: Boughton CK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2990158 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature