Involvement of Endogenous Enkephalins and β-Endorphin in Feeding and Diet-Induced Obesity.

ABSTRACT: Studies implicate opioid transmission in hedonic and metabolic control of feeding, although roles for specific endogenous opioid peptides have barely been addressed. Here, we studied palatable liquid consumption in proenkephalin knockout (PENK KO) and β-endorphin-deficient (BEND KO) mice, and how the body weight of these mice changed during consumption of an energy-dense highly palatable 'cafeteria diet'. When given access to sucrose solution, PENK KOs exhibited fewer bouts of licking than wild types, even though the length of bouts was similar to that of wild types, a pattern that suggests diminished food motivation. Conversely, BEND KOs did not differ from wild types in the number of licking bouts, even though these bouts were shorter in length, suggesting that they experienced the sucro

SUBMITTER: Mendez IA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4613613 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature