Morphological evidence for neural interactions between leptin and orexin in the hypothalamus

Regul Pept. 2000 Aug 25;92(1-3):31-5. doi: 10.1016/s0167-0115(00)00146-4.

Abstract

Both leptin and orexin have been recently discovered as peptides involved in feeding regulation. The morphological evidence of neural interaction between leptin and orexin, one considered to inhibit food intake and the other to stimulate it in the central nervous system (CNS), was studied by use of double immunostaining method. The leptin receptor-like immunoreactive (LR-LI) neurons in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus and ventromedial nucleus were innervated by orexin-like immunoreactive (OX-LI) neurons. The distribution of LR-LI neurons in the hypothalamus was very similar to that of OX-LI neurons. These results may suggest that leptin and orexin are intimately correlated with each other and that they reciprocally regulate feeding at the hypothalamic level.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / metabolism
  • Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / pathology
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Brain / pathology
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Hypothalamus / metabolism*
  • Hypothalamus / pathology
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins*
  • Leptin / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Neurons / metabolism*
  • Neuropeptides / metabolism*
  • Orexin Receptors
  • Orexins
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptors, Cell Surface*
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • Receptors, Leptin
  • Receptors, Neuropeptide
  • Ventromedial Hypothalamic Nucleus / metabolism
  • Ventromedial Hypothalamic Nucleus / pathology

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Leptin
  • Neuropeptides
  • Orexin Receptors
  • Orexins
  • Receptors, Cell Surface
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • Receptors, Leptin
  • Receptors, Neuropeptide