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Differential Activation of the Sympathetic Innervation of Adipose Tissues by Melanocortin Receptor Stimulation

Department of Morphophysiological Sciences (M.N.B., N.A.B.), State University of Maringá, 87 020-900 Maringá, Brazil; and Department of Biology (D.J.B., C.K.S., T.J.B.), Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30302-4010

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. Timothy J. Bartness, Department of Biology, Georgia State University, 24 Peachtree Center Avenue Northeast, Atlanta, Georgia 30302-4010. E-mail: bartness{at}gsu.edu.

Melanocortins are implicated in the control of energy intake/expenditure. Centrally administered melanotan II (MTII), a synthetic melanocortin 3/4-receptor agonist, decreases adiposity beyond that accountable by food intake decreases. Melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4-R) mRNA is expressed on sympathetic nervous system (SNS) outflow neurons to white adipose tissue (WAT) in Siberian hamsters, suggesting a role in lipid mobilization. Therefore, we tested whether third ventricular injections of MTII increased sympathetic drive to WAT and interscapular brown adipose tissue (IBAT) using norepinephrine turnover (NETO) as a measure of sympathetic drive. We also tested for MTII-induced changes in lipolysis-related WAT gene expression (β3-adrenoceptors, hormone sensitive lipase) and IBAT thermogenesis (β3-adrenoceptor, uncoupling protein-1). Finally, we tested whether third ventricularly injected MTII, a highly selective MC4-R agonist (cyclo[β-Ala-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Glu]NH2) increased or agouti-related protein decreased IBAT temperature in hamsters implanted with sc IBAT temperature transponders. Centrally administered MTII provoked differential sympathetic drives to WAT and IBAT (increased inguinal WAT, dorsosubcutaneous WAT and IBAT NETO, but not epididymal WAT and retroperitoneal WAT NETO). MTII also increased circulating concentrations of the lipolytic products free fatty acids and glycerol but not plasma catecholamines, suggesting lipid mobilization via WAT SNS innervation and not via adrenal medullary catecholamines. WAT or IBAT gene expression was largely unaffected by acute MTII treatment, but IBAT temperature was increased by MTII and the MC4-R agonist and decreased by agouti-related protein. Collectively, this is the first demonstration of central melanocortin agonist stimulation of WAT lipolysis through the SNS and confirms melanocortin-induced changes in BAT thermogenesis.

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