Hypothalamic insulin expression remains unaltered after short-term fasting in female rats.

Purpose: Our previous study showed that 6-h fasting increased insulin expression in the hypothalamus of male rats. We, therefore, wanted to examine if this phenomenon occurs in female rats and whether it depended on the estrus cycle phase.

Methods: Female rats in proestrus or diestrus were either exposed to 6-h fasting or had ad libitum access to food.

Short-term fasting promotes insulin expression in rat hypothalamus.

In the hypothalamus, insulin takes on many roles involved in energy homoeostasis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine hypothalamic insulin expression during the initial phase of the metabolic response to fasting. Hypothalamic insulin content was assessed by both radioimmunoassay and Western blot.