The effect of Nesfatin-1 on food intake in neonatal chicks: role of CRF /CRF2 and H1/ H3 receptors.

The present study was designed to determine the effect of central injection of Nesfatin-1 and corticotropin and histaminergic systems on food intake in neonatal meat-type chicks. In this study, 7 experiments were designed, each with 4 treatment groups. In experiment 1, four groups of chicks received the ICV injection of (A) phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), (B) Nesfatin-1 (10 ng), (C) Nesfatin-1 (20 ng) and (D) Nesfatin-1 (40 ng). In experiment 2, (A) PBS, (B) Astressin-B (CRF/CRF receptors antagonist; 30 µg), (C) Nesfatin-1 (40 ng) and (D) Nesfatin-1 + Astressin-B were injected. In experiments 3-6, chicken received ICV injection of the Astressin2-B (CRF receptor antagonist; 30 µg), α-FMH (alpha fluoromethyl histidine; as inhibitor of histidine decarboxylase, 250 nmol), Chlorpheniramine (histamine H receptors antagonist, 300 nmol), Famotidine (histamine H receptors antagonist, 82 nmol) and Thioperamide (histamine H receptors antagonist, 300 nmol) instead of the Astressin-B. Then the cumulative food intake measured until 120 min post-injection. According to the results, ICV injection of Nesfatin-1 dose dependently decreased food intake in neonatal chicks (P < 0.05). Co-injection of the Nesfatin-1 and Astressin-B (CRF/CRF) inhibited Nesfatin-1 induced hypophagia (P < 0.05). ICV inejction of the Nesfatin-1 + Astressin-B significantly inhibited the effect of Nesfatin-1 on food intake (P < 0.05). In addition, α-FMH and chlorpheniramine attenuated Nesfatin-1-induced hypophagia in chicks (P < 0.05); while thioperamide significantly amplified the effect of Nesfatin-1 on food intake in chicks (P < 0.05). These results suggested Nesfatin-1 has an anorectic effect in 3-hour food deprived neonatal meat-type chicks and this effect was mediated by corticotropin CRF/CRF as well as histamine H and H receptors.