C-fos protein expression in the nucleus of the solitary tract correlates with cholecystokinin dose injected and food intake in rats

• Published in: Brain research Vol. 846; no. 1; pp. 1 - 11
• Main Authors: Zittel, Tilman T, Glatzle, Jörg, Kreis, Martin E, Starlinger, M, Eichner, M, Raybould, Helen E, Becker, Horst D, Jehle, Ekkehard C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier B.V 30.10.1999; Amsterdam Elsevier; New York, NY
• Subjects: Animals; Biochemistry and metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Brain–gut axis; C-fos protein; Central nervous system; Cholecystokinin; Cholecystokinin - pharmacology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Eating - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Intestines - innervation; Logistic Models; Male; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos - biosynthesis; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Receptors, Cholecystokinin - physiology; Regulation of food intake; Satiation - physiology; Satiety; Solitary Nucleus - drug effects; Solitary Nucleus - metabolism; solitary tract nucleus; Vagus Nerve - chemistry; Vagus Nerve - physiology; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Regulation of food intake; Satiety; Brain–gut axis; Cholecystokinin; C-fos protein; Rat; Rodentia; Central nervous system; Gene expression; Neuropeptide; Solitary nucleus; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Food intake; Protooncogene; Brain (vertebrata); Immediate early gene
• ISSN: 0006-8993; 1872-6240
• DOI: 10.1016/S0006-8993(99)01842-9

C-fos protein expression was investigated in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) in response to increasing cholecystokinin (CCK) doses and food intake in rats by counting the number of c-fos protein positive cells in the NTS. C-fos protein expression in the NTS dose-dependently increased in response to CCK, the lowest effective dose being 0.1 μg/kg. The ED 50 for c-fos protein expression in the NTS in response to CCK was calculated to be 0.5 to 1.8 μg/kg, depending on the anatomical level of the NTS investigated. Food intake increased c-fos protein expression in the NTS, the maximum number of c-fos protein positive cells being reached at 90 min after the start of food intake. Regression analysis identified a positive correlation between c-fos protein expression and the amount of food intake. Our data indicate that subpopulations of the NTS that are activated by CCK or food intake are involved into the short-term regulation of food intake and the neural control of feeding by the caudal brainstem.