J Vet Sci.  2012 Sep;13(3):229-234. 10.4142/jvs.2012.13.3.229.

The effect of melanocortin (Mc3 and Mc4) antagonists on serotonin-induced food and water intake of broiler cockerels

• Zendehdel
• Hamidi F
• Babapour V
• Mokhtarpouriani K
• Fard RM

• KMID: 1389761
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2012.13.3.229

Abstract

The current study was designed to examine the effects of intracerebroventricular injections of SHU9119 [a nonselective melanocortin receptor (McR) antagonist] and MCL0020 (a selective McR antagonist) on the serotonin-induced eating and drinking responses of broiler cockerels deprived of food for 24 h (FD24). For Experiment 1, the chickens were intracerebroventricularly injected with 2.5, 5, and 10 microg serotonin. In Experiment 2, the chickens received 2 nmol SHU9119 before being injected with 10 microg serotonin. For Experiment 3, the chickens were given 10 microg serotonin after receiving 2 nmol MCL0020, and the level of food and water intake was determined 3 h post-injection. Results of this study showed that serotonin decreased food intake but increased water intake among the FD24 broiler cockerels and that these effects occurred in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect of serotonin on food intake was significantly attenuated by pretreatment with SHU9119 and MCL0020. However, the stimulatory effect of serotonin on water intake was not altered by this pretreatment. These results suggest that serotonin hypophagia and hyperdipsia were mediated by different mechanisms in the central nervous system, and that serotonin required downstream activation of McRs to promote hypophagia but not hyperdipsia in the FD24 chickens.

Keyword

chicken; food and water intake; MCL0020; serotonin; SHU9119

MeSH Terms

Animals
Chickens
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Drinking Behavior/*drug effects
Feeding Behavior/*drug effects
Food Deprivation
Injections, Intraventricular/veterinary
Male
Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones/*pharmacology
Oligopeptides/*pharmacology
Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 3/*antagonists & inhibitors
Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4/*antagonists & inhibitors
Serotonin/pharmacology

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Effect of intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of serotonin at different doses on food intake in chickens deprived of food for 24 h (FD24). Data are presented as the mean ± SE. Lowercase letters (a, b, and c) indicate significant differences between the treatments (p ≤ 0.05).

• 

  Fig. 2 Effect of ICV injection of serotonin at different doses on water intake in FD24 chickens. Data are presented as the mean ± SE. Lowercase letters (a and b) indicate significant differences between the treatments (p ≤ 0.05).

• 

  Fig. 3 Effect of ICV injection of SHU9119 (2 nmol) followed by serotonin (10 µg) on food intake in FD24 chickens. Data are presented as the mean ± SE. Lowercase letters (a and b) indicate significant differences between the treatments (p ≤ 0.05). S: saline, SHU: SHU9119.

• 

  Fig. 4 Effects of ICV injection of MCL0020 (2 nmol) followed by serotonin (10 µg) on food intake in FD24 chickens. Data are presented as the mean ± SE. Lowercase letters (a and b) indicate significant differences between the treatments (p ≤ 0.05). MCL: MCL0020.

• 

  Fig. 5 Effects of ICV injection of SHU9119 (2 nmol) followed by serotonin (10 µg) on water intake in FD24 chickens. Data are presented as the mean ± SE. Lowercase letters (a and b) indicate significant differences between the treatments (p ≤ 0.05).

• 

  Fig. 6 Effect of ICV delivery of MCL0020 (2 nmol) followed by serotonin (10 µg) on water intake in FD24 chickens. Data are presented as the mean ± SE. Lowercase letters (a and b) indicate significant differences between the treatments (p ≤ 0.05).

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