Amparo Romero-Picó, Estrella Sanchez-Rebordelo, Monica Imbernon, David González-Touceda, Cintia Folgueira, Ana Senra, Johan Fernø, Clémence Blouet, Roberto Cabrera, Margriet van Gestel, Roger A Adan, Miguel López, Rafael Maldonado, Ruben Nogueiras, Carlos Diéguez
Melanin-Concentrating Hormone (MCH) is one of the most relevant orexigenic factors specifically located in the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), with its physiological relevance demonstrated in studies using several genetically manipulated mice models. However, the central mechanisms controlling MCH-induced hyperphagia remain largely uncharacterized. Here, we show that central injection of MCH in mice deficient for kappa opoid receptor (k-OR) failed to stimulate feeding. To determine the hypothalamic area responsible for this MCH/k-OR interaction, we performed virogenetic studies and found that downregulation of k-OR by adeno-associated viruses (shOprk1-AAV) in LHA, but not in other hypothalamic nuclei, was sufficient to block MCH-induced food intake...
March 1, 2018: Neuropharmacology