Endocrinology, Vol 117, 2435-2442, Copyright © 1985 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Neuropeptide Y stimulates feeding but inhibits sexual behavior in rats

JT Clark, PS Kalra and SP Kalra

The effects of neuropeptide Y (NPY), a tyrosine-rich peptide found in the rat brain, on feeding and sexual behavior were studied in male and female rats. Intraventricular (ivt) injections of NPY during the final hours of the light period induced feeding in a dose-related manner. While the lowest dose tested (0.02 nM) was without effect, higher doses (0.12, 0.47, 2.3 nM) uniformly elicited feeding with a latency of about 15 min in male rats. With the most effective dose, 0.47 nM, the increased food intake was due to an increased local eating rate. In contrast, the pattern of feeding behavior after a related peptide, rat pancreatic polypeptide (rPP), was quite different and less impressive. During the first hour, only one ivt dose of rPP (0.45 nM) evoked an increase in food intake, due to an increased time spent eating. Further, the effects of NPY on food intake were greater during the nocturnal period. Interestingly, increased food intake in nocturnal tests (4 h) was due solely to augmented intake during the first 60 min after ivt administration. In mating tests, initiated 2 h after the onset of darkness and 10 min after ivt administration of peptide, all but the lowest dose of NPY (0.01 nM) drastically suppressed ejaculatory behavior. Most rats treated with higher doses of NPY (0.02, 0.12, or 0.47 nM) mounted and intromitted only a few times before the cessation of sexual activity, and elongated latencies to the initial mount and intromission were observed. In contrast to the dramatic NPY-induced suppression of ejaculatory behavior, rPP (0.11 and 0.45 nM) was without effect on copulatory behavior. To substantiate further that the impairment of sexual behavior seen in NPY-treated rats was not due to an attenuated sexual ability, an additional experiment was performed. Penile reflexes, including erection, were monitored 10 min after ivt injection of NPY (0.12 nM), rPP (0.11 nM), or saline. No effect of NPY or rPP was observed on the proportion of rats showing erection or latency to initial erection, or in the number of erections per test. In fact, a slight facilitation of penile dorsiflexion responses was seen after NPY. These findings suggest that NPY selectively depresses sexual motivation in the male rat. In ovariectomized female rats responding to estrogen plus progesterone with a good level of sexual receptivity (lordosis quotient greater than 70), ivt saline and 0.01 nM NPY were without effect on sexual behavior.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

This article has been cited by other articles:

				B. E. Levin Why some of us get fat and what we can do about it J. Physiol., September 1, 2007; 583(2): 425 - 430. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. L. Seymour, S. L. Dettloff, J. E. Jones, and G. N. Wade Corticotropin-releasing factor receptor subtypes mediating nutritional suppression of estrous behavior in Syrian hamsters Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, August 1, 2005; 289(2): R418 - R423. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. E. Day, E. Keen-Rhinehart, and T. J. Bartness Role of NPY and its receptor subtypes in foraging, food hoarding, and food intake by Siberian hamsters Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, July 1, 2005; 289(1): R29 - R36. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. W. Schwartz and D. Porte Jr. Diabetes, Obesity, and the Brain Science, January 21, 2005; 307(5708): 375 - 379. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. N. Wade and J. E. Jones Neuroendocrinology of nutritional infertility Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, December 1, 2004; 287(6): R1277 - R1296. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. H. Mills, R. K. Sohn, and P. E Micevych Estrogen-Induced {micro}-Opioid Receptor Internalization in the Medial Preoptic Nucleus Is Mediated via Neuropeptide Y-Y1 Receptor Activation in the Arcuate Nucleus of Female Rats J. Neurosci., January 28, 2004; 24(4): 947 - 955. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. F. Chehab, J. Qiu, and S. Ogus The Use of Animal Models to Dissect the Biology of Leptin Recent Prog. Horm. Res., January 1, 2004; 59(1): 245 - 266. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				K. Nagamori, M. Ishibashi, T. Shiraishi, Y. Oomura, and K. Sasaki Effects of Leptin on Hypothalamic Arcuate Neurons in Wistar and Zucker Rats: An In Vitro Study Experimental Biology and Medicine, November 1, 2003; 228(10): 1162 - 1167. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. A. Drakulich, A. M. Walls, M. L. Toews, and T. D. Hexum Neuropeptide Y Receptor-Mediated Sensitization of ATP-Stimulated Inositol Phosphate Formation J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., November 1, 2003; 307(2): 559 - 565. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Sainsbury, P. A. Baldock, C. Schwarzer, N. Ueno, R. F. Enriquez, M. Couzens, A. Inui, H. Herzog, and E. M. Gardiner Synergistic Effects of Y2 and Y4 Receptors on Adiposity and Bone Mass Revealed in Double Knockout Mice Mol. Cell. Biol., August 1, 2003; 23(15): 5225 - 5233. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. P. Figlewicz Adiposity signals and food reward: expanding the CNS roles of insulin and leptin Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, April 1, 2003; 284(4): R882 - R892. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Lappalainen, H. R. Kranzler, R. Malison, L. H. Price, C. Van Dyck, R. A. Rosenheck, J. Cramer, S. Southwick, D. Charney, J. Krystal, et al. A Functional Neuropeptide Y Leu7Pro Polymorphism Associated With Alcohol Dependence in a Large Population Sample From the United States Arch Gen Psychiatry, September 1, 2002; 59(9): 825 - 831. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. E. Jones, R. R. Pick, M. D. Davenport, A. C. Keene, E. S. Corp, and G. N. Wade Disinhibition of female sexual behavior by a CRH receptor antagonist in Syrian hamsters Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, September 1, 2002; 283(3): R591 - R597. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C.-S. Yuan, L. Dey, J.-T. Xie, and H. H. Aung Gastric Effects of Galanin and Its Interaction with Leptin on Brainstem Neuronal Activity J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., May 1, 2002; 301(2): 488 - 493. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Sainsbury, C. Schwarzer, M. Couzens, A. Jenkins, S. R. Oakes, C. J. Ormandy, and H. Herzog Y4 receptor knockout rescues fertility in ob/ob mice Genes & Dev., May 1, 2002; 16(9): 1077 - 1088. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. E. Huntington, N. F. Shay, E. Grouzmann, L. M. Arseneau, and J. L. Beverly Zinc Status Affects Neurotransmitter Activity in the Paraventricular Nucleus of Rats J. Nutr., February 1, 2002; 132(2): 270 - 275. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Baran, E. Preston, D. Wilks, G. J. Cooney, E. W. Kraegen, and A. Sainsbury Chronic Central Melanocortin-4 Receptor Antagonism and Central Neuropeptide-Y Infusion in Rats Produce Increased Adiposity by Divergent Pathways Diabetes, January 1, 2002; 51(1): 152 - 158. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. S. Corp, B. Greco, J. B. Powers, C. L. M. Bivens, and G. N. Wade Neuropeptide Y inhibits estrous behavior and stimulates feeding via separate receptors in Syrian hamsters Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, April 1, 2001; 280(4): R1061 - R1068. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Shimizu-Albergine, D. L. Ippolito, and J. A. Beavo Downregulation of Fasting-Induced cAMP Response Element-Mediated Gene Induction by Leptin in Neuropeptide Y Neurons of the Arcuate Nucleus J. Neurosci., February 15, 2001; 21(4): 1238 - 1246. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. A. Ammar, F. Sederholm, T. R. Saito, A. J. W. Scheurink, A. E. Johnson, and P. Sodersten NPY-leptin: opposing effects on appetitive and consummatory ingestive behavior and sexual behavior Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, June 1, 2000; 278(6): R1627 - R1633. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Yokosuka, P. S. Kalra, and S. P. Kalra Inhibition of Neuropeptide Y (NPY)-Induced Feeding and c-Fos Response in Magnocellular Paraventricular Nucleus by a NPY Receptor Antagonist: A Site of NPY Action Endocrinology, October 1, 1999; 140(10): 4494 - 4500. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				P. D. Raposinho, P. Broqua, D. D. Pierroz, A. Hayward, Y. Dumont, R. Quirion, J.-L. Junien, and M. L. Aubert Evidence That the Inhibition of Luteinizing Hormone Secretion Exerted by Central Administration of Neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the Rat Is Predominantly Mediated by the NPY-Y5 Receptor Subtype Endocrinology, September 1, 1999; 140(9): 4046 - 4055. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				S. Iyengar, D. L. Li, and R. M. A. Simmons Characterization of Neuropeptide Y-Induced Feeding in Mice: Do Y1-Y6 Receptor Subtypes Mediate Feeding? J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., May 1, 1999; 289(2): 1031 - 1040. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				S. P. Kalra, M. G. Dube, S. Pu, B. Xu, T. L. Horvath, and P. S. Kalra Interacting Appetite-Regulating Pathways in the Hypothalamic Regulation of Body Weight Endocr. Rev., February 1, 1999; 20(1): 68 - 100. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				S. F. Leibowitz, A. Akabayashi, J. T. Alexander, and J. Wang Gonadal Steroids and Hypothalamic Galanin and Neuropeptide Y: Role in Eating Behavior and Body Weight Control in Female Rats Endocrinology, April 1, 1998; 139(4): 1771 - 1780. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. S. Hanson, N. Levin, and M. F. Dallman Elevated Corticosterone Is Not Required for the Rapid Induction of Neuropeptide Y Gene Expression by an Overnight Fast Endocrinology, March 1, 1997; 138(3): 1041 - 1047. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. L. Dickson and S. M. Luckman Induction of c-fos Messenger Ribonucleic Acid in Neuropeptide Y and Growth Hormone (GH)-Releasing Factor Neurons in the Rat Arcuate Nucleus Following Systemic Injection of the GH Secretagogue, GH-Releasing Peptide-6 Endocrinology, February 1, 1997; 138(2): 771 - 777. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. L. M. Bivens and D. H. Olster Abnormal Estrous Cyclicity and Behavioral Hyporesponsiveness to Ovarian Hormones in Genetically Obese Zucker Female Rats Endocrinology, January 1, 1997; 138(1): 143 - 148. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. O'Shea, D. G. A. Morgan, K. Meeran, C. M. B. Edwards, M. D. Turton, S. J. Choi, M. M. Heath, I. Gunn, G. M. Taylor, J. K. Howard, et al. Neuropeptide Y Induced Feeding in the Rat Is Mediated by a Novel Receptor Endocrinology, January 1, 1997; 138(1): 196 - 202. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. A. Bard, M. W. Walker, T. A. Branchek, and R. L. Weinshank Cloning and Functional Expression of a Human Y4 Subtype Receptor for Pancreatic Polypeptide, Neuropeptide Y, and Peptide YY J. Biol. Chem., November 10, 1995; 270(45): 26762 - 26765. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. J. Wimalawansa and S. J. Wimalawansa Purification and Biochemical Characterization of Neuropeptide Y(2) Receptor J. Biol. Chem., August 4, 1995; 270(31): 18523 - 18530. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]