RGD Reference Report - Galanin-like peptide mRNA alterations in arcuate nucleus and neural lobe of streptozotocin-diabetic and obese zucker rats. Further evidence for leptin-dependent and independent regulation. - Rat Genome Database

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Galanin-like peptide mRNA alterations in arcuate nucleus and neural lobe of streptozotocin-diabetic and obese zucker rats. Further evidence for leptin-dependent and independent regulation.

Authors: Shen, J  Gundlach, AL 
Citation: Shen J and Gundlach AL, Neuroendocrinology. 2004;79(6):327-37. Epub 2004 Jul 13.
RGD ID: 2313739
Pubmed: PMID:15256810   (View Abstract at PubMed)
DOI: DOI:10.1159/000079752   (Journal Full-text)

Galanin-like peptide (GALP) is a 60-amino-acid peptide with structural similarities to galanin and a high affinity for galanin receptors. GALP is expressed by a discrete population of neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) and median eminence of the hypothalamus of several species, including the rat. GALP neurons express leptin receptors and GALP mRNA levels are decreased slightly in fasted rats and stimulated significantly by acute leptin treatment in combination with fasting. In studies to further explore the leptin dependence of GALP expression, we examined GALP mRNA levels in the hypothalamus of obese Zucker and streptozotocin-induced diabetic (STZ-DM) rats. In leptin receptor-deficient obese Zucker rats, with 75% higher body weight than lean littermates, GALP mRNA levels in the ARC were decreased by 75%, while neuropeptide Y (NPY) mRNA levels were increased 7-fold (n = 5, p < 0.001), consistent with earlier reports. In hypoleptinemic diabetic rats with 4.5-fold higher blood glucose and 15% lower body weight than controls, GALP mRNA levels in the ARC were decreased by 90%, while NPY mRNA levels were increased 9-fold (n = 5, p < 0.001). GALP is also expressed by pituicytes in the neural lobe of the rat pituitary gland and GALP expression is increased by osmotic stimulation such as dehydration and salt loading. Thus, in STZ-DM rats that are in a hyperosmotic state with elevated plasma vasopressin levels, GALP mRNA levels were increased by approximately 20-fold in the neural lobe relative to control (n = 4, p < 0.001). The current findings are consistent with a strong tonic influence of leptin receptor signalling on hypothalamic GALP expression under normal conditions, and possible abnormalities in GALP neuronal signalling and their putative targets, thyrotropin-releasing hormone and gonadotropin hormone-releasing hormone neurons, under pathophysiological conditions such as diabetes and obesity. Our data in STZ-DM rats also clearly demonstrate that GALP gene expression is differentially regulated in neurons and pituicytes.

RGD Manual Disease Annotations    Click to see Annotation Detail View
TermQualifierEvidenceWithReferenceNotesSourceOriginal Reference(s)
Experimental Diabetes Mellitus  ISOGalp (Rattus norvegicus)2313739; 2313739mRNA:increased expression:arcuate nucleus and pars posteriorRGD 
Experimental Diabetes Mellitus  IEP 2313739mRNA:increased expression:arcuate nucleus and pars posteriorRGD 
obesity  ISOGalp (Rattus norvegicus)2313739; 2313739mRNA:decreased expression:arcuate nucleusRGD 
obesity  IEP 2313739mRNA:decreased expression:arcuate nucleusRGD 

Objects Annotated

Genes (Rattus norvegicus)
Galp  (galanin-like peptide)

Genes (Mus musculus)
Galp  (galanin-like peptide)

Genes (Homo sapiens)
GALP  (galanin like peptide)


Additional Information