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The hypothalamus determinates metabolic processes in liver through endocrine and autonomic control. Hypothalamic neuropeptides, such as thyrotropin releasing hormone or vasopressin, have been involved in liver metabolism. The thyroid status influences metabolic processes including liver metabolism in modulating those hypothalamic peptides whose functional status is regulated in part by aminopeptidase activities. In order to obtain data for a possible coordinated interaction between hypothalamus, plasma and liver, of some aminopeptidase activities that may partially reflect the hydrolysis of those peptides, pyroglutamyl- (pGluAP) and cystinyl- (CysAP) beta-naphthylamide hydrolyzing activities were determined fluorimetrically, both in their soluble and membrane-bound forms, in eu- hypo- and hyperthyroid adult male rats. Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism were induced with daily subcutaneous injections of tetraiodothyronine (300 μg/kg/day) or with 0.03% methimazole in drinking water for 6 weeks. Results demonstrated significant changes depending on the type of enzyme and the thyroid status. The most striking changes were observed for CysAP in liver where it was reduced in hypothyroidism and increased in hyperthyroidism. Significant intra- and inter-tissue correlations were observed. While there were positive inter-tissue correlations between liver, plasma and hypothalamus in eu-and hypothyroid rats, a negative correlation between hypothalamus and liver was observed in hyperthyroidism. These results suggest the influence of thyroid hormones and an interactive role for these activities in the control of liver metabolism. The present data also suggest a role for CysAP and pGluAP activities in liver function linked to their activities in hypothalamus.

Cardiovascular diseases including hypertension are often associated with behavioural alterations. The aim of this study was to show, whether ivabradine, the blocker of If-channel in sinoatrial node, is able to modify the behaviour of rats in L-nitro-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)-induced hypertension and to compare the effect of ivabradine with captopril and melatonin. 12-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into the following groups: controls, ivabradine (10 mg/kg/24 h), L-NAME (40 mg/kg/24 h), L-NAME + ivabradine, L-NAME + captopril (100 mg/kg/24 h), L-NAME + melatonin (10 mg/kg/24 h). Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and heart rate (HR) were measured by tail-cuff method once a week. The behaviour of rats was investigated during 23-hours in the phenotyper after four weeks of the treatment. Chronic administration of L-NAME induced hypertension without a change in HR. All tested substances partly prevented the increase of SBP, while ivabradine and melatonin also reduced HR. Ivabradine, captopril and melatonin reduced daily food intake, slightly decreased daily water intake and attenuated body weight gain. In L-NAME group, locomotor activity was enhanced by ivabradine, whereas exploratory behaviour was increased by melatonin and captopril. In conclusion, ivabradine, besides its potentially protective hemodynamic actions, does not seem to exert any disturbing effects on behaviour in L-NAME-induced hypertension in rats, while some of its effects were similar to captopril or melatonin. It is suggested that ivabradine used in cardiovascular indications is harmless regarding the effect on behaviour.

Increasing evidence indicates a role of oxytocin in controlling energy metabolism. The aim of his study was to investigate oxytocin effects on obese phenotype in leptin-resistant Zucker fatty rats, focusing on glucose and lipid metabolism. Zucker fatty rats and their lean controls were treated with oxytocin (3.6 μg/100g body weight/day) by osmotic minipumps implanted subcutaneously for 2 weeks. Two-hours intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test was performed in fasting rats. Oxytocin decreased food intake in both phenotypes while body weight gain reduced only in obese animals. In obese rats oxytocin impaired hepatic insulin extraction and enhanced liver triglyceride accumulation. Moreover, in the skeletal muscle of lean rats oxytocin treatment downregulated insulin signal transduction by decreasing of insulin receptor substrate 1 protein level and stimulating of its serine phosphorylation. Concurrently, the gene expression of insulin receptor substrate 1 in the skeletal muscle and adipose tissue was downregulated by oxytocin. In obese rats, oxytocin reduced adipocyte size and normalised mRNA levels of both fatty acid binding protein 4 and fatty acid synthase but attenuated gene expression of glucose transporter 4. The present study in Zucker fatty rats demonstrated ambivalent effects of oxytocin treatment with predominantly negative impact on skeletal muscle insulin pathway in lean animals.

Elevated adiposity is one of the accompanying features of increased age in humans and animals. Angiotensin II (Ang II) is considered as growth promoting peptide to be involved in hypertrophic enlargement of adipose tissue. However, systemic renin-angiotensin system (RAS) seems to decrease with increased age of rats. Local adipose tissue RAS might be independent of the systemic one. Therefore we performed a comprehensive study using rats with increased age from 9 to 26 weeks and evaluated angiotensinogen, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and AT(1) receptor mRNA in epididymal adipose tissue by RT-PCR. In addition, we determined AT(1) receptor protein by Western blotting and Ang II binding. These RAS parameters were correlated with expression of selected adiposity-dependent proteins such as leptin, adiponectin, insulin-dependent glucose transporter (GLUT4) and PPARgamma. Angiotensinogen and ACE expression decreased with increased age and adiposity. On the contrary, AT(1) receptor mRNA and protein was significantly elevated in 26-week-old rats though the Ang II binding was not different between 9 and 26-week-old animals. These results suggest dynamic adaptation of local adipose tissue RAS components to increased age and adiposity most likely by decreasing local Ang II formation which is thereafter compensated by increased expression of AT(1) receptor. However, this increase in AT(1) receptor mRNA and protein is not reflected in increased receptor binding. We believe that this complex regulation of adipose tissue RAS slows down the negative age and adiposity related changes in adipose tissue leptin, adiponectin, GLUT4 and PPARgamma.

Temporary defects in the plasma lipid and glucose homeostasis are frequent complication accompanying chronic treatment with 13-cis-retinoic acid (13cRA). White adipose tissue acts as an endocrine organ producing a variety of hormones (adipocytokines) including leptin, adiponectin, tumor-necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) and angiotensin II (Ang II), which influence lipid metabolism, systemic insulin sensitivity and inflammation. To study the effect of a short-term 13cRA administration on metabolism of epididymal fat tissue, we treated Wistar rats with five identical therapeutic doses of 13cRA (0.8 mg/kg b.w.) by gavage during a period of 10 days. Expression of adiponectin, leptin, TNFalpha and selected proteins such as adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (aP2), insulin-dependent glucose transporter GLUT4, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) and retinoid X receptors (RXRs) was investigated using RT-PCR. Short-term treatment with therapeutic doses of 13cRA caused significant increase of the aP2, PPARgamma and moderately RXRalpha gene expression. Similarly, the relative amount of mRNA for leptin and GLUT4 was increased, while the TNFa transcript was decreased after treatment with 13cRA. The gene expression and plasma concentration of adiponectin were without any significant changes. Since local adipose renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been presumed to be involved in the regulation of fat tissue metabolism, we also investigated the gene expression of RAS components in epididymal fat depot. Our data has shown that 13cRA elevated Ang II receptor type 1 (AT(1) receptor)--at both, mRNA and protein level. Thus, our results demonstrate that short-term 13cRA treatment is inducing alterations in fat tissue metabolism in relation to stimulated adipogenesis.