Beta-casomorphins stimulate and enterostatin inhibits the intake of dietary fat in rats.

The effects of beta-casomorphins 1-7, 1-5 and 1-4 on food intake of rats adapted to either a high fat (HF) or high carbohydrate (HC) diet have been studied and compared to the effects of enterostatin. Intracerebroventricular (icv) beta-casomorphin1-7 (beta-CM1-7) stimulated intake of HF diet in overnight fasted rats, but beta-CM1-5 and beta-CM1-4 were ineffective. Peripheral injection of beta-CM1-7 also increased the intake of a high fat diet, but reduced the intake of HC diet in satiated rats. Intracerebroventricular (ICV) beta-CM1-7 caused a dose-dependent increase in the intake of HF diet, but a dose-dependent inhibition of HC ingestion in satiated rats. Enterostatin (ICV) inhibited the beta-CM1-7 stimulation of HF intake, as did the general opioid antagonist naloxone. Ligand binding studies with [3H-pro] enterostatin identified on low affinity binding site (Kd 100nM) on a crude brain membrane preparation. This binding was displaced by beta-CM1-7, beta-CM1-5 and beta-CM1-4. These data suggest that at high doses enterostatin and beta-CM1-7 may interact with the same low affinity receptor to modulate intake of dietary fat.

Localization of motilin-immunopositive cells in the rat intestine by light microscopic immunocytochemistry.

Motilin-immunopositive cells (Mo cells) are known to exist in the upper small intestine of many species including man. However, the possible presence of Mo cells in the rat gastrointestine has remained obscure because antiserum against it raised in rabbit was found not to cross-react with motilin in the rat gastrointestine. The present study was designed to investigate the distribution of Mo cells in the rat gastrointestine by the peroxidase-conjugated second antibody method using newly raised chicken anti-motilin serum (CPV3). This antiserum was suggested to recognize the N-terminal region of the motilin molecule by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and immunocytochemical absorption test. Mo cells detected in the rat gastrointestine by immunocytochemistry were found to be distributed in the duodenum (1.5 cells/mm2), jejunum (2.2 cells/mm2), and ileum (0.028 cells/mm2), and no positive cells were found in the gastric body, gastric antrum, cecum, colon, or pancreas. The immunopositive cells in the rat intestine were spindle shaped or polygonal, scattered throughout the epithelium of the villi and crypts, and similar to those commonly observed in the upper small intestine of other species. These results indicate for the first time that motilin-immunopositive cells do exist in the rat intestine.

Medialbasal hypothalamic deafferentation modulates feeding response to insulin in rats.

Medialbasal hypothalamic (MBH) deafferentation induces hypothalamic obesity accompanied by hyperphagia and hyperinsulinemia. Insulin is essential in developing and maintaining obesity, but the role of insulin in food intake in hypothalamic obesity is still unclear. The present study demonstrated that exogenous insulin increased food intake dose relatedly in MBH deafferented diabetic rats without developing hypoglycemia. Insulin administrations suppressed hyperphagia in the sham-operated diabetic rats. In contrast, in the MBH deafferented diabetic rats, insulin increased food intake in sow-related manner concomitant with a greater increased body weight gain than the sham-operated diabetic rats. The blood glucose levels of the MBH deafferented diabetic rats were at all time higher than those of the sham-operated diabetic rats and were hyperglycemic throughout the insulin treatment. These data indicate that insulin action on food intake mediated through the central nervous system is modulated by MBH deafferentation. This modulated insulin action may contribute to the pathogenesis on obesity in MBH deafferented animals.

[A long survived case of malignant pheochromocytoma treated with alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine and midaglizol (DG-5128)].

Survival period of malignant pheochromocytoma treated only conservatively is reported to be less than one year by T. Sato. A patient of malignant pheochromocytoma with liver metastasis has been treated with alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (alpha MPT), tyrosine hydroxylase inhibitor, in the last 5 years. Catecholamine levels markedly decreased and he has a long survival time. He lives over 17 years from the detection of malignant pheochromocytoma. alpha MPT was considered to have a role to protect a patient from cardiomyopathy induced by hyper-catecholaminemia and to have the action of inhibiting the growth of this tumor. The growth of this tumor was very slow. Since this case had insulin independent diabetes mellitus, insulin therapy was applied, however, blood glucose level was not controlled well. Then we tried midaglizol (DG-5128), alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist, to control diabetes mellitus and a sufficient control was obtained. C-peptide level in urine was increased concomitant with decrease of blood glucose. This fact suggested that insulin secretion was improved. It is well known that catecholamine, especially noradrenaline has an inhibiting action on insulin secretion from beta cell. This action was appeared through alpha 2-adrenergic receptor. DG-5128 has an action as alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist. We think an inhibiting action on insulin secretion of catecholamine was diminished through its action as adrenoceptor antagonist. Kawazu et al. reported that catecholamine levels, heart rate and blood pressure did not change by DG-5128 administration in healthy subjects. In this patient, no change was appeared either. No major complication was observed during this treatment.

Diabetes insipidus with spontaneous remission.

Pathogenesis of idiopathic diabetes insipidus is unknown and the clinical course of the disease is permanent. However, we observed one patient who was diagnosed of idiopathic diabetes insipidus spontaneously reverted after approximately 13 months. The cause and pathogenesis of the disease were not evident. However, some reversible abnormalities should have been encountered in the hypothalamic-neurohypophyseal system. It is suggested that some unknown reversible impairments of the supraopticohypophyseal tract can cause diabetes insipidus. This case represents a well-documented description of idiopathic diabetes insipidus with spontaneous remission.