Abstract
Nesfatin-1 is a peptide derived from the nucleo-bindin 2 (Nucb2) precursor protein that has been shown to exert potent effects on appetite and cardiovascular function in male animals. Sex hormones modulate the expression of Nucb2 in several species, including goldfish, mouse, and rat, and human studies have revealed differential expression based on male or female sex. We therefore hypothesized that the ability of nesfatin-1 to increase mean arterial pressure (MAP) would be influenced by stage of the estrous cycle. Indeed, we found that in cycling female Sprague-Dawley rats, nesfa-tin-1 induced an increase in MAP on diestrus, when both estrogen and progesterone levels are low but not on proestrus or estrus. The effect of nesfatin-1 on MAP was dependent on functional central melanocortin receptors, because the nesfatin-1-induced increase in MAP was abolished by pretreatment with the melanocortin 3/4 receptor antagonist, SHU9119. We previously reported that nesfatin-1 inhibited angiotensin II-induced water drinking in male rats but found no effect of nesfatin-1 in females in diestrus. However, nesfatin-1 enhanced angiotensin II-induced elevations in MAP in females in diestrus but had no effect on males. Finally, in agreement with previous reports, the expression of Nucb2 mRNA in hypothalamus was significantly reduced in female rats in proestrus compared with rats in diestrus. From these data we conclude that the function and expression of nesfatin-1 are modulated by sex hormone status. Further studies are required to determine the contributions of chromosomal sex and individual sex hormones to the cardiovascular effects of nesfatin-1.
Recommended Citation
A. T. Pate et al., "Expression and Function of Nesfatin-1 are Altered by Stage of the Estrous Cycle," American Journal of Physiology Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology, vol. 317, no. 2, pp. R328 - R336, American Physiological Society, Aug 2019.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.00249.2018
Department(s)
Biological Sciences
Publication Status
Open Access
Keywords and Phrases
Angiotensin II; Central melanocortin system; Mean arterial pressure; Nesfatin-1; Sex difference
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
1522-1490; 0363-6119
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Final Version
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2025 American Physiological Society, All rights reserved.
Creative Commons Licensing
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Publication Date
01 Aug 2019
PubMed ID
31141415
Comments
National Institutes of Health, Grant HL-121456