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Neuropeptide Y Counteracts the Anorectic and Weight Reducing Effects of Ciliary Neurotropic Factor

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), a cytokine of the interleukin‐6 superfamily, has been shown to induce hypophagia and weight loss. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and orexin are potent orexigenic signals in the hypothalamus. Anorexia, normally seen in response to infection, injury and inflammation, may result from diminished hypothalamic orexigenic signalling caused by persistently elevated cytokines, including CNTF. To test this hypothesis, we first examined the effects of chronic intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) infusion of CNTF for 6–7 days on food intake and body weight as well as hypothalamic NPY and orexin gene expression in male rats. Subsequently, the effectiveness of NPY replacement to counteract the effects of CNTF by coinfusion of NPY and CNTF was evaluated. Chronic i.c.v. infusion of CNTF (2.5 µg/day) reduced body weight (14.3% vs control) at the end of 7 days. Food intake remained suppressed for 5 days postinfusion and subsequently gradually returned to the control range by day 7. Serum leptin concentrations in these rats were in the same range seen in control rats. Chronic i.c.v. infusion of higher doses of CNTF (5.0 µg/day) produced sustained anorexia and body weight loss (29% vs controls) through the entire duration of the experiment. This severe anorexia was accompanied by markedly suppressed serum leptin concentrations. Furthermore, CNTF infusion alone significantly reduced hypothalamic NPY gene expression (P < 0.05) without affecting orexin gene expression. As expected, in fusion of NPY alone (18 µg/day) augmented food intake (191.6% over the initial control, P < 0.05) and produced a 25.1% weight gain in conjunction with a 10‐fold increase in serum leptin concentrations at the end of the 7‐day period. Interestingly, coinfusion of this regimen of NPY with the highly effective anorectic and body reducing effects of CNTF (5.0 µg/day) not only prevented the CNTF‐induced anorexia and weight loss, but also normalized serum leptin concentrations and hypothalamic NPY gene expression. These results demonstrate that chronic central infusion to produce a persistent elevation of the cytokine at pathophysiological levels (a situation that may normally manifest during infection, injury and inflammation) produced severe anorexia and weight loss in conjunction with reduction in both serum leptin concentrations and hypothalamic NPY gene expression. Reinstatement of hypothalamic NPY signalling by coinfusion of NPY counteracted these CNTF‐induced responses.