Stressor-responsive central nesfatin-1 activates corticotropin-releasing hormone, noradrenaline and serotonin neurons and evokes hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

A recently discovered satiety molecule, nesfatin-1, is localized in neurons of the hypothalamus and brain stem and colocalized with stress-related substances, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), oxytocin, proopiomelanocortin, noradrenaline (NA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). Intracerebroventricular (icv) administration of nesfatin-1 produces fear-related behaviors and potentiates stressor-induced increases in plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone levels in rats. These findings suggest a link between nesfatin-1 and stress. In the present study, we aimed to further clarify the neuronal network by which nesfatin-1 could induce stress responses in rats. Restraint stress induced c-Fos expressions in nesfatin-1-immunoreactive neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON) of the hypothalamus, and in the nucleus of solitary tract (NTS), locus coeruleus (LC) and dorsal raphe nucleus (DR) in the brain stem, without altering plasma nesfatin-1 levels. Icv nesfatin-1 induced c-Fos expressions in the PVN, SON, NTS, LC, DR and median raphe nucleus, including PVN-CRH, NTS-NA, LC-NA and DR-5-HT neurons. Nesfatin-1 increased cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in the CRH-immunoreactive neurons isolated from PVN. Icv nesfatin-1 increased plasma ACTH and corticosterone levels. These results indicate that the central nesfatin-1 system is stimulated by stress and activates CRH, NA and 5-HT neurons and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, evoking both central and peripheral stress responses.