A novel neurotensin peptide analog given extracranially decreases food intake and weight in rodents

Neurotensin decreases food intake in the rat when injected into the cerebral ventricles. We tested the effect of a novel neurotensin analog (NT69L), injected intra-peritoneally (i.p.), on weight gain and food intake in rats. Sprague-Dawley rats (270 g) were injected i.p. with either saline or NT69L at 0.001 or 0.010 mg/kg. In further experiments, larger rats at a more steady state on the growth curve (400 g) were injected with either saline or 0.010 or 1 mg/kg NT69L. Food intake, water consumption and body weight were recorded daily. Weight gain was significantly reduced in the smaller rats injected with 0.001 or 0.010 mg/kg, showing only a 8.5 and 9.0% increase in original weight, respectively, as compared to a 29% increase for the controls. The larger rats injected with 1 mg/kg, had a significant reduction in body weight with a 3.0% decrease in original body weight as compared to a 2.4% increase for the controls. Food intake was significantly reduced suggesting that the weight loss observed after injection of NT69L was attributable in part to a reduction in food intake. The genetically obese Zucker rats injected with NT69L (1 mg/kg) had a significant reduction in weight gain and food intake. NT69L significantly increased blood glucose and corticosterone levels and decreased TSH and T4 in Sprague-Dawley and Zucker rats, an effect that was only transitory. NT69L also caused a decrease in norepinephrine in both the hypothalamus and nucleus accumbens, and an increase in dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and serotonin. In this study, NT69L exhibited a consistent and dramatic effect on body weight and food intake in Sprague-Dawley and obese Zucker rats, and enabled us to study the role that NT plays in weight control and the functional interactions of NT with brain amines, and metabolic and endocrinological parameters. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.