Spexin may induce mitochondrial biogenesis in white and brown adipocytes via the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis

Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of the intracerebroventricular (icv) administration of spexin on the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis (TRH, TSH, T4 and T3 hormones) and energy expenditure (PGC-1 alpha and UCP1 genes) in white adipose (WAT) and brown adipose tissues (BAT) in rats. Furthermore, the study aimed to determine the effects of spexin on food-water consumption and body weight of rats.Material and method: The study was conducted with 40 male rats that were divided into 4 groups: Control, Sham, Spexin 30 and Spexin 100 (n = 10). Spexin (1 mu l/hour) was administered to rats other than those in the control group for 7 days with osmotic minipumps intracerebroventricularly, artificial cerebrospinal fluid (vehicle) was administered to the Sham group, and 30 nMol and 100 nMol spexin was infused to the Spexin 30 and Spexin 100 groups, respectively. Food-water consumption and body weight of the rats were monitored during the experiments. After the seven-day infusion, the rats were decapitated and serum TSH, fT4 and fT3 levels were determined with ELISA on rat blood samples. Also, TRH gene expression levels from the hypothalamus tissues and PGC-1 alpha and UCP1 expression levels from WAT and BAT were determined by real-time PCR.Findings: It was determined that icv spexin infusion reduced daily food consumption and body weight without leading to a significant change in water consumption (p < 0.05). Icv spexin infusion significantly decreased serum TSH, and increased fT4 and fT3 levels when compared to control and sham groups (p < 0.05). Moreover, icv spexin infusion increased the TRH expressions in the hypothalamus tissues and PGC-1 alpha UCP1 in the WAT and BAT (p < 0.05).Conclusion: Icv Spexin infusion may have effects on food consumption and body weight as well as, thyroid hormones and energy metabolism.

Automated summary

This study investigated the effects of intracerebroventricular administration of Spexin on the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis and energy expenditure in rats. The results showed that Spexin reduced food consumption and body weight, increased thyroid hormones, and enhanced energy metabolism.