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Molecular characterization of melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) in Schizothorax prenanti: cloning, tissue distribution and role in food intake regulation

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Abstract

Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) is a crucial neuropeptide involved in various biological functions in both mammals and fish. In this study, the full-length MCH cDNA was obtained from Schizothorax prenanti by rapid amplification of cDNA ends polymerase chain reaction. The full-length MCH cDNA contained 589 nucleotides including an open reading frame of 375 nucleotides encoding 256 amino acids. MCH mRNA was highly expressed in the brain by real-time quantitative PCR analysis. Within the brain, expression of MCH mRNA was preponderantly detected in the hypothalamus. In addition, the MCH mRNA expression in the S. prenanti hypothalamus of fed group was significantly decreased compared with the fasted group at 1 and 3 h post-feeding, respectively. Furthermore, the MCH gene expression presented significant increase in the hypothalamus of fasted group compared with the fed group during long-term fasting. After re-feeding, there was a dramatic decrease in MCH mRNA expression in the hypothalamus of S. prenanti. The results indicate that the expression of MCH is affected by feeding status. Taken together, our results suggest that MCH may be involved in food intake regulation in S. prenanti.

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Abbreviations

MCH:

Melanin-concentrating hormone

NPY:

Neuropeptide Y

CRH:

Corticotropin-releasing hormone

POMC:

Proopiomelanocortin

CCK:

Cholecystokinin

cGnRH II:

Chicken gonadotropin-releasing hormone II

MC4R:

Melanocortin-4 receptor

CNS:

Central nervous system

MS-222:

Tricaine methanesulfonate

RACE:

Rapid amplification of cDNA ends

PCR:

Polymerase chain reaction

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Grants from the Major Project of Education Department in Sichuan (12ZA120) and the double branch plan of Sichuan Agricultural University (01570702).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Aquaculture, Sichuan Agricultural University, 46# Xinkang Road, Ya’an, China

    Tao Wang, Dengyue Yuan, Chaowei Zhou, Fangjun Lin, Rongbin Wei, Hu Chen, Hongwei Wu, Zhiming Xin, Ju Liu, Yundi Gao, Defang Chen, Shiyong Yang, Yan Wang, Yundan Pu & Zhiqiong Li

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  1. Tao Wang
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  2. Dengyue Yuan
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Correspondence to Zhiqiong Li.

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Wang, T., Yuan, D., Zhou, C. et al. Molecular characterization of melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) in Schizothorax prenanti: cloning, tissue distribution and role in food intake regulation. Fish Physiol Biochem 42, 883–893 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-015-0182-2

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