Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) is involved in gastric smooth muscle relaxation, vasodilation, and gastric secretions. It is also associated with appetite regulation, eliciting an anorexigenic response in mammals, birds, and fish; however, the molecular mechanism mediating this response is not well understood. The aim of the present study was thus to investigate hypothalamic mechanisms mediating VIP-induced satiety in 7-d old Japanese quail. In experiment 1, chicks that received intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of VIP had reduced food intake for up to 180 min after injection and reduced water intake for 90 min. In experiment 2, VIP-treated chicks that were food restricted did not reduce water intake. In experiment 3, there was increased c-Fos immunoreactivity in the arcuate (ARC) and dorsomedial (DMN) nuclei of the hypothalamus in VIP-injected quail. In experiment 4, ICV VIP was associated with decreased neuropeptide Y mRNA in the ARC and DMN and an increase in corticotropin releasing factor mRNA in the DMN. In experiment 5, VIP-treated chicks displayed fewer feed pecks and locomotor behaviors. These results demonstrate that central VIP causes anorexigenic effects that are likely associated with reductions in orexigenic tone involving the ARC and DMN.

血管活性肠多肽 (VIP) 参与胃平滑肌松弛、血管舒张和胃液分泌。它还与食欲调节有关，引起哺乳动物、鸟类和鱼类的厌食反应；然而，介导这种反应的分子机制尚不清楚。因此，本研究的目的是研究介导 7 天龄日本鹌鹑 VIP 诱导的饱腹感的下丘脑机制。在实验 1 中，接受脑室内 (ICV) 注射 VIP 的小鸡在注射后减少了长达 180 分钟的食物摄入量，并减少了 90 分钟的饮水量。在实验 2 中，食物限制的 VIP 处理的小鸡没有减少饮水量。在实验 3 中，在注射 VIP 的鹌鹑中，下丘脑弓状 (ARC) 和背内侧 (DMN) 核中的 c-Fos 免疫反应性增加。在实验 4 中，ICV VIP 与 ARC 和 DMN 中神经肽 Y mRNA 的减少以及 DMN 中促肾上腺皮质激素释放因子 mRNA 的增加有关。在实验 5 中，VIP 处理的小鸡表现出较少的啄食和运动行为。这些结果表明，中枢 VIP 会导致食欲减退效应，这可能与涉及 ARC 和 DMN 的食欲减退张力降低有关。