Characterization of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Expression in Nucleus Accumbens and Hippocampus of Rats Subjected to Food Selection in the Cafeteria Diet Protocol

Title:Characterization of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Expression in Nucleus Accumbens and Hippocampus of Rats Subjected to Food Selection in the Cafeteria Diet Protocol

Volume: 15 Issue: 7

Author(s): Andrea Sarro-Ramírez, Daniel Sánchez, Alma Tejeda-Padrón, Linda Vianey Buenfil-Canto, Jorge Valladares-García, Elda Pacheco-Pantoja, Oscar Arias-Carrión and Eric Murillo-Rodríguez

Affiliation:

Keywords: Chocolate, food selection, Hippocampus, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, western blot.

Abstract: Obesity is a world-wide health problem that requires different experimental perspectives to understand the onset of this disease, including the neurobiological basis of food selection. From a molecular perspective, obesity has been related with activity of several endogenous molecules, including the mitogenactivated protein kinases (MAP-K). The aim of this study was to characterize MAP-K expression in hedonic and learning and memory brain-associated areas such as nucleus accumbens (AcbC) and hippocampus (HIPP) after food selection. We show that animals fed with cafeteria diet during 14 days displayed an increase in p38 MAP-K activity in AcbC if chose cheese. Conversely, a diminution was observed in animals that preferred chocolate in AcbC. Also, a decrease of p38 MAP-K phosphorylation was found in HIPP in rats that selected either cheese or chocolate. Our data demonstrate a putative role of MAP-K expression in food selection. These findings advance our understanding of neuromolecular basis engaged in obesity.

Cite this article as:

Sarro-Ramírez Andrea, Sánchez Daniel, Tejeda-Padrón Alma, Buenfil-Canto Vianey Linda, Valladares-García Jorge, Pacheco-Pantoja Elda, Arias-Carrión Oscar and Murillo-Rodríguez Eric, Characterization of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Expression in Nucleus Accumbens and Hippocampus of Rats Subjected to Food Selection in the Cafeteria Diet Protocol, CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets 2016; 15 (7) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1871527315666160413161200