The protein status of rats affects the rewarding value of meals due to their protein content
Open accessAbstract
Background Protein status is controlled by the brain, which modulates feeding behavior to prevent protein deficiency.Objective This study tested in rats whether protein status modulates feeding behavior through brain reward pathways.Methods Experiments were conducted in male Wistar rats (mean ± SD weight; 230 ± 16 g). In experiment 1, rats adapted for 2 wk to a low-protein (LP; 6% of energy) or a normal-protein (NP; 14% of energy) diet were offered a choice between 3 cups containing high-protein (HP; 50% of energy), NP, or LP feed; their intake was measured for 24 h. In 2 other experiments, the rats were adapted for 2 wk to NP and either HP or LP diets and received, after overnight feed deprivation, a calibrated HP, NP, or LP meal daily. After the meal, on the last day, rats were killed and body composition and blood protein, triglycerides, gut neuropeptides, and hormones were determined. In the brain, neuropeptide mRNAs in the hypothalamus and c-Fos protein and opioid and dopaminergic receptor mRNAs in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) were measured.Results Rats fed an LP compared with an NP diet had 7% lower body weight, significantly higher protein intake in a choice experiment (mean ± SD: 30.5% ± 0.05% compared with 20.5% ± 0.05% of energy), higher feed-deprived blood ghrelin, lower postmeal blood leptin, and higher neuropeptide Y (Npy) and corticotropin-releasing hormone (Crh) mRNA expression in the hypothalamus. In contrast to NP, rats fed an LP diet showed postmeal c-Fos protein expression in the NAcc, which was significantly different between meals, with LP < NP < HP. In contrast, in rats adapted to an HP diet compared with an NP diet, energy intake was lower; and in the NAcc, meal-induced c-Fos protein expression was 20% lower, and mRNA expression was 17% higher for dopamine receptor 2 (Drd2) receptors and 38% lower for κ opioid receptor (Oprk1) receptors.Conclusion A protein-restricted diet induced a reward system-driven appetite for protein, whereas a protein-rich diet reduced the meal-induced activation of reward pathways and lowered energy intake in male rats.
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Protein restriction induces a specific selection for protein, marked by protein-specific increases in preference and motivation.
“Protein restriction also induces a specific selection for protein, marked by protein-specific increases in preference and motivation”
From FGF21 and the physiological regulation of macronutrient preference (2020) · cites this paper as [94]
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FGF21 Signals Protein Status to the Brain and Adaptively Regulates Food Choice and Metabolism
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FGF21 and the physiological regulation of macronutrient preference
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- Authors
- Chaumontet, C., Recio, I., Fromentin, G., Benoit, S., Piedcoq, J., Darcel, N., & Tomé, D.
- Affiliations
- AgroParisTech (FR)
- Corresponding author
- Chaumontet, Catherine
- Venue
- The Journal of Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2018-06
- Volume
- 148
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 989-998
- ISSN
- 0022-3166 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2807672941
- Cited by
- 30
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3
- FWCI
- 1.41
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Update notices
- erratum (2019-02-01)
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion)
- DIGITAL.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
- Keywords
- protein status, protein restriction, high-protein diet, feeding behavior, nucleus accumbens, hypothalamus, neuropeptides, ghrelin, leptin, neuropeptide Y, corticotropin-releasing factor, dopamine D2 receptor, kappa opioid receptor, c-fos, energy intake, body composition
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Appetite, Blood Proteins, Dietary Proteins, Feeding Behavior, Food Preferences, Gene Expression Regulation, Male, Rats, Wistar, Rats, Meals
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