Inhibitory effects of peripheral administration of exendin-4 on food intake are attenuated by lesions of the central nucleus of amygdala.

The long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist exendin-4 suppresses food intake and decreases body weight. However, the mediating site(s) of action of the anorectic effects induced by peripheral administration of GLP-1R agonists are not well known. The present study investigated the effects of bilateral lesions of the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) on the suppression of chow and high-sucrose food intake by exendin-4 in rats. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats with bilateral sham or electrolytic lesions (400 μA; 25 s) of the CeA were used for this experiment. No significant difference was found in the daily chow intake and high-sucrose food intake in rats with CeA lesion compared to sham-operated rats. Bilateral lesions of the CeA significantly attenuated the suppression of high-sucrose food intake by i.p. exendin-4, but not the suppression of chow intake. These results suggest that a mediating role of the CeA on the peripheral effects of exendin-4.