Peripheral neuropeptide Y differentially influences adipogenesis and lipolysis in chicks from lines selected for low or high body weight

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) stimulates appetite and promotes lipid deposition. We demonstrated a differential sensitivity in the food intake response to central NPY in chicks from lines selected for low (LWS) or high (HWS) body weight, but have not reported whether such differences exist in the periphery. At 5 days, LWS and HWS chicks were intraperitoneally injected with 0 (vehicle), 60, or 120 μg/kg BW NPY and subcutaneous adipose tissue and plasma were collected at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h (n = 12). NPY injection increased glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH) activity at 1 and 3 h and reduced plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) at 1 and 12 h. G3PDH activity was greater in HWS than LWS while NEFAs were greater in LWS. At 1 h, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP)α, and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTTP) mRNAs were reduced in NPY-injected chicks whereas NPY receptor 1 (NPYR1) was increased. Expression of stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD1) was increased by NPY at 1 h in HWS but not LWS. PPARγ (3 and 6 h), C/EBPβ (3 h), C/EBPα (6 h) and NPYR1 and 2 (24 h) mRNAs were greater in NPY- than vehicle-injected chicks. At several times, adipose triglyceride lipase, MTTP, perilipin 1, NPYR1, and NPYR2 mRNAs were greater in LWS than HWS, while expression of SCD1, glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase 3 and lipoprotein lipase was greater in HWS than LWS. Thus, NPY promotes fat deposition and inhibits lipolysis in chicks, with line differences indicative of greater rates of lipolysis in LWS and adipogenesis in HWS.