Data for: Leptin and HPA axis activity in diabetic rats: Effects of adrenergic agonists
Description
This study explores the effect of diabetes on norepinephrine release in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and its relationship to circulating corticosterone. Leptin treatment helps to partially reverse the increase in noradrenergic activity in diabetic rats. Adrenergic agonists were used to reverse the effect of leptin. It was found that while the alpha adrenergic agonist clonidine reversed the effect of leptin on norepinephrine release towards the end of the observation period, the beta adrenergic agonist, isoproterenol, did not have a similar effect. We conclude that the hypothalamus remains sensitive to alpha adernergic agonists in diabetes, but not to beta adrenergic agonists. Leptin treatment produces a dramatic drop in circulating corticosterone indicating that the adrenals remain sensitive to leptin during diabetes. Moreover, both adrenergic agonists were able to counter leptin's effects on corticosterone. These results indicate that the adrenals continue to be sensitive to both adrenergic receptors in diabetes.