BOMBESIN PRODUCES HYPOTHERMIA IN RATS PRETREATED WITH 2-DEOXY-D-GLUCOSE

Previous research has shown that microinfusion of bombesin into the preoptic area (POA) decreases core body temperature in rats that are food-deprived or made hypoglycemic with insulin. The present study employed 2-deoxy-D-glucose, a competitive inhibitor of glycolysis, to further investigate the importance of a reduction in glucose utilization in the production of bombesin-induced hypothermia. Rats (n = 7) were pretreated with 2-DG (0, 25, 50, 100, 200 mg/kg; IP) followed by bombesin (100 ng/1.0-mu-l) microinfusions into the POA. The highest dose of 2-DG (200 mg) was also tested in the absence of bombesin as a control. Pretreatment with 2-DG resulted in a dose-related reduction in T(b) following bombesin. Injections of 2-DG alone did not significantly alter T(b). The results provide additional evidence that the production of bombesin-induced hypothermia in fasted rats is linked to a reduction in glucose utilization.