Allatostatin-A neurons inhibit feeding behavior in adult Drosophila.

Abstract	How the brain translates changes in internal metabolic state or perceived food quality into alterations in feeding behavior remains poorly understood. Studies in Drosophila larvae have yielded information about neuropeptides and circuits that promote feeding, but a peptidergic neuron subset whose activation inhibits feeding in adult flies, without promoting metabolic changes that mimic the state of satiety, has not been identified. Using genetically based manipulations of neuronal activity, we show that activation of neurons (or neuroendocrine cells) expressing the neuropeptide allatostatin A (AstA) inhibits or limits several starvation-induced changes in feeding behavior in adult Drosophila, including increased food intake and enhanced behavioral responsiveness to sugar. Importantly, these effects on feeding behavior are observed in the absence of any measurable effects on metabolism or energy reserves, suggesting that AstA neuron activation is likely a consequence, not a cause, of metabolic changes that induce the state of satiety. These data suggest that activation of AstA-expressing neurons promotes food aversion and/or exerts an inhibitory influence on the motivation to feed and implicate these neurons and their associated circuitry in the mechanisms that translate the state of satiety into alterations in feeding behavior.
Authors	Anne Christina Hergarden, Timothy D Tayler, David J Anderson
Journal	Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A) Vol. 109 Issue 10 Pg. 3967-72 (Mar 06 2012) ISSN: 1091-6490 [Electronic] United States
PMID	22345563 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)
Chemical References	Carbohydrates Drosophila Proteins GAL4 protein, Drosophila Neuropeptides Transcription Factors allatostatin
Topics	Animals Animals, Genetically Modified Behavior, Animal Carbohydrates (chemistry) Drosophila Proteins (metabolism) Drosophila melanogaster Energy Metabolism Epistasis, Genetic Feeding Behavior Homeostasis Models, Genetic Neurons (metabolism) Neuropeptides (chemistry, metabolism) Phenotype Transcription Factors (metabolism)

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