Fig 6. Effect of photoperiod and high fat diet (HFD) on gene expression of TSHβ and NMU in the pars tuberalis of the pituitary and Dio2 and Dio3 in the tanycytes around the third ventricle in juvenile F344 rats after 4 weeks of treatment.
Gene expression was measured by quantitative in situ hybridisation. (a,b) Expression of TSHβ (a) and NMU (b) mRNAs in the pars tuberalis were significantly lower in both chow and HFD fed SD compared to LD rats. (c) Dio2 mRNA levels in the ependymal cells around the 3rd ventricle were lower in SD than LD chow and HFD fed rats (p<0.001). HFD reduced Dio2 further in SD compared to LD conditions (p<0.001). (d) Dio3 mRNA expression was higher in SD than LD rats. HFD increased the Dio3 mRNA level significantly in SD (p<0.001), but not in LD.