In vitro neuropeptide Y mRNA expressing model for screening essences that may affect appetite using Rolf B1.T cells.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is the most important appetite regulator. This study aimed to establish an in vitro NPY mRNA expression model for screening essences to determine if they are an appetite stimulator or inhibitor. We cultured the olfactory nerve cells Rolf B1.T for 2 days and then treated the cells with the known appetite inhibitor limonene and stimulator linalool. It was found that linalool could significantly stimulate NPY mRNA expression in 10 min, and limonene had the opposite effect. Similar results were also found in primary olfactory ensheathing cells isolated from rats. Further clinical trials using human subjects found that, when 10 min of treatment was applied, linalool indeed increased the serum NPY level in human peripheral blood. Limonene, on the other hand, decreased the serum NPY level. Thus, NPY mRNA expression in Rolf B1.T cells could be used as an in vitro model for screening essences that may affect appetite.