Endocrine Abstracts

The gastrointestinal-derived hormone peptide YY (PYY) is released from intestinal L-cells post-prandially in proportion to calorie intake, and modulates food intake. Peripheral administration of PYY (3-36) reduces food intake and body weight in rodents and suppresses appetite and food intake in humans. PYY(3-36) is hypothesised to inhibit food intake via activation of the auto-inhibitory pre-synaptic neuropeptide Y (NPY) Y2 receptor (Y2R) present on arcua...

The melanocortin receptors (MCR), MC3R and MC4R, have established roles in feeding and pituitary function. MC5R mRNA expression has been identified at low levels in the hypothalamus. However, a role for this receptor in appetite and pituitary function remains to be elucidated. We investigated the effects of central administration of an MC5R agonist (3,3,3-triphenylpropionyl-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-NH2) on food intake and plasma pituitary hormone levels. We did not observe...

The generation of a knockout mouse lacking all POMC-derived peptides by Yaswen et al provided further support for the importance of the melanocortin system in regulating body weight. POMC-null mice have a greater food intake than wild-type littermates on both low fat and high fat diets, resulting in increased body weight. In addition to obesity, these mice have altered pigmentation and defective adrenal development.The hypothalamo-pituitary-thyroid axis (HPT) in the...

(This poster is based on OC34.)...