Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a 36‐amino‐acid peptide is abundantly expressed throughout the mammalian nervous system including: neocortex, hippocampus, striatum, amygdala, hypothalamus, thalamus, and brain stem. NPY has been implicated in the regulation of a number of different behaviors and neurophysiological functions, many of them part of the complex system(s) involved in maintaining and regulating...

When neuropeptide Y (NPY) is administered centrally, meal-anticipatory responses are elicited. If an increase of endogenous NPY is a signal that heralds an imminent large caloric load, timed daily NPY injections may be expected to condition meal-anticipatory responses that facilitate ingestion. Rats received 4-h access to food beginning in the morning and then timed (1600 h), daily third-ventri...

We investigated the possible relation between neuropeptides and cerebral vasoconstriction in samples of ventricular or cisternal cerebrospinal fluid from 14 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage. Neuropeptide Y, calcitonin gene-related peptide, atrial natriuretic peptide, and pituitary polypeptide 7B2 were present in the cerebrospinal fluid of these patients. Concentrations of calcitonin gene-r...

Citation: Ailanen L, Vähätalo LH, Salomäki-Myftari H, Mäkelä S, Orpana W, Ruohonen ST and Savontaus E (2018) Peripherally Administered Y2-Receptor Antagonist BIIE0246 Prevents Diet-Induced Obesity in Mice With Excess Neuropeptide Y, but Enhances Obesity in Control Mice. Front. Pharmacol. 9:319. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00319 Peripherally Administered Y2-Receptor Antagonist BIIE0246 Prevents Diet...

Here, we show that the enzymatic cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) inhibits feeding in Drosophila. BH4 biosynthesis requires the sequential action of the conserved enzymes Punch, Purple, and Sepiapterin Reductase (Sptr). Although we observe increased feeding upon loss of Punch and Purple in the adult fat body, loss of Sptr must occur in the brain. We found Sptr expression is required in four a...

Output from the hypothalamic ventromedial nucleus (VMN) is anorexigenic and is supported by the excitatory actions of leptin. The VMN is also highly sensitive to the orexigenic actions of Neuropeptide Y (NPY). We report that NPY robustly inhibits VMN neurons by hyperpolarizing them and decreasing their ability to fire action potentials. This action was mediated by Y(1) receptors coupled to the ...

A number of neuropeptide Y (NPY) receptor subtypes, including the recently cloned Y5 receptor, have been implicated in the stimulation of food intake. In the present study, Y5 receptor antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) were used to assess the potential involvement of the Y5 receptor in the regulation of spontaneous as well as NPY-induced food intake. Repeated central administration of Y5 a...

Five distinct neuropeptide Y (NPY) receptors have been cloned thus far. Selective agonists and antagonists have recently been developed allowing for detailed functional studies as to the pathophysiological role of a given subtype as well as receptor binding characteristics and distribution. To precisely investigate the discrete localization and ligand selectivity profile of Y4 and Y5 receptors,...