Role of PYY in Regulating Appetite

Obesity is the most prevalent nutritional problem in §the industrial countries, which is going to be the §futures predispose in the development of diseases §like type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis and §cardiovascular diseases. It is essential to §understand the physiology of normal appetite §regulation in order to design an effective drug to §treat the increase of obesity.§The investigated peptide, PYY, exists in two forms, §PYY1-36 and PYY3-36. Today there are 5 different §receptors known where both forms bind to, but with §different affinity. PYY3-36 has its highest affinity §to the so called Y2 receptor. Both peptides play a §crucial role in regulating appetite. PYY3-36 §inhibits feeding in rodents, non-human primates and §humans. The hypothalamus and brain stem are thought §to be the brain areas responsible for regulating §appetite.§The goal of this work was to determine the §activation of neurons in forebrain and hindbrain §sites containing Y2 receptors and linked to control §of food intake, when injecting PYY1-36 and PYY3-36. §Wild type-like mice and Y2ko mice received a dose of §PYY1-36 and PYY3-36 and the c-Fos expressing neurons §were determined.