Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada T6G 2H7.
Front Neuroendocrinol. 2011 Oct;32(4):398-415. doi: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2011.06.001. Epub 2011 Jun 25.
Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a highly conserved neuropeptide with orexigenic actions in discrete hypothalamic nuclei that plays a role in regulating energy homeostasis. NPY signals via a family of high affinity receptors that mediate the widespread actions of NPY in all hypothalamic nuclei. These actions are also subject to tight, intricate regulation by numerous peripheral and central energy balance signals. The NPY system is embedded within a densely-redundant network designed to ensure stable energy homeostasis. This redundancy may underlie compensation for the loss of NPY or its receptors in germline knockouts, explaining why conventional knockouts of NPY or its receptors rarely yield a marked phenotypic change. We discuss insights into the hypothalamic role of NPY from studies of its physiological actions, responses to genetic manipulations and interactions with other energy balance signals. We conclude that numerous approaches must be employed to effectively study different aspects of NPY action.
神经肽 Y（NPY）是一种高度保守的神经肽，在离散的下丘脑核中具有食欲刺激作用，在调节能量平衡中发挥作用。NPY 通过一系列高亲和力受体发出信号，介导 NPY 在所有下丘脑核中的广泛作用。这些作用也受到许多外周和中枢能量平衡信号的严格、复杂的调节。NPY 系统嵌入在一个密集冗余的网络中，旨在确保稳定的能量平衡。这种冗余可能是 NPY 或其受体在种系敲除中缺失的补偿机制，这解释了为什么 NPY 或其受体的常规敲除很少导致明显的表型变化。我们从 NPY 的生理作用、对遗传操作的反应以及与其他能量平衡信号的相互作用的研究中，讨论了对 NPY 在下丘脑作用的深入了解。我们得出的结论是，必须采用多种方法来有效地研究 NPY 作用的不同方面。
