Laboratory of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Rua Larga, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal.
Neuropeptides. 2012 Dec;46(6):299-308. doi: 10.1016/j.npep.2012.09.001. Epub 2012 Oct 30.
Neuropeptide Y (NPY) has been implicated in the modulation of important features of neuronal physiology, including calcium homeostasis, neurotransmitter release and excitability. Moreover, NPY has been involved as an important modulator of hippocampal and thalamic circuits, receiving particular attention as an endogenous antiepileptic peptide and as a potential master regulator of feeding behavior. NPY not only inhibits excessive glutamate release (decreasing circuitry hyperexcitability) but also protects neurons from excitotoxic cell death. Furthermore, NPY has been involved in the modulation of the dynamics of dentate gyrus and subventricular zone neural stem cell niches. In both regions, NPY is part of the chemical resource of the neurogenic niche and acts through NPY Y1 receptors to promote neuronal differentiation. Interestingly, NPY is also considered a neuroimmune messenger. In this review, we highlight recent evidences concerning paracrine/autocrine actions of NPY involved in neuroprotection, neurogenesis and neuroinflammation. In summary, the three faces of NPY, discussed in the present review, may contribute to better understand the dynamics and cell fate decision in the brain parenchyma and in restricted areas of neurogenic niches, in health and disease.
神经肽 Y（NPY）参与调节神经元生理学的重要特征，包括钙稳态、神经递质释放和兴奋性。此外，NPY 作为海马和丘脑回路的重要调节剂而受到关注，它被认为是内源性抗癫痫肽，也是潜在的进食行为主要调节剂。NPY 不仅抑制过度的谷氨酸释放（降低回路过度兴奋），还能保护神经元免受兴奋毒性细胞死亡。此外，NPY 还参与调节齿状回和室下区神经干细胞龛的动态。在这两个区域，NPY 是神经发生龛化学资源的一部分，并通过 NPY Y1 受体发挥作用，促进神经元分化。有趣的是，NPY 也被认为是一种神经免疫信使。在这篇综述中，我们强调了 NPY 参与神经保护、神经发生和神经炎症的旁分泌/自分泌作用的最新证据。总之，本综述中讨论的 NPY 的三个方面可能有助于更好地理解大脑实质和神经发生龛受限区域在健康和疾病中的动态和细胞命运决定。
