Recent progress in research on the distribution and function of NUCB2/nesfatin-1 in peripheral tissues.

Nesfatin-1 is a polypeptide derived from the posttranslational processing of the N-terminal fragment of nucleobindin 2 (NUCB2), that was originally identified as an anorexigenic hypothalamic neuropeptide. A number of reports have recently shown that NUCB2/nesfatin-1 is widely expressed in various peripheral tissues, including those of the gastrointestinal tract where it may participate in various pathophysiological processes. One of its roles may be regulation of energy homeostasis. As a result, nesfatin-1 may be a novel target for exploring the underlying mechanisms and the treatment of metabolic syndromes.