Cellular Neuroanatomy and Molecular Chemistry of Central Nervous System, Faculty of Medicine, University of Castilla-La Mancha, CRIB (Regional Centre of Biomedical Research), Avenida de Almansa 14, 02006 Albacete, Spain.
Laboratory of Neuroanatomy of the Peptidergic Systems (Group GIR-BMD), Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla y León (INCYL), Laboratory 14, University of Salamanca, c/Pintor Fernando Gallego 1, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Mar 3;22(5):2544. doi: 10.3390/ijms22052544.
Obesity/overweight are important health problems due to metabolic complications. Dysregulation of peptides exerting orexigenic/anorexigenic effects must be investigated in-depth to understand the mechanisms involved in feeding behaviour. One of the most important and studied orexigenic peptides is galanin (GAL). The aim of this review is to update the mechanisms of action and physiological roles played by the GAL family of peptides (GAL, GAL-like peptide, GAL message-associated peptide, alarin) in the control of food intake and to review the involvement of these peptides in metabolic diseases and food intake disorders in experimental animal models and humans. The interaction between GAL and NPY in feeding and energy metabolism, the relationships between GAL and other substances involved in food intake mechanisms, the potential pharmacological strategies to treat food intake disorders and obesity and the possible clinical applications will be mentioned and discussed. Some research lines are suggested to be developed in the future, such as studies focused on GAL receptor/neuropeptide Y Y receptor interactions in hypothalamic and extra-hypothalamic nuclei and sexual differences regarding the expression of GAL in feeding behaviour. It is also important to study the possible GAL resistance in obese individuals to better understand the molecular mechanisms by which GAL regulates insulin/glucose metabolism. GAL does not exert a pivotal role in weight regulation and food intake, but this role is crucial in fat intake and also exerts an important action by regulating the activity of other key compounds under conditions of stress/altered diet.
肥胖/超重是由于代谢并发症引起的重要健康问题。必须深入研究发挥食欲刺激/抑制作用的肽的失调，以了解参与进食行为的机制。最重要和研究最多的食欲刺激肽之一是甘丙肽 (GAL)。本综述的目的是更新 GAL 肽家族 (GAL、GAL 类似肽、GAL 信使相关肽、alarin) 在控制食物摄入方面的作用机制和生理作用，并综述这些肽在代谢疾病和进食障碍中的作用。在实验动物模型和人类中的作用。将提到并讨论 GAL 与 NPY 在进食和能量代谢中的相互作用、GAL 与参与食物摄入机制的其他物质之间的关系、治疗进食障碍和肥胖的潜在药理学策略以及可能的临床应用。建议在未来开展一些研究，例如研究重点关注下丘脑和下丘脑外核中 GAL 受体/神经肽 Y Y 受体相互作用以及 GAL 在进食行为中的表达的性别差异。研究肥胖个体中可能存在的 GAL 抵抗以更好地了解 GAL 调节胰岛素/葡萄糖代谢的分子机制也很重要。GAL 在体重调节和食物摄入中不起关键作用，但在脂肪摄入中起着至关重要的作用，并且在应激/饮食改变的情况下通过调节其他关键化合物的活性也发挥着重要作用。
