Pancreatic polypeptide: a possible role in the regulation of food intake in the mouse. Hypothesis.

Pancreatic polypeptide (PP) is a recently identified hormone produced by pancreatic endocrine cells. The islets of genetically obese mice (ob/ob, C57 BL/6J), which are suspected to lack a circulating satiety factor, contain relatively few of the PP-producing cells. Administration of bovine pancreatic polypeptide (bPP) reduces food intake and suppresses body weight gain in the hyperphagic obese mice. It is postulated that PP participates in the regulation of food intake in a manner as yet undefined.