Influence of the neurotensin signaling system on feeding and satiety

Neurotensin (Nts) is a peptide that acts via neurotensin receptors and is implicated in multiple aspects of physiology and behavior, including modulating feeding and body weight. How and where the Nts signaling system mediates these effects, and via which of its receptor isoforms is incompletely understood. This review examines the role of Nts signaling via the periphery and central nervous system on feeding and body weight. These data highlight various ways in which the Nts system contributes to feeding and body weight that differ depending on the site, tissue, and the Nts or Nts receptor-expressing cell type in question. Given that the Nts system does not convey the same signaling throughout the body, constitutive approaches modulating the expression or signaling of the Nts signaling system may not provide sufficient resolution to reveal how it impacts feeding. Combining neuropharmacology and site-specific approaches holds promise define the broad range of mechanisms by the Nts system modulates feeding and satiety and its contributions to normal and disrupted feeding states.