Neuropeptide Y: a promising multifunctional neurotransmitter

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Endocrinology
• Physiology

Background:

• Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a neurotransmitter in the central and peripheral nervous systems.
• NPY regulates energy homeostasis, insulin secretion, vasoconstriction, and cell proliferation, impacting diseases like obesity, diabetes, and cancer.
• Current clinical evidence for NPY's role in disease is scarce and inconsistent, hindering translation from preclinical research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive review of Neuropeptide Y (NPY).
• To explore NPY biosynthesis, metabolic pathways, and detection methods.
• To elucidate NPY's physiological roles and molecular mechanisms in disease.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on NPY biosynthesis, metabolism, detection, and disease association.
• Analysis of existing studies on NPY's role in physiological processes and diseases.
• Critical evaluation of current NPY quantification methods, particularly enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Main Results:

• Distinct NPY peptide forms (NPY1-36, NPY2-36, NPY3-36) exhibit different physiological roles.
• Significant differences exist in NPY's function between the central nervous system and peripheral tissues.
• Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is the primary NPY quantification method, but human sample results are heterogeneous.

Conclusions:

• Accurate differentiation of NPY peptide forms is necessary due to varying physiological roles.
• Methodological limitations in NPY detection contribute to the inconsistency between preclinical and clinical findings.
• Development of accurate, stable, and standardized NPY quantification strategies is essential for clinical translation.