SRIF infusion on PYY in anorexia nervosa and obesity

The levels of peptide YY (PYY) produced by L cells is known to change in both anorexia nervosa and in obesity. Whilst high levels of PYY are known to be present in anorexia, the postprandial PYY secretion is blunted in morbid obesity. Somatostatin (somatotopin release-binding factor (SRIF)) has been shown to inhibit plasma PYY in animals and healthy humans; however the effect of an SRIF infusion on spontaneous PYY secretion in anorexia nervosa and obesity is unknown. Rigamonti et al. conducted a study to determine the effect of an SRIF infusion on spontaneous PYY release in patients with anorexia nervosa, in the acute (A-AN) or recovery (R-AN) phases of the disease and in obese subjects. They found that elevated PYY secretion was unaffected by SRIF infusion in acute A-AN whilst in R-AN and obesity, an SRIF infusion inhibited plasma PYY levels. The authors speculate the existence of a hypo- and hypersensitive state of the L cells to the inhibitory effect of SRIF in A-AN and in obesity. Rigamonti et al. (2011) European Journal of Endocrinology 165 421-427.

Read the full article at DOI: 10.1530/EJE-11-0312.