Vgf and feeding regulation

Knockout of the neuroendocrine regulator gene vgf results in mice which are hypermetabolic. I.c.v. injection of TLQP-21, a VGF peptide, increases energy consumption, preventing diet-induced obesity in mice. Brancia and colleagues revealed a profile of VGF peptides, localised to various endocrine cell populations, in rat stomach cells using immunohistochemistry and ELISA. Fasted rats exhibited a decrease in levels of TLQP peptides, indicating that vgf is involved in the feeding response and/or enterochromaffin-like cell regulation. VGF-derived peptides were also abundant in swine stomach. Read the full article in Brancia et al. (2010) Journal of Endocrinology 207 329–341.

DOI: 10.1677/JOE-10-0189