Nesfatin-1 and its effects on different systems

Abstract

Nesfatin-1 is a peptide secreted by peripheral tissues, central and peripheral nervous system. It is involved in the regulation of energy homeostasis related with food regulation and water intake. Nesfatin-1 can pass through the blood-brain barrier in both directions. It suppresses feeding independently from the leptin pathway and increases insulin secretion from pancreatic beta islet cells. That is why nesfatin-1 has drawn attention as a new therapeutic agent, especially for the treatment of obesity and diabetes mellitus. Its effects on nutrition have been studied in more detail in literature. On the other hand, its effects on other physiological parameters and mechanisms of action still need to be clarified. Synthesizing the research on nesfatin-1 can help us better understand this field. Hippokratia 2015, 19 (1): 4-10.

Keywords: Human nesfatin-1 protein; L-type calcium channels; anti-obesity agents; appetite depressants; human nucleobinding 2 protein; nerve tissue proteins.

Figure 1. Schematic drawing demonstrating the secretion fields of nesfatin-1. CNS: central nervous system.

Figure 2. Schematic drawing demonstrating the peripheral effect of nesfatin-1 on vessels. SNP: sodium nitroprusside, NO: nitric oxide, CaM: calmodulin, eNOS: endothelial nitric oxide synthase, cGMP: cyclic guanosine monophosphate, GTP: guanozin trifosfat, VD: vasodilatation.

Figure 3. Major clinical applications of nesfatin-1. GABA: gamma aminobutyric acid.