Mapping neuropeptide-receptor and agonist binding: peptide synthesis strategies to guide the design of novel modulators of appetite regulation

With 30–70% of adults in the European Union designated overweight and 10–30% obese (WHO), and more than one third of US adults obese (CDC), the global obesity epidemic has stimulated much research into the fundamentals of appetite regulation. Bo Xu and colleagues, based at Uppsala University in Sweden and collaborating with Novo Nordisk A/S in Denmark, have studied the interaction between the agonist neuropeptide Y (NPY) and the human receptor Y2 involved in appetite regulation. Using a combination of computational modeling, peptide chemistry and in vitro pharmacology analysis the research team has gained insight into interactions that promise to guide the design of novel modulators to fight obesity.

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