NEUROPEPTIDE W-30 (HUMAN)

Description

The 23- or 30-aa neuropeptide identified as a ligand for two orphan G-protein-coupled receptors (GPR7 and GPR8), neuropeptide W (NPW) is involved in the regulation of feeding behavior and energy homeostasis via the neuronal circuits of the hypothalamus. O’Dowd et al. reported the existence of human genes encoding two structurally related orphan G protein-coupled receptors, NPBWR1 (GPR7) or NPBWR2 (GPR8).1 However, the endogenous ligand for these orphan receptors remained unknown until 2002. Shimomura et al. identified the mature peptide sequences of neuropeptide B (NPB) and neuropeptide W (NPW) from the porcine hypothalamus by reverse pharmacology.