Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Neuropeptide Y—a novel brain peptide with structural similarities to peptide YY and pancreatic polypeptide

Abstract

The C-terminal α-amide structure is a characteristic feature of many biologically active peptides1,2. Using a novel chemical method for the detection of peptide amides3, we have isolated two naturally occurring peptides, peptide HI (PHI) and peptide YY (PYY), from extracts of porcine intestine and have shown that these peptide amides represent previously unknown biologically active peptides4. PHI is structurally and biologically similar to vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)5 while PYY shows similarities to pancreatic polypeptide (PP)6. Preliminary studies indicated that PHI and PYY may both be present in brain as well as in intestine4. We report here the isolation from brain extracts of a peptide amide that was thought to be PYY. However, we found that the peptide, while having distinct structural and biological similarities to both PYY and PP, is a previously uncharacterized peptide, which we designate neuropeptide Y (NPY).

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Dayhoff, M. O. in Atlas of Protein Sequence and Structure Vol. 5 (ed. Dayhoff, M. O.) D173–D227 (National Biochemical Research Foundation, Maryland, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Hunt, L. T. & Dayhoff, M. O. in Atlas of Protein Sequence and Structure Vol 5, Suppl. 2 (ed. Dayhoff, M. O.) 113–145 (National Biochemical Research Foundation, Maryland, 1976).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Tatemoto, K. & Mutt, V. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75, 4115–4119 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Tatemoto, K. & Mutt, V. Nature 285, 417–418 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Tatemoto, K. & Mutt, V. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78, 6603–6607 (1981).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Tatemoto, K. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. (in the press).

  7. Mutt, V., Carlquist, M. & Tatemoto, K. Life Sci. 25, 1703–1708 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Carlquist, M., Jörnvall, H., Tatemoto, K. & Mutt, V. Gastroenterology (in the press).

  9. Chance, R. E., Johnson, M. G., Hoffman, J. A. & Lin, T. M. in Proinsulin Insulin, C-Peptide (eds Baba, S. et al.) 419–425 (Excerpta Medica, Amsterdam, 1979).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Gray, W. R. Meth. Enzym. 25, 121–138 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Hartley, B. S. Biochem. J. 119, 805–822 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Lin, T.-M., Evans, D. C., Chance, R. E. & Spray, G. F. Am. J. Physiol. 232, E311–315 (1977).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Tylor, I. L., Solomon, T. E., Walsh, J. H. & Grossman, M. I. Gastroenterology 76, 524–528 (1979).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Snyder, S. H. Science 209, 976–983 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Emson, P. C. Prog. Neurobiol. 13, 81–116 (1979).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Lundberg, J. M. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. (in the press).

  17. Said, S. I. in Gastrointestinal Hormones (ed. Glass, G. B. J.) 245–273 (Raven, New York, 1980).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tatemoto, K., Carlquist, M. & Mutt, V. Neuropeptide Y—a novel brain peptide with structural similarities to peptide YY and pancreatic polypeptide. Nature 296, 659–660 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/296659a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/296659a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing