title: Obestatin: its physicochemical characteristics and physiological functions.
abstract: Obestatin, a novel 23 amino acid amidated peptide encoded by the same gene with ghrelin, was initially reported to reduce food intake, body weight gain, gastric emptying and suppress intestinal motility through an interaction with the orphan receptor GPR39. However, recently reports have shown that above findings had been questioned by several groups. Further studies explained that obestatin was involved in inhibiting thirst and anxiety, improving memory, regulating sleep, affecting cell proliferation, and increasing the secretion of pancreatic juice enzymes. We also identified that obestatin could stimulate piglet liver and adipose cell proliferation, and inhibit the secretion of IGF-I. According to the controversy over the effects and the cognate ligand of obestatin, here we provide the latest review on the structure, distribution and physiological functions of obestatin.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Animal Science, South China Agriculture University, Wushan Avenue, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510642, China.
authors.forename: Sheng-Qiu
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Qing-Yan
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Yong-Liang
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiao-Tong
authors.initials: XT
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Ding-Yuan
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Xiu-Qi
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiao-Ying
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Dong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004435:Eating; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D012890:Sleep
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin