Gastrointestinal Hormones Controlling Energy Homeostasis and Their Potential Role in Obesity

Abstract

Gastrointestinal (GI) hormones are a family of peptides secreted by endocrine cells located in the GI tract. Currently, GI hormones group more than 50 hormone genes that give rise to a multitude of bioactive peptides. All GI hormones play a key role in communicating cells within the GI tract in order to regulate and coordinate numerous GI functions, including secretion, absorption, and digestion, as well as motility. In addition, around a dozen of GI hormones are also able to play a role regulating glycemia and body weight. Here, we focus on some of the key GI hormones that are believed to play a relevant role in the control of the energy homeostasis: ghrelin, cholecystokinin (CCK), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), and peptide tyrosine-tyrosine (PYY), oxyntomodulin (OXM), pancreatic polypeptide (PP), and somatostatin (SST). We briefly review their physiological role, and we discuss their potential implications in the pathophysiology of obesity.