Recent advances in neuropeptide-related omics and gene editing: Spotlight on NPY and somatostatin and their roles in growth and food intake of fish

Abstract

Feeding and growth are two closely related and important physiological processes in living organisms. Studies in mammals have provided us with a series of characterizations of neuropeptides and their receptors as well as their roles in appetite control and growth. The central nervous system, especially the hypothalamus, plays an important role in the regulation of appetite. Based on their role in the regulation of feeding, neuropeptides can be classified as orexigenic peptide and anorexigenic peptide. To date, the regulation mechanism of neuropeptide on feeding and growth has been explored mainly from mammalian models, however, as a lower and diverse vertebrate, little is known in fish regarding the knowledge of regulatory roles of neuropeptides and their receptors. In recent years, the development of omics and gene editing technology has accelerated the speed and depth of research on neuropeptides and their receptors. These powerful techniques and tools allow a more precise and comprehensive perspective to explore the functional mechanisms of neuropeptides. This paper reviews the recent advance of omics and gene editing technologies in neuropeptides and receptors and their progresses in the regulation of feeding and growth of fish. The purpose of this review is to contribute to a comparative understanding of the functional mechanisms of neuropeptides in non-mammalians, especially fish.

The effects of environmental changes on the endocrine regulation of feeding in fishes

“…For example, red light stimulates feeding in Nile tilapia, compared to white and blue [80] but decreases feeding motivation in sweetfish Plecoglossus altivelis [81]. In tiger puffer Takifugu rubripes, green light increases growth (which might indicate an increase in feeding) compared to red light, in part owing to a decrease in the brain expression of somatostatin [82], a growth inhibitor involved in the regulation of food intake and metabolism in fishes [83]. In rainbow trout, red light (compared to white and blue light) increases hepatic expression of IGF-1, suggesting a better growth and probable increased food intake [84].…”

Pinctada martensii Hydrolysate Modulates the Brain Neuropeptidome and Proteome in Diabetic (db/db) Mice via the Gut–Brain Axis

“…Proteins and neuropeptides in the central nervous system are involved in feeding behavior, insulin regulation, and other hormone regulation. The central nervous system, especially the hypothalamus, plays an important role in regulating appetite [4]. The gut-brain axis is a bidirectional signaling pathway regulating metabolism through balancing food intake and energy expenditure [5].…”