G protein-coupled receptors in regulation of body weight.

In this issue of CNS & Neurological Disorders-Drug Targets, we focus on G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that are involved in regulating body weight. In six reviews, the melanocortins system (including MC4 and MC3 receptors, Agrp, MSH), the NPY receptors (including NPY-Y1, NPY-Y2, and NPY-Y5, PYY3-36), the cannabinoid system (including the development of rimonabant), the ghrelin (GHS, growth hormone secretagogue) system, the monoamine GPCRs (including serotonin, adrenergic and histamine receptors), orexin (hypocretin) system and the galanin receptors are covered. In this overview, an introduction to the GPCRs and the field of central regulation of food intake is provided together with brief mentioning of some other GPCRs that are also implicated in regulation of body weight, such as the melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH), neuromedin U, prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP), bombesin, cholecystokinin (CCK), Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) (and oxyntomodulin), neuropeptide B (NPB) and neuropeptide W (NPW), opioids peptides, free fatty acid (FFA) receptors (GPR40, GPR41). In total over 40 GPCRs are listed that have been implicated to affect regulation of body weight.