Neuropeptide Y inhibits forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in rat hippocampus.

Neuropeptide Y inhibited the forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in rat hippocampus with the half-maximal effect occurring at 73 nM. The maximal inhibition corresponded to a 17-22% decrease of the control level of enzyme activity. The effect of neuropeptide Y was mimicked by the peptide YY but not by the avian pancreatic polypeptide and required micromolar concentrations of GTP. These results indicate that, in the brain, the inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity constitutes a mechanism by which the receptor for neuropeptide Y transduces its signal.