The role of GPRC6A agonists in satiety

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Recent research has highlighted the importance of nutrient sensing in the regulation of food intake and body weight. Meals and diets high in protein have a well characterised satiating effect. However, the mechanisms by which high levels of protein inhibit food intake are largely unknown. Proteins are digested to form amino acids in the gut. We have found that specific amino acids which bind to an amino acids-sensing receptor called GPRC6A reduce food intake when injected into the blood stream of rats and mice. These amino acids appear to act on the brain, which may in response reduce the release of an appetite-increasing hormone called ghrelin from the stomach. We now aim to determine the specific mechanisms behind the effects of these amino acids on food intake and determine whether they form part of the system that regulates food intake and body weight on a day to day basis. Determining the role of GPRC6A in food intake may facilitate the design of foods or drugs designed to comabt obesity.