EFFECTS OF VARIOUS N-TERMINAL FRAGMENTS OF GLUCAGON-LIKE PEPTIDE-1(7-36) ON FOOD-INTAKE IN THE NEONATAL CHICK

Recently, the suppressive effect on food intake by the central adminis tration of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) has been confirmed in both rats and chicks, The importance of the N-terminal amino acid, histidin e, for the bioactivity of GLP-1(7-36) in the central nervous system wa s suggested, though the role for C-terminal amino acids in the central nervous system has not been reported, The present study was done to e lucidate the central effect of N-terminal fragments of GLP-1(7-36) on food intake of the neonatal chick. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) ad ministration of mammalian GLP-1(7-36) inhibited food intake of chicks, hut the fragments of GLP-1(7-16) and GLP-1(7-26) did not show the sup pressive effect on food intake. Furthermore, the extended fragments, G LP-1(7-30) and GLP-1(7-33), also had no effects on food intake. It is concluded that C-terminal amino acids of GLP-1(7-36) have an important role for the bioactivity in the central nervous system with special r eference to feeding behavior. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All right s reserved.