Oxyntomodulin (often abbreviated OXM) is a naturally occurring 37-amino acid peptide

hormone A hormone (from the Greek participle , "setting in motion") is a class of signaling molecules in multicellular organisms that are sent to distant organs by complex biological processes to regulate physiology and behavior. Hormones are required ...

found in the colon, produced by the

oxyntic Parietal cells (also known as oxyntic cells) are epithelial cells in the stomach that secrete hydrochloric acid (HCl) and intrinsic factor. These cells are located in the gastric glands found in the lining of the fundus and body regions of the ...

(

fundic The gastric glands are glands in the lining of the stomach that play an essential role in the process of digestion. All of the glands have mucus-secreting foveolar cells. Mucus lines the entire stomach, and protects the stomach lining from the e ...

) cells of the oxyntic (fundic)

mucosa A mucous membrane or mucosa is a membrane that lines various cavities in the body of an organism and covers the surface of internal organs. It consists of one or more layers of epithelial cells overlying a layer of loose connective tissue. It is ...

. It has been found to suppress

appetite Appetite is the desire to eat food items, usually due to hunger. Appealing foods can stimulate appetite even when hunger is absent, although appetite can be greatly reduced by satiety. Appetite exists in all higher life-forms, and serves to regu ...

. The mechanism of action of oxyntomodulin is not well understood. It is known to bind both the

GLP-1 Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a 30- or 31-amino-acid-long peptide hormone deriving from the tissue-specific posttranslational processing of the proglucagon peptide. It is produced and secreted by intestinal enteroendocrine L-cells and certa ...

receptor Receptor may refer to: * Sensory receptor, in physiology, any structure which, on receiving environmental stimuli, produces an informative nerve impulse *Receptor (biochemistry), in biochemistry, a protein molecule that receives and responds to a ...

and the

glucagon Glucagon is a peptide hormone, produced by alpha cells of the pancreas. It raises concentration of glucose and fatty acids in the bloodstream, and is considered to be the main catabolic hormone of the body. It is also used as a Glucagon (medicati ...

, but it is not known whether the effects of the hormone are mediated through these receptors or through an unidentified receptor. Oxyntomodulin has been linked to entrainment of the liver's

circadian clock A circadian clock, or circadian oscillator, is a biochemical oscillator that cycles with a stable phase (waves), phase and is synchronized with solar time. Such a clock's ''in vivo'' period is necessarily almost exactly 24 hours (the earth's curre ...

. Oxyntomodulin has been investigated as a blood-glucose regulation agent in connection with

diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...

Potential Treatments

Oxyntomodulin could be a potential candidate for treating obesity because of its ability to suppress appetite. In a 4 week study, healthy overweight and obese volunteers were given either saline or oxyntomodulin injections. Their body weight, energy intake, and the levels of adipose hormones were taken prior to the treatment. The volunteers maintained their usual diets and daily activities and self-administered the injections three times daily, 30 minutes before their meals. In the course of 4 weeks, volunteers treated with oxyntomodulin injections had an average weight loss of 2.3±0.4 kg compared to those treated with saline who had an average of 0.5±0.5 kg, indicating oxyntomodulin was successful in weight loss.

References

External links

* Anorectics {{biochem-stub