Neuropeptide Signaling in Insect Physiology

Neuropeptides are short chains of amino acids that act as chemical messengers to regulate a wide array of physiological processes in insects, including development, metabolism, reproduction and behaviour. Synthesised as larger precursors in specialised neurosecretory cells or peripheral tissues, they are cleaved and released into the haemolymph or directly onto target cells. Binding to G-protein-coupled receptors or other membrane proteins, they coordinate interorgan communication and integrate internal states with environmental cues. Key roles include modulation of feeding behaviour via gut-brain circuits, control of water and ion balance through renal complexes, and adaptation to stressors such as starvation or sleep deprivation. Owing to their versatility and evolutionary conservation, insect neuropeptides serve as powerful models for understanding hormonal signalling and may offer novel targets for pest control and metabolic disease research.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent work in Drosophila has revealed how enteroendocrine cells sense dietary amino acids to modulate feeding. Dietary L-glutamate is detected by a metabotropic glutamate receptor on gut endocrine cells, leading to reduced calcium oscillations and decreased secretion of Neuropeptide F. Circulating Neuropeptide F then activates its receptor on a defined subset of dopaminergic enteric neurons, which relay an anorexigenic signal to the central nervous system. This study uncovers a conserved gut-brain axis in which nutrient quality directly influences neuropeptide release and feeding decisions, providing mechanistic insight into how gut hormones and enteric circuits cooperate to regulate energy intake.

Neuropeptide Signaling in Insect Physiology publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in neuropeptide signaling in insect physiology across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Neuropeptide: A small peptide released by neurons or endocrine cells that binds to specific receptors to regulate physiological functions.

Enteroendocrine cell (EEC): A specialised gut epithelial cell that senses luminal nutrients and secretes peptide hormones.

Neuropeptide F (NPF): An insect RFamide peptide involved in the regulation of feeding, analogous to mammalian peptide YY.

FMRFamide: A family of RFamide peptides first identified in molluscs, which modulate energy balance and sensory perception.

Allatostatin A (AstA): A gut-derived neuropeptide that inhibits juvenile hormone synthesis and influences energy mobilisation during stress.

References

1. Dietary cysteine drives body fat loss via FMRFamide signaling in Drosophila and mouse. Cell Research (2023).
2. Dietary L-Glu sensing by enteroendocrine cells adjusts food intake via modulating gut PYY/NPF secretion. Nature Communications (2024).
3. Gut AstA mediates sleep deprivation-induced energy wasting in Drosophila. Cell Discovery (2023).
4. Evolution of neuropeptide signalling systems. Journal of Experimental Biology (2018).