| abstract |
The present invention relates to an intestinal peptide that is located in mammalian distal ileum. The peptide, designated 'enteric neural peptide' or 'ENP', corresponds to the N-terminal, 13 amino acid fragment of somatostatin-28. ENP is localized in cells that do not express S-28 and do not contain the C-terminal S-14 fragment of prosomatostatin. ENP increases in the circulation within 30 minutes of intake of mixed food, wherein the predominant nutrient signal is fat. Antibodies that bind ENP are also disclosed. |