Galanin-Like Peptide (rat)

Galanin-like peptide (GALP), first isolated from the porcine hypothalamus and subsequently also identified in rats and humans, is a 60 amino acid neuropeptide that unlike galanin, has a non-amidated C-terminus. Its amino acid residues (9-21) are identical to the biologically active N-terminal (1-13) fragment of galanin. In contrast to galanin which is relatively non-selective, receptor binding studies revealed that GALP had a high affinity for the galanin receptor 2 (GALR2) and a lower affinity for the GALR1 receptor. Furthermore, it could be demonstrated that GALP stimulates food intake with a ten fold higher orexigenic activity than galanin and may also affect emotional state in the CNS.