Spexin2 (spx2) is a newly identified gene in vertebrates, but its biological functions remain unclear. In this study, we cloned the full-length cDNA of spx2 in zebrafish. The 288-bp open reading frame encodes a protein of 95 amino acids that contains a 14 amino acids mature peptide. Spx2 is highly expressed in brain and testis. Its expression was significantly downregulated in the hypothalamus after feeding treatment and 7 days of food deprivation. Using a zebrafish spx2-/- mutant line, we observed a greater amount of food intake and changes in mRNA levels of feeding factors. We found that, SPX2 acts as a satiety factor that inhibits food intake by downregulating the expression of agouti-related neuropeptide (agrp). Moreover, spx2 mutant fish exhibited a larger body size, excessive lipid accumulation, and insulin resistance. Taken together, our results revealed that SPX2 functions as a satiety factor involved in energy metabolic regulation in zebrafish.
Keywords: energy metabolic regulation; satiety factor; spexin2; zebrafish.