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REVIEW article

Front. Endocrinol.
Sec. Neuroendocrine Science
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1406531

A Systematic Scoping Review of the Multifaceted Role of Phoenixin in Metabolism: Insights from in vitro and in vivo Studies

Provisionally accepted
  • 1 Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia, Cheras, Malaysia
  • 2 Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 3 Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 4 Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University, Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Phoenixin (PNX) is an emerging neuropeptide that plays a significant role in regulating metabolism and reproduction. This comprehensive review examines findings from human, in vivo, and in vitro studies to elucidate the functions of PNX in metabolic processes. PNX has been identified as a key player in essential metabolic pathways, including energy homeostasis, glucose, lipid and electrolyte metabolism, and mitochondrial dynamics. It modulates food and fluid intake, influences glucose and lipid profiles, and affects mitochondrial biogenesis and function. PNX is abundantly expressed in the hypothalamus, where it plays a crucial role in regulating reproductive hormone secretion and maintaining energy balance. Furthermore, PNX is also expressed in peripheral tissues such as the heart, spleen, and pancreas, indicating its involvement in the regulation of metabolism across central and peripheral systems. PNX is a therapeutic peptide that operates through the G protein-coupled receptor 173 (GPR173) at the molecular level. It activates signaling pathways such as cAMP-protein kinase A (PKA) and Epac-ERK, which are crucial for metabolic regulation. Research suggests that PNX may be effective in managing metabolic disorders like obesity and type 2 diabetes, as well as reproductive health issues like infertility. Since metabolic processes are closely linked to reproduction, further understanding of PNX's role in these areas is necessary to develop effective management/treatments. This review aims to highlight PNX's involvement in metabolism and identify gaps in current knowledge regarding its impact on human health.Understanding the mechanisms of PNX's action is crucial for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of metabolic disorders and reproductive health issues, which are significant public health concerns globally.

    Keywords: Phoenixin (PNX), Metabolism, Mitochondria, Glycolysis, mitochondrial respiration

    Received: 25 Mar 2024; Accepted: 02 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Muzammil, Muttiah, Sulaiman, Yazid, Makpol, Mohamed Ibrahim, Jaafar and Abdullah. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Nur Atiqah Haizum Abdullah, Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia, Cheras, 56000, Malaysia

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.