In humans, xenin circulates in the blood plasma.[3] There is a relationship between peaks of xenin concentration in the plasma and the third phase of the Migrating Motor Complex. For example, infusion of synthetic xenin in fasting volunteers will cause phase III activity. After a meal (the 'postprandial state'), infusion of xenin increases both frequency and the percentage of aborally propagated contractions. In higher concentrations xenin stimulates exocrine pancreatic secretion and inhibits the gastrin-stimulated secretion of acid in dogs. Xenin is also produced in neuroendocrine tumors of the duodenal mucosa.
Surpassed by insulin, xenin reflects the second highest degree of homology traced along the evolutionary tree among the regulatory peptides, indicating its prominent structural conservatism.[5]
Proxenin is the precursor to xenin. It is a 35-amino acid polypeptide. Like xenin, its amino acid sequence exactly matches the N-terminus of coatomer subunit alpha.[4]
^Schiavo-Cardozo D, Lima MM, Pareja JC, Geloneze B (December 2013). "Appetite-regulating hormones from the upper gut: disrupted control of xenin and ghrelin in night workers". Clinical Endocrinology. 79 (6): 807–811. doi:10.1111/cen.12114. PMID23199168. S2CID24887534.
^Craig SL, Gault VA, Irwin N (September 2018). "Emerging therapeutic potential for xenin and related peptides in obesity and diabetes". Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews. 34 (6): e3006. doi:10.1002/dmrr.3006. PMID29633491. S2CID4756921.
Feurle GE, Pfeiffer A, Schmidt T, Dominguez-Munoz E, Malfertheiner P, Hamscher G (June 2001). "Phase III of the migrating motor complex: associated with endogenous xenin plasma peaks and induced by exogenous xenin". Neurogastroenterol. Motil. 13 (3): 237–46. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2982.2001.00263.x. PMID11437986. S2CID30979914.
Feurle GE, Ikonomu S, Partoulas G, Stoschus B, Hamscher G (March 2003). "Xenin plasma concentrations during modified sham feeding and during meals of different composition demonstrated by radioimmunoassay and chromatography". Regul. Pept. 111 (1–3): 153–9. doi:10.1016/s0167-0115(02)00281-1. PMID12609763. S2CID1818472.