Cocaine and amphetamine regulated transcript

Cocaine and amphetamine regulated transcript (CART) is a neuropeptide which in humans is encoded by the CARTPT gene. CART is an anorexigenic peptide, meaning that it will induce feeding when injected in small amounts directly into the brain. It is widely expressed in both the central and peripheral nervous systems, particularly concentrated in the hypothalamus. It appears to have roles in reward, feeding, and stress, and it has the functional properties of an endogenous psychostimulant.

In the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, CART is expressed by neurones that express proopiomelanocortin (POMC), and so is co-localised with the satiety-inducing neuropeptide alpha melanocyte stimulating hormone. These POMC/CART neurones play a key role in the regulation of appetite. They are directly activated in response to leptin, a hormone releasec from adipocytes that circulates in concentrations proportional to total body fat mass. Conversely, they are inhibited by a direct innervation from other arcuate neurones that synthesise the orexogenic neuropetides neuropeptide Y and agouti related peptide, these orexigenic neurones are themselves activated by ghrelin, a hormone secreted from the empty stomach that is potent at stimulating hunger.

CART is also expressed in many other neuronal populations - including by the magnocellular oxytocin neurones in the supraoptic nucleus and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus.