# Topics and Trends in Most Cited Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology Papers, Class of 2026

*Canonical URL: https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/neuropeptides-and-animal-physiology/2026*

## What topics and trends defined most-cited Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology research in the Class of 2026?

GLP-1 receptor agonists, sensory neurons, type 2 diabetes, and neuroimmune interactions define the Class of 2026 neuropeptides and animal physiology cohort. Metabolic incretin signaling, dual GIP/GLP-1 agonists, and pain/neuroimmune pathways rose sharply from the Class of 2025, while traditional G protein coupling and allosteric GPCR framing receded among top-cited papers.

## At a glance

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Field | Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology |
| Cohort label | Class of 2026 (2024 publications) |
| Papers analyzed | 2,715 |
| Papers ranked | 20 |
| Top topics in ranked papers | GLP-1 receptor agonists, Sensory neurons, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, Neuroimmune interaction, GPCR signaling |
| Publication window | Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024 |
| Eligibility | Research articles; reviews excluded |
| Citation window | 18 months post-publication |
| 18m citation range | 24–127 |
| Data source | OpenAlex · Retrieved Jul 2026 |
| License | CC BY 4.0 |

## Rankings

| Rank | Title | Authors | Corresponding authors | Affiliation | Journal | 18m citations | DOI |
| ---: | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---: | --- |
| 1 | Neuronal substance P drives metastasis through an extracellular RNA–TLR7 axis | Veena Padmanaban, Isabel Keller, Ethan S Seltzer, Benjamin N Ostendorf, Zachary Kerner, Sohail F Tavazoie | Sohail F. Tavazoie | The Rockefeller University, United States | Nature | 127 | 10.1038/s41586-024-07767-5 |
| 2 | A GIPR antagonist conjugated to GLP-1 analogues promotes weight loss with improved metabolic parameters in preclinical and phase 1 settings | Murielle M Véniant, Shu-Chen Lu, Larissa Atangan, Renee Komorowski, Shanaka Stanislaus, Yuan Cheng, Bin Wu, James R Falsey, Todd Hager, Veena A Thomas, Malhar Ambhaikar, Lucie Sharpsten, Yineng Zhu, Vamsi Kurra, Rohini Jeswani, Rajneet K Oberoi, Jane R Parnes, Narimon Honarpour, Joel Neutel, Jennifer L Strande | Murielle M. Véniant | Amgen Research, United States | Nature Metabolism | 116 | 10.1038/s42255-023-00966-w |
| 3 | A chemogenetic screen reveals that Trpv1-expressing neurons control regulatory T cells in the gut | Yangyang Zhu, Kimberly A Meerschaert, Silvia Galvan-Pena, Na-Ryum Bin, Daping Yang, Himanish Basu, Ryo Kawamoto, Amre Shalaby, Stephen D Liberles, Diane Mathis, Christophe Benoist, Isaac M Chiu | Yangyang Zhu, Kimberly A. Meerschaert, Christophe Benoıst, Isaac M. Chiu | Harvard Medical School, United States | Science | 80 | 10.1126/science.adk1679 |
| 4 | Neuropeptide signalling orchestrates T cell differentiation | Yu Hou, Linyu Sun, Martin W LaFleur, Linglin Huang, Conner Lambden, Pratiksha I Thakore, Kathryn Geiger-Schuller, Kimitoshi Kimura, Longjun Yan, Yue Zang, Ruihan Tang, Jingwen Shi, Rocky Barilla, Liwen Deng, Ayshwarya Subramanian, Antonia Wallrapp, Hee Sun Choi, Yoon-Chul Kye, Orr Ashenberg, Geoffrey Schiebinger, John G Doench, Isaac M Chiu, Aviv Regev, Arlene H Sharpe, Vijay K Kuchroo | Aviv Regev, Arlene H. Sharpe, Vijay K. Kuchroo | Gene Lay Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, United States | Nature | 54 | 10.1038/s41586-024-08049-w |
| 5 | Distinct µ-opioid ensembles trigger positive and negative fentanyl reinforcement | Fabrice Chaudun, Laurena Python, Yu Liu, Agnes Hiver, Jennifer Cand, Brigitte L Kieffer, Emmanuel Valjent, Christian Lüscher | Christian Lüscher | University of Geneva, Switzerland | Nature | 47 | 10.1038/s41586-024-07440-x |
| 6 | Ligand efficacy modulates conformational dynamics of the µ-opioid receptor | Jiawei Zhao, Matthias Elgeti, Evan S O'Brien, Cecília P Sár, Amal Ei Daibani, Jie Heng, Xiaoou Sun, Elizabeth White, Tao Che, Wayne L Hubbell, Brian K Kobilka, Chunlai Chen | Matthias Elgeti, Brian K. Kobilka, Chunlai Chen | Tsinghua University, China | Nature | 41 | 10.1038/s41586-024-07295-2 |
| 7 | Unlocking opioid neuropeptide dynamics with genetically encoded biosensors | Chunyang Dong, Raajaram Gowrishankar, Yihan Jin, Xinyi Jenny He, Achla Gupta, Huikun Wang, Nilüfer Sayar-Atasoy, Rodolfo J Flores, Karan Mahe, Nikki Tjahjono, Ruqiang Liang, Aaron Marley, Grace Or Mizuno, Darren K Lo, Qingtao Sun, Jennifer L Whistler, Bo Li, Ivone Gomes, Mark Von Zastrow, Hugo A Tejeda, Deniz Atasoy, Lakshmi A Devi, Michael R Bruchas, Matthew R Banghart, Lin Tian | Michael R. Bruchas, Matthew R. Banghart, Lin Tian | University of California Davis, United States | Nature Neuroscience | 39 | 10.1038/s41593-024-01697-1 |
| 8 | GLP-1R–positive neurons in the lateral septum mediate the anorectic and weight-lowering effects of liraglutide in mice | Zijun Chen, Xiaofei Deng, Cuijie Shi, Haiyang Jing, Yu Tian, Jiafeng Zhong, Gaowei Chen, Yunlong Xu, Yixiao Luo, Yingjie Zhu | Yingjie Zhu | Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China | Journal of Clinical Investigation | 39 | 10.1172/jci178239 |
| 9 | Inhalable cardiac targeting peptide modified nanomedicine prevents pressure overload heart failure in male mice | Haobo Weng, Weijuan Zou, Fangyan Tian, Huilin Xie, Ao Liu, Wen Liu, Yu Liu, Nianwei Zhou, Xiaojun Cai, Jianrong Wu, Yuanyi Zheng, Xianhong Shu | Jianrong Wu, Yuanyi Zheng, Xianhong Shu | Fudan University, China | Nature Communications | 33 | 10.1038/s41467-024-50312-1 |
| 10 | A µ-opioid receptor modulator that works cooperatively with naloxone | Evan S O'Brien, Vipin Ashok Rangari, Amal El Daibani, Shainnel O Eans, Haylee R Hammond, Elizabeth White, Haoqing Wang, Yuki Shiimura, Kaavya Krishna Kumar, Qianru Jiang, Kevin Appourchaux, Weijiao Huang, Chensong Zhang, Brandon J Kennedy, Jesper M Mathiesen, Tao Che, Jay P McLaughlin, Susruta Majumdar, Brian K Kobilka | Jay P. McLaughlin, Susruta Majumdar, Brian K. Kobilka | Stanford University, United States | Nature | 33 | 10.1038/s41586-024-07587-7 |
| 11 | The pharmacological basis for nonpeptide agonism of the GLP-1 receptor by orforglipron | Kyle W Sloop, Amy L Cox, David B Wainscott, Alex White, Brian A Droz, Cynthia Stutsman, Aaron D Showalter, Todd M Suter, James D Dunbar, Brandy M Snider, Libbey S O'Farrell, Natalie Hewitt, J Craig Ruble, Leah R Padgett, Eric M Woerly, Jeffrey A Peterson, Tamer Coskun, Zhaomin Liu, David E Coutant, Minrong Ai, Paul J Emmerson, Panjamaporn Sangwung, Francis S Willard | Kyle W. Sloop | Eli Lilly and Company, United States | Science Translational Medicine | 33 | 10.1126/scitranslmed.adp5765 |
| 12 | Inputs to the locus coeruleus from the periaqueductal gray and rostroventral medulla shape opioid-mediated descending pain modulation | Susan T Lubejko, Giulia Livrizzi, Stanley A Buczynski, Janki Patel, Jean C Yung, Tony L Yaksh, Matthew R Banghart | Matthew R. Banghart | University of California, San Diego, United States | Science Advances | 30 | 10.1126/sciadv.adj9581 |
| 13 | Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide signalling as a therapeutic target in migraine | Håkan Ashina, Rune H Christensen, Debbie L Hay, Amynah A Pradhan, Jan Hoffmann, Dora Reglodi, Andrew F Russo, Messoud Ashina | Messoud Ashina | Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, Denmark | Nature Reviews Neurology | 30 | 10.1038/s41582-024-01011-4 |
| 14 | Somatosensory cortex and central amygdala regulate neuropathic pain-mediated peripheral immune response via vagal projections to the spleen | Xia Zhu, Ji-Ye Huang, Wan-Ying Dong, Hao-Di Tang, Si Xu, Qielan Wu, Huimin Zhang, Ping-Kai Cheng, Yuxin Jin, Meng-Yu Zhu, Wan Zhao, Yu Mao, Haitao Wang, Yan Zhang, Hao Wang, Wenjuan Tao, Yanghua Tian, Li Bai, Zhi Zhang | Wenjuan Tao, Yanghua Tian, Li Bai, Zhi Zhang | University of Science and Technology of China, China | Nature Neuroscience | 29 | 10.1038/s41593-023-01561-8 |
| 15 | Basolateral amygdala parvalbumin and cholecystokinin-expressing GABAergic neurons modulate depressive and anxiety-like behaviors | Muhammad Asim, Huajie Wang, Abdul Waris, Jufang He | Muhammad Asim, Jufang He | City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong | Translational Psychiatry | 28 | 10.1038/s41398-024-03135-z |
| 16 | Cytokines reprogram airway sensory neurons in asthma | Theo Crosson, Shreyas Bhat, Jo-Chiao Wang, Clara Salaun, Eleanne Fontaine, Katiane Roversi, Herbert Herzog, Moutih Rafei, Rikard Blunck, Sebastien Talbot | Sébastien Talbot | Université de Montréal, Canada | Cell Reports | 27 | 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.115045 |
| 17 | Machine learning designs new GCGR/GLP-1R dual agonists with enhanced biological potency | Anna M Puszkarska, Bruck Taddese, Jefferson Revell, Graeme Davies, Joss Field, David C Hornigold, Andrew Buchanan, Tristan J Vaughan, Lucy J Colwell | Lucy J. Colwell | University of Cambridge, United Kingdom | Nature Chemistry | 26 | 10.1038/s41557-024-01532-x |
| 18 | Profiling the proximal proteome of the activated μ-opioid receptor | Benjamin J Polacco, Braden T Lobingier, Emily E Blythe, Nohely Abreu, Prachi Khare, Matthew K Howard, Alberto J Gonzalez-Hernandez, Jiewei Xu, Qiongyu Li, Brandon Novy, Zun Zar Chi Naing, Brian K Shoichet, Willow Coyote-Maestas, Joshua Levitz, Nevan J Krogan, Mark Von Zastrow, Ruth Hüttenhain | Mark von Zastrow, Ruth Hüttenhain | University of California, San Francisco, United States | Nature Chemical Biology | 25 | 10.1038/s41589-024-01588-3 |
| 19 | Beneath the surface: endosomal GPCR signaling | Emmanuel Flores-Espinoza, Alex R B Thomsen | A. Thomsen | New York University, United States | Trends in Biochemical Sciences | 24 | 10.1016/j.tibs.2024.03.006 |
| 20 | GPCR-dependent and -independent arrestin signaling | Vsevolod V Gurevich, Eugenia V Gurevich | Vsevolod V. Gurevich | Vanderbilt University, United States | Trends in Pharmacological Sciences | 24 | 10.1016/j.tips.2024.05.007 |

## Topic trends

### What Topics Define the Class of 2026?

The informative word cloud across the highest 18-month-cited neuropeptides and animal physiology papers reveals a research landscape structured around metabolic neuropeptide signaling, sensory neurobiology, and GPCR functional selectivity. GLP-1 receptor agonists lead the cohort at 7 of 42 ranked papers (normalized frequency 0.167), co-occurring prominently with sensory neurons (7 papers, 0.167) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (7 papers, 0.167). The GLP-1 receptor (6 papers, 0.143) and neuroimmune interaction (6 papers, 0.143) form a central mechanistic bridge between central metabolic control and peripheral tissue innervation. Classic neuropeptide and receptor systems retain major representation, including β-arrestin (5 papers, 0.119), μ-opioid receptor (5 papers, 0.119), and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP, 4 papers, 0.095). High-impact methodological and translational clusters feature optogenetic manipulation (4 papers, 0.095), chemogenetic manipulation (3 papers, 0.071), and functional selectivity (4 papers, 0.095) alongside receptor trafficking (4 papers, 0.095). Metabolic and therapeutic topics—specifically dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists (4 papers, 0.095), diet-induced obesity (4 papers, 0.095), semaglutide (4 papers, 0.095), and DPP-4 inhibitors (3 papers, 0.071)—highlight how neuropeptide biology is increasingly tied to systemic cardiometabolic regulation and targeted neuro-pharmacology.

*Leading research themes*

### How Did Topics Shift from the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026?

Comparing normalized concept frequencies between the Class of 2025 (2023 publications) and Class of 2026 (2024 publications) reveals a clear shift from foundational GPCR signal-transduction biophysics toward neuroimmune crosstalk and incretin-based metabolic physiology. Neuroimmune interaction demonstrated the largest net increase in normalized frequency (+0.120; rising from 1 paper to 6 papers, fold change 6.29), reflecting growing interest in peripheral nerve-immune organ axes. Sensory neurons (+0.098; 3 to 7 papers) and μ-opioid receptor (+0.074; 2 to 5 papers) also expanded substantially, alongside CGRP (+0.050; 2 to 4 papers) in pain and neurovascular physiology. Metabolic neuropeptides saw synchronized gains across type 2 diabetes (+0.076; 4 to 7 papers), GLP-1 receptor (+0.075; 3 to 6 papers), dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists (+0.073; 1 to 4 papers), semaglutide (+0.073; 1 to 4 papers), and diet-induced obesity (+0.073; 1 to 4 papers). Conversely, baseline G protein coupling exhibited the steepest decline (−0.179; dropping from 10 to 2 papers, fold change 0.21), with allosteric modulation (−0.066; 5 to 2 papers) and general GPCR terms (−0.042) also receding. Together, these trends mark a strategic transition in top-cited neuropeptide literature from isolated in vitro receptor dynamics to integrated whole-animal physiological systems.

*How topics shifted year over year*

## Cite this ranking

```
Pepkio Research Index (PRI). Topics and Trends in Most Cited Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology Papers, Class of 2026. https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/neuropeptides-and-animal-physiology/2026. Accessed 2026-07-31.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459
```