Corticotropin Like Intermediate Lobe Peptide (CLIP)

Corticotropin-like intermediate lobe peptide (CLIP) is a short neuropeptide secreted by the corticotrope cells of the adenohypophysis. Its precursor is ACTH, whose precursor is in turn proopiomelanocortin.

Naturally occurring derivatives of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) have been identified in various extra-pituitary sites, including the endocrine and exocrine pancreas. Corticotropin-like intermediate lobe peptide (CLIP = ACTH18-39), a naturally occurring derivative of POMC, has been suggested to be an insulin secretagogue. the presence of immunoreactive-adrenocorticotropic hormone (IR-ACTH) in rat pancreatic extract using a COOH-terminally directed antibody to ACTH1-39 and demonstrated that this IR-ACTH co-eluted with synthetic CLIP. These findings suggest that CLIP might be an endogenous modulator of pancreatic exocrine function.