TY - JOUR
T1 - Identification of a cDNA encoding a novel small secretory protein, neurosecretory protein GL, in the chicken hypothalamic infundibulum
AU - Ukena, Kazuyoshi
AU - Iwakoshi-Ukena, Eiko
AU - Taniuchi, Shusuke
AU - Bessho, Yuki
AU - Maejima, Sho
AU - Masuda, Keiko
AU - Shikano, Kenshiro
AU - Kondo, Kunihiro
AU - Furumitsu, Megumi
AU - Tachibana, Tetsuya
N1 - Funding Information:
We are grateful to Dr. Yojiro Muneoka (Professor Emeritus at Hiroshima University, Japan), Dr. Yumiko Saito and Dr. Yasuo Furukawa (Hiroshima University, Japan), Dr. Noboru Murakami (University of Miyazaki, Japan) for their valuable discussion and encouragement. This work was supported by MEXT/JSPS KAKENHI Grants (22687004 to K.U. and 25440171 to E.I.-U.), the Toray Science Foundation (K.U.), the Kieikai Research Foundation (K.U.), and the Program for Promotion of Basic and Applied Research for Innovations in Bio-oriented Industry (K.U.).
PY - 2014/3/28
Y1 - 2014/3/28
N2 - To find novel neuropeptide and/or peptide hormone precursors in the avian brain, we performed a cDNA subtractive screen of the chicken hypothalamic infundibulum, which contains one of the feeding and neuroendocrine centers. After sequencing 596 clones, we identified a novel cDNA encoding a previously unknown protein. The deduced precursor protein consisted of 182 amino acid residues, including one putative small secretory protein of 80 amino acid residues. This small protein was flanked at the N-terminus by a signal peptide and at the C-terminus by a glycine amidation signal and a dibasic amino acid cleavage site. Because the predicted C-terminal amino acids of the small protein were Gly-Leu-NH2, the small protein was named neurosecretory protein GL (NPGL). Quantitative RT-PCR analysis demonstrated specific expression of the NPGL precursor mRNA in the hypothalamic infundibulum. Furthermore, the mRNA levels in the hypothalamic infundibulum increased during post-hatching development. In situ hybridization analysis showed that the cells containing the NPGL precursor mRNA were localized in the medial mammillary nucleus and infundibular nucleus within the hypothalamic infundibulum of 8- and 15-day-old chicks. Subcutaneous infusion of NPGL in chicks increased body weight gain without affecting food intake. To our knowledge, this is the first report to describe the identification and localization of the NPGL precursor mRNA and the function of its translated product in animals. Our findings indicate that NPGL may participate in the growth process in chicks.
AB - To find novel neuropeptide and/or peptide hormone precursors in the avian brain, we performed a cDNA subtractive screen of the chicken hypothalamic infundibulum, which contains one of the feeding and neuroendocrine centers. After sequencing 596 clones, we identified a novel cDNA encoding a previously unknown protein. The deduced precursor protein consisted of 182 amino acid residues, including one putative small secretory protein of 80 amino acid residues. This small protein was flanked at the N-terminus by a signal peptide and at the C-terminus by a glycine amidation signal and a dibasic amino acid cleavage site. Because the predicted C-terminal amino acids of the small protein were Gly-Leu-NH2, the small protein was named neurosecretory protein GL (NPGL). Quantitative RT-PCR analysis demonstrated specific expression of the NPGL precursor mRNA in the hypothalamic infundibulum. Furthermore, the mRNA levels in the hypothalamic infundibulum increased during post-hatching development. In situ hybridization analysis showed that the cells containing the NPGL precursor mRNA were localized in the medial mammillary nucleus and infundibular nucleus within the hypothalamic infundibulum of 8- and 15-day-old chicks. Subcutaneous infusion of NPGL in chicks increased body weight gain without affecting food intake. To our knowledge, this is the first report to describe the identification and localization of the NPGL precursor mRNA and the function of its translated product in animals. Our findings indicate that NPGL may participate in the growth process in chicks.
KW - Body weight
KW - Brain
KW - Chicken
KW - Growth
KW - Hypothalamus
KW - Neurosecretory protein
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U2 - 10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.02.090
DO - 10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.02.090
M3 - Article
C2 - 24582750
AN - SCOPUS:84897976544
VL - 446
SP - 298
EP - 303
JO - Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
JF - Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
SN - 0006-291X
IS - 1
ER -