Genomic organization and tissue-specific expression of rat urocortin

Park, Jung Hyun; Lee, Yun Jung; Na, Shin Young; Kim, Kil Lyong

doi:10.1016/s0304-3940(00)01434-8

Cited by 12 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Extracranial CRH is produced in endometrium, placenta, uterine myometrium, cells of the immune system, gastrointestinal system, adrenal gland, and skin (reviewed in refs 1, 13, 17, 19, 20, 24 -27, 33, 45, 46). Urocortin is a recently described member of the family of structurally related CRH-like peptides sharing a high degree of homology with CRH (47)(48)(49)(50). In humans, the final product of the urocortin gene is a peptide 40 amino acids long, with 45% homology to rat/human CRH, and more than 90% homology with rat, mouse, and hamster urocortin peptides (47,49,50).…”

Section: Overview Of Corticotropin-releasing Hormone (Crh) and Urocormentioning

confidence: 99%

Cutaneous expression of corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH), urocortin, and CRH receptors

et al. 2001

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Studies in mammalian skin have shown expression of the genes for corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and the related urocortin peptide, with subsequent production of the respective peptides. Recent molecular and biochemical analyses have further revealed the presence of CRH receptors (CRH-Rs). These CRH-Rs are functional, responding to CRH and urocortin peptides (exogenous or produced locally) through activation of receptor(s)-mediated pathways to modify skin cell phenotype. Thus, when taken together with the previous findings of cutaneous expression of POMC and its receptors, these observations extend the range of regulatory elements of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis expressed in mammalian skin. Overall, the cutaneous CRH/POMC expression is highly reactive to common stressors such as immune cytokines, ultraviolet radiation, cutaneous pathology, or even the physiological changes associated with the hair cycle phase. Therefore, similar to its central analog, the local expression and action of CRH/POMC elements appear to be highly organized and entrained, representing general mechanism of cutaneous response to stressful stimuli. In such a CRH/POMC system, the CRH-Rs may be a central element.

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Section: Overview Of Corticotropin-releasing Hormone (Crh) and Urocormentioning

confidence: 99%

Cutaneous expression of corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH), urocortin, and CRH receptors

et al. 2001

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“…In rodents, it is still not clear from the literature whether Ucn 1 is expressed in the liver. In contrast to Park et al [25], who did not detect the presence of Ucn 1 transcripts in rat liver by RT-PCR, other investigators have shown Ucn 1 gene expression in crude liver cell extracts, using either RT-PCR or RNase protection assay [26, 27]. We recently reported the expression of Ucn 1 in the Kupffer cells, the resident macrophages that represent a small cell percentage in the rat liver, which could explain these inconsistent results [28].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

Neuropeptide Urocortin 1 and Its Receptors Are Expressed in the Human Liver

Simopoulos

Christodoulou²,

Lambropoulou³

et al. 2008

Neuroendocrinology

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The corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) system, consisting of CRH, urocortins (Ucns), their receptors CRH₁ and CRH₂, and CRH-binding protein, holds the principal role in mediating the response to stress stimuli. Besides their expression in the brain, CRH neuropeptides and receptors have been found in multiple peripheral sites. We investigated the expression of the CRH system in the human liver, using RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Ucn 1 gene transcripts were amplified in all the human liver biopsies examined. Ucn 1 immunoreactivity was localized in hepatocytes. CRH₁ and CRH₂₍_α₎ receptor gene expression was also found, and receptor protein had a similar distribution to Ucn 1. Finally, Ucn 1 and CRH receptor expression was demonstrated in hepatic biopsies from a variety of liver pathologies, including primary or metastatic liver carcinoma and cirrhosis. We conclude that the CRH system is expressed by human liver under normal and pathological conditions, Ucn 1 being the major ligand. Further study is required to unfold the biological role of these effectors in liver physiology and pathogenesis, as they may act in an autocrine manner through activation of the CRH receptors expressed locally.

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“…It should be noted that a few KCs were not expressing UCN. In the same liver slices, endothelial cells, known to express UCN and thus serving as internal positive control [16, 17,] were also positively stained (fig. 3c).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1 UCN sense: 5′-TATAGATCTGGCACCATGAGGCAGAGGGGA-3′ and antisense: 5′-CGCGAATTCCGATCACTTGCCCACCGAATC-3′ [16, 17]. The PCR was run for 40 cycles, whereby one cycle consisted of 45 s denaturation at 95°C, then annealing for 50 s at 54°C and elongation for 90 s at 72°C.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neuropeptide Urocortin and Its Receptors Are Expressed in Rat Kupffer Cells

Charalampopoulos

Androulidaki²,

Minas³

et al. 2006

Neuroendocrinology

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The stress neuropeptides, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and urocortin (UCN), modulate the inflammatory response via the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and locally, in a paracrine manner, act on mast and macrophage cells. Kupffer cells (KCs) are the resident macrophages of the liver. They represent the bulk of tissue macrophages in the body and they are the first to face invading noxious agents reaching the body via the portal circulation. The aim of the present report was to study the expression of the CRH system in rat KC and test its functionality. Our findings are as follows: (1) In highly purified KCs the transcripts of UCN, of its receptors CRHR1, CRHR2 and that of the pseudoreceptor CRH-binding protein (CRHBP) were present while that of CRH was not detectable. (2) Similarly, immunoreactive UCN, CRHR1, CRHR2 and CRHBP were easily detectable by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence in sections of whole rat liver (localized in KC) as well as in purified KC while CRH was again not detectable. (3) Exposure of purified KC to CRH or UCN suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced tumor necrosis factor alpha production, an effect completely prevented by the CRHR1 and CRHR2 receptor antagonist astressin. Our data demonstrate the presence of UCN and its receptors in rat KC, the absence of CRH, and the functionality of these receptors. We propose that a UCN-based system may affect local inflammatory phenomena in the liver acting in a paracrine manner.

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Genomic organization and tissue-specific expression of rat urocortin

Cited by 12 publications

References 27 publications

Cutaneous expression of corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH), urocortin, and CRH receptors

Cutaneous expression of corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH), urocortin, and CRH receptors

Neuropeptide Urocortin 1 and Its Receptors Are Expressed in the Human Liver

Neuropeptide Urocortin and Its Receptors Are Expressed in Rat Kupffer Cells

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