Neuromedin U and Its Putative Drosophila Homolog hugin
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《科学公立图书馆生物学》
1 Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe Karlsruhe, Germany
E-mail: michael.pankratz@itg.fzk.de
We recently provided a molecular, neuroanatomical, and behavioral analyses of neurons expressing the neuropeptide gene hugin in Drosophila [1]. hugin-expressing neurons appear to comprise a neural circuitry in the brain that modulates feeding behavior in response to gustatory and nutrient signals. One of the questions arising from this study was whether a mammalian homolog of hugin exists. We argue here that a mammalian homolog of Drosophila hugin may be neuromedin U (NmU).
NmU was originally isolated from porcine spinal cord based on its ability to contract uterine smooth muscle [2]. Characterization of porcine NmU identified two peptides with similar bioactivity, a 25-mer (NmU-25) and an 8-mer (NmU-8). NmU-8 is derived from cleavage of NmU-25 and shares an identical C-terminus, which is critical for bioactivity, and is highly conserved among vertebrates [2].
One of the peptides produced by the Drosophila hugin gene is pyrokinin-2 (PK-2), which also possesses myostimulatory activity [3]. This peptide also bears striking sequence resemblance to mammalian NmU-8. Both are 8-mers, and porcine NmU-8 sequence (YFLFRPRN) and Drosophila PK-2 sequence (SVPFKPRL) share three of eight amino acid residues. The three common residues lie in the last five amino acids; among the vertebrates, the last five residues are identical. Cockroach, Periplaneta americana, pyrokinin sequence (LVPFRPRL) [4] shows even higher homology to porcine NmU-8, with four of eight amino acids being identical, again all in the last five residues. Putative G-protein-coupled receptors for Drosophila PK-2 also share high homology with mammalian NmU receptors [5,6].
The structure of the prepropeptides that gives rise to mammalian NmU-8 and Drosophila PK-2 is also similar. Human and rat NmU genes, and hugin, encode prepropeptides that can be potentially cleaved into three peptides [3,7]. Nmu-8 and Drosophila PK-2 are derived from the last peptide. In Drosophila, the middle peptide was termed hugin-γ [3]. Whether other cleavage products from vertebrates encode functional neuropeptides remains to be determined, but the high conservation between rat and human sequences in this region (36 of 38 identical amino acids) suggests an important function [7].
Similarities between NmU and hugin extend to the functional level. Rat NmU is specifically expressed in the ventromedial hypothalamus, a region involved in regulating feeding, and its expression is downregulated upon fasting [8]; hugin is specifically expressed in the subesophageal ganglion, a brain region in Drosophila regulating feeding, and its expression is also downregulated upon starvation [1]. Administration of NmU causes suppression of feeding in rats [8], while NmU knockout in mice causes hyperphagia [9]; in Drosophila, overexpression of hugin causes suppression of growth and feeding [1,3], while blocking synaptic activity of hugin neurons causes increased feeding [1].
Based on these considerations, we propose that Drosophila hugin may be a homolog of mammalian NmU. Future experiments and data comparisons should provide more insights into this issue.
References
Melcher C, Pankratz MJ (2005) Candidate gustatory interneurons modulating feeding behavior in the Drosophila brain. PLoS Biol 3:e305 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.0030305.
Brighton PJ, Szekeres PG, Willars GB (2004) Neuromedin U and its receptors: Structure, function, and physiological roles. Pharmacol Rev 56:231–248.
Meng X, Wahlstrom G, Immonen T, Kolmer M, Tirronen M, et al. (2002) The Drosophila hugin gene codes for myostimulatory and ecdysis-modifying neuropeptides. Mech Dev 117:5–13.
Predel R, Kellner R, Nachman RJ, Holman GM, Rapus J, et al. (1999) Differential distribution of pyrokinin-isoforms in cerebral and abdominal neurohemal organs of the American cockroach. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 29:139–144.
Park Y, Kim Y, Adams ME (2002) Identification of G protein–coupled receptors for Drosophila PRXamide peptides, CCAP, corazonin, and AKH supports a theory of ligand-receptor coevolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 99:11423–11428.
Rosenkilde C, Cazzamali G, Williamson M, Hauser F, Sondergaard L, et al. (2003) Molecular cloning, functional expression, and gene silencing of two Drosophila receptors for the Drosophila neuropeptide pyrokinin-2. BBRC 309:485–494.
Austin C, Lo G, Nandha KA, Meleagros L, Bloom SR (1995) Cloning and characterization of the cDNA encoding the human neuromedin U (NmU) precursor: NmU expression in the human gastrointestinal tract. J Mol Endocrinol 14:157–169.
Howard AD, Wang R, Pong SS, Mellin TN, Strack A, et al. (2000) Identification of receptors for neuromedin U and its role in feeding. Nature 406:70–74.
Hanada R, et al. (2004) Neuromedin U has a novel anorexigenic effect independent of the leptin signaling pathway. Nat Med 10:1067–1073.(Christoph Melcher, Rüdige)
E-mail: michael.pankratz@itg.fzk.de
We recently provided a molecular, neuroanatomical, and behavioral analyses of neurons expressing the neuropeptide gene hugin in Drosophila [1]. hugin-expressing neurons appear to comprise a neural circuitry in the brain that modulates feeding behavior in response to gustatory and nutrient signals. One of the questions arising from this study was whether a mammalian homolog of hugin exists. We argue here that a mammalian homolog of Drosophila hugin may be neuromedin U (NmU).
NmU was originally isolated from porcine spinal cord based on its ability to contract uterine smooth muscle [2]. Characterization of porcine NmU identified two peptides with similar bioactivity, a 25-mer (NmU-25) and an 8-mer (NmU-8). NmU-8 is derived from cleavage of NmU-25 and shares an identical C-terminus, which is critical for bioactivity, and is highly conserved among vertebrates [2].
One of the peptides produced by the Drosophila hugin gene is pyrokinin-2 (PK-2), which also possesses myostimulatory activity [3]. This peptide also bears striking sequence resemblance to mammalian NmU-8. Both are 8-mers, and porcine NmU-8 sequence (YFLFRPRN) and Drosophila PK-2 sequence (SVPFKPRL) share three of eight amino acid residues. The three common residues lie in the last five amino acids; among the vertebrates, the last five residues are identical. Cockroach, Periplaneta americana, pyrokinin sequence (LVPFRPRL) [4] shows even higher homology to porcine NmU-8, with four of eight amino acids being identical, again all in the last five residues. Putative G-protein-coupled receptors for Drosophila PK-2 also share high homology with mammalian NmU receptors [5,6].
The structure of the prepropeptides that gives rise to mammalian NmU-8 and Drosophila PK-2 is also similar. Human and rat NmU genes, and hugin, encode prepropeptides that can be potentially cleaved into three peptides [3,7]. Nmu-8 and Drosophila PK-2 are derived from the last peptide. In Drosophila, the middle peptide was termed hugin-γ [3]. Whether other cleavage products from vertebrates encode functional neuropeptides remains to be determined, but the high conservation between rat and human sequences in this region (36 of 38 identical amino acids) suggests an important function [7].
Similarities between NmU and hugin extend to the functional level. Rat NmU is specifically expressed in the ventromedial hypothalamus, a region involved in regulating feeding, and its expression is downregulated upon fasting [8]; hugin is specifically expressed in the subesophageal ganglion, a brain region in Drosophila regulating feeding, and its expression is also downregulated upon starvation [1]. Administration of NmU causes suppression of feeding in rats [8], while NmU knockout in mice causes hyperphagia [9]; in Drosophila, overexpression of hugin causes suppression of growth and feeding [1,3], while blocking synaptic activity of hugin neurons causes increased feeding [1].
Based on these considerations, we propose that Drosophila hugin may be a homolog of mammalian NmU. Future experiments and data comparisons should provide more insights into this issue.
References
Melcher C, Pankratz MJ (2005) Candidate gustatory interneurons modulating feeding behavior in the Drosophila brain. PLoS Biol 3:e305 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.0030305.
Brighton PJ, Szekeres PG, Willars GB (2004) Neuromedin U and its receptors: Structure, function, and physiological roles. Pharmacol Rev 56:231–248.
Meng X, Wahlstrom G, Immonen T, Kolmer M, Tirronen M, et al. (2002) The Drosophila hugin gene codes for myostimulatory and ecdysis-modifying neuropeptides. Mech Dev 117:5–13.
Predel R, Kellner R, Nachman RJ, Holman GM, Rapus J, et al. (1999) Differential distribution of pyrokinin-isoforms in cerebral and abdominal neurohemal organs of the American cockroach. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 29:139–144.
Park Y, Kim Y, Adams ME (2002) Identification of G protein–coupled receptors for Drosophila PRXamide peptides, CCAP, corazonin, and AKH supports a theory of ligand-receptor coevolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 99:11423–11428.
Rosenkilde C, Cazzamali G, Williamson M, Hauser F, Sondergaard L, et al. (2003) Molecular cloning, functional expression, and gene silencing of two Drosophila receptors for the Drosophila neuropeptide pyrokinin-2. BBRC 309:485–494.
Austin C, Lo G, Nandha KA, Meleagros L, Bloom SR (1995) Cloning and characterization of the cDNA encoding the human neuromedin U (NmU) precursor: NmU expression in the human gastrointestinal tract. J Mol Endocrinol 14:157–169.
Howard AD, Wang R, Pong SS, Mellin TN, Strack A, et al. (2000) Identification of receptors for neuromedin U and its role in feeding. Nature 406:70–74.
Hanada R, et al. (2004) Neuromedin U has a novel anorexigenic effect independent of the leptin signaling pathway. Nat Med 10:1067–1073.(Christoph Melcher, Rüdige)