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Ghrelin has been identified as the endogenous ligand for the GHS-R1α (growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1 alpha). Our previous experiments have indicated that ghrelin (i.c.v.) induces antinociceptive effects in acute pain in mice, and the effects were mediated through the central opioid receptors and GHS-R1α. However, which opioid receptor (OR) mediates the antinociceptive effects and the molecular...
The present study was designed to assess the usefulness of measuring plasma levels of copeptin (a peptide co-released with the hypothalamic stress hormone vasopressin) as a biomarker for the severity of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and for predicting delayed neurological sequelae (DNS). Seventy-two patients with CO poisoning and 72 sex and age matched healthy individuals were recruited. Plasma copeptin...
The conotoxin cysteine framework XV (-C-C-CC-C-C-C-C-), which was named Lt15a, was firstly identified from the cDNA library of Conus litteratus. After that, 18 new framework XV conotoxin sequences were cloned from nine Conus species. Like other conopeptides, the XV-conotoxins have the conserved signal peptide and propeptide, and there are also some conserved residues in their mature peptide. All the...
While bradykinin has been identified in the skin secretions from several species of amphibian, bradykinin-related peptides (BRPs) are more common constituents. These peptides display a plethora of primary structural variations from the type peptide which include single or multiple amino acid substitutions, N- and/or C-terminal extensions and post-translational modifications such as proline hydroxylation...
Ghrelin, an acylated 28-amino peptide secreted in the gastric endocrine cells, has been demonstrated to stimulate the release of growth hormone, increase food intake, and inhibit pro-inflammatory cascade, etc. Ghrelin mainly combines with its receptor (GHS-R1α) to play the role in physiological and pathological functions. It has been reported that ghrelin plays important roles in the control of pain...
Exenatide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, is effective in inducing weight loss. The exact mechanisms are not fully understood. Reduced appetite and food intake may play important roles. Sweet taste contributes to food palatability, which promotes appetite. Interestingly, GLP-1 and its receptor are expressed in the taste buds of rodents and their interaction has an effect on mediating...
Ghrelin, an acylated peptide produced in the stomach, increases food intake and growth hormone secretion, inhibits pro-inflammatory cascade, etc. Ghrelin and its receptor (GHS-R1a) mRNA were found in the area related to the regions for controlling pain transmission, such as the hypothalamus, the midbrain, the spinal cord, etc. Ghrelin has been shown to have antinociceptive activity and also anti-inflammatory...
Ghrelin is a multifunctional peptide that actively protects against cardiovascular ischemic diseases, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. We used CoCl 2 to mimic hypoxic conditions in cardiac H9c2 cells in order to study the mechanism by which ghrelin protects cardiac myocytes against hypoxic injury by regulating the content of intracellular ROS and autophagy levels. Cell apoptosis...
Four different bombesins (bombesin, His 6 -bombesin, Phe 13 -bombesin and Asp 2 -, Phe 4 -SAP-bombesin) have been identified by a systematic sequencing study of peptides in reverse phase HPLC fractions of the skin secretion of the European yellow-bellied toad, Bombina variegata, that had been solvated in 0.1% (v/v) aqueous trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) and stored frozen...
The venoms of scorpions are complex cocktails of polypeptide toxins that fall into two structural categories: those that contain cysteinyl residues with associated disulfide bridges and those that do not. As the majority of lethal toxins acting upon ion channels fall into the first category, most research has been focused there. Here we report the identification and structural characterization of...
Helokinestatins 1–6 constitute a family of bradykinin antagonist peptides originally isolated from the venoms of the Gila Monster, Heloderma suspectum and the Mexican beaded lizard, Heloderma horridum. Here we report the identification, isolation and preliminary pharmacological characterization of two novel tridecapeptides, named helokinestatin-7S (FDDDSTELILEPR – 1550Da) and helokinestatin-7H (FDDDSRKLILEPR...
Müller cells support the integrity of the blood–retinal barrier, whereas their dysfunction under pathological conditions may contribute to retinal edema formation. The apelin peptide, as the endogenous ligand of G protein-coupled receptor APJ, participates in numbers of physiological and pathological processes. Recent studies highlight its emerging role against ischemic injury. Our study aimed to...
In this study, an amphibian (Odorrana hejiangensis) skin extract was fractionated by reverse phase HPLC and fractions were screened for trypsin inhibitory activity. Using this initial approach, a novel trypsin inhibitory peptide was detected with an apparent protonated molecular mass of 1804.83Da, as determined by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. It was named Hejiang trypsin inhibitor (HJTI) in accordance...
Natriuretic peptides are common components of reptile venoms and molecular cloning of their biosynthetic precursors has revealed that in snakes, they co-encode bradykinin-potentiating peptides and in venomous lizards, some co-encode bradykinin inhibitory peptides such as the helokinestatins. The common natriuretic peptide/helokinestatin precursor of the Gila Monster, Heloderma suspectum, encodes five...
A novel conotoxin lt14a containing 13 amino acid residues with an amidated C-terminus derived from Conus litteratus, belongs to C–C–C–C cysteine pattern. As the smallest peptide of conotoxin framework 14, lt14a could inhibit nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and suppress pain. To elucidate structure–function relationship, we determine the solution structure by NMR and find that lt14a comprises a short...
Extensive studies on bradykinin-related peptides (BRPs) generated from plasma kininogens in representative species of various vertebrate taxa, have confirmed that many amphibian skin BRPs reflect those present in putative vertebrate predators. For example, the (Val 1 , Thr 6 )-bradykinin, present in the defensive skin secretions of many ranids and phyllomedusines, can be generated...
Epidermal stem cells are characterized as slow-cycling, multi-potent, self-renewing cells that not only maintain somatic homeostasis, but also participate in tissue regeneration and repair. Various factors can influence the growth of epidermal stem cells. Recently, dysregulation of epidermal stem cells has been reported to be involved in epidermal hyperproliferative diseases and skin tumors. To determine...
Here we report the primary structure of a novel peptide, named helokinestatin-5 (VPPPLQMPLIPR), from the venom of the Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum). Helokinestatin-5 differs in structure from helokinestatin-3 by deletion of a single prolyl residue in the N-terminally located polyproline region. Two different biosynthetic precursors were consistently cloned from a venom-derived cDNA library. The...
Skin kininogens from bombinid toads encode an array of bradykinin-related peptides and one such kininogen from Bombina maxima also encodes the potent bradykinin B2-receptor antagonist, kinestatin. In order to determine if the skin secretion of the closely-related toad, Bombina orientalis, contained a bradykinin inhibitory peptide related to kinestatin, we screened reverse phase HPLC fractions of defensive...
We describe the isolation and structural characterization of a family of antimicrobial peptides related to kassinatuerin-2, from the skin secretion of the African hyperoliid frog, Kassina maculata. All four peptides, designated kassinatuerin-2Ma through Md, are C-terminally-amidated 20-mers with the consensus sequence – FX 1 GAIAAALPHVIX 2 AIKNAL – where X 1 =L/F/V/I and X...
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