Peptides
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Blockage of the interaction of CD2 with its ligand CD58 is expected to bring out potential therapeutic value for autoimmune diseases and organ transplantation. Three series of peptides (cVL, cIL and cAQ series) were designed from ratCD2 and humanCD2 to modulate CD2–CD58 interaction. To determine the specific segments in parent peptides responsible for inhibitory activity as lead sequence, we generated...
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Two FMRFamide-related peptides (FaRPs) have been isolated and sequenced from the whole gut of Locusta migratoria L. Peptides were extracted from 500 locust whole guts and separated using reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Fractions containing FMRFamide-like immunoreactive (FLI) material were identified using radioimmunoassay (RIA). Sequencing of fractions, using tandem...
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The skin secretion of the North American pickerel frog (Rana palustris) has long been known to have pronounced noxious/toxic properties and to be highly effective in defence against predators and against other sympatric amphibians. As it consists largely of a complex mixture of peptides, it has been subjected to systematic peptidomic study but there has been little focus on molecular cloning of peptide-encoding...
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Six antimicrobial peptides designated dybowskins were isolated from the skin secretion of Rana dybowskii, an edible frog in Korea. Dybowskin-1 (FLIGMTHGLICLISRKC) and dybowskin-2 (FLIGMTQGLICLITRKC) were isoforms differing in only two amino acid residues at the 7th and 14th positions from the N-terminus, and they showed amino acid sequence similarities with ranalexin peptides. Dybowskin-3 (GLFDVVKGVLKGVGKNVAGSLLEQLKCKLSGGC),...
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Many neuroendocrine peptides that are distributed in amphibian gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system are also found in amphibian skins, and these peptides are classified into skin–gut–brain triangle peptides, such as bombesins, gastrin-releasing peptides. Cholecystokinins (CCKs) are neuroendocrine peptides known for their production in the gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system...
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The distribution of urocortin (UCN)-like material is investigated in the bivalve mollusc Mytilus galloprovincialis. Immunocytochemical data demonstrate that UCN-like molecules are present in ganglionic neurons, microglial cells and immunocytes. Moreover, a co-localization of UCN- and corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH)-like molecules is found in microglial cells and in immunocytes, but not in neurons...
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We investigated the prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP) mRNA levels in the hypothalamus and brainstem of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats and fa/fa Zucker diabetic rats, using in situ hybridization histochemistry. PrRP mRNA levels in the hypothalamus and brainstem of STZ-induced diabetic rats were significantly reduced in comparison with those of control rats. PrRP mRNA levels in the diabetic...
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In this research, the role of leptin on sepsis-induced organ dysfunction was evaluated. Making use of a mice sepsis model, changes of alanine transaminase and uric acid in serum, myeloperoxidase activity, leptin levels and histological alterations in heart, lung, liver and kidney were determined. Results showed that sepsis induced significantly higher levels of serum alanine transaminase and uric...
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Prolyl, cystyl and pyroglutamyl peptidases are emerging targets for diabetes and cognitive deficit therapies. The present study is focused on the influence of diabetes mellitus induced by streptozotocin on levels of representative hydrolytic activities of these enzymes in the rat hypothalamus and hippocampus. Streptozotocin-diabetic rats presented about 348mg glucose/dL blood, and a slightly increased...
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An antifungal peptide with a molecular mass of 9412 and an N-terminal sequence exhibiting notable homology to those of lipid transfer proteins was isolated from seeds of the vegetable Brassica campestris. The purification protocol entailed ion exchange chromatography on Q-Sepharose, affinity chromatography on Affi-gel blue gel, ion exchange chromatography by fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC)...
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The prolactin secretory response to subcutaneous injection of orphanin FQ/nociceptin (OFQ/N) was measured in wild-type and OFQ/N knockout mice. These injections were given with and without isoflurane anesthesia, to determine if isoflurane would affect the prolactin secretory response. OFQ/N injection significantly increased prolactin levels in males and females, regardless of genotype, with a more...
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Since angiotensin (Ang) (1–7) injected into the brain blocked Ang II pressor actions in rats made hypertensive by aortic coarctation (CH), we examined systemic and tissue angiotensin peptide levels, specifically concentrating on the hypothalamic Ang-(1–7) levels. Plasma, heart and kidney isolated from CH rats showed increased levels of Ang I, Ang II and Ang-(1–7) compared with the normotensive group,...
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An antimicrobial peptide named odorranain-HP was identified from skin secretions of the diskless odorous frog, Odorrana grahami. It is composed of 23 amino acids with an amino acid sequence of GLLRASSVWGRKYYVDLAGCAKA. By BLAST search, odorranain-HP had similarity to antimicrobial peptide odorranain-W1 but it has a different GLLR N-terminus. The cDNA encoding odorranain-HP was cloned from the cDNA...
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The conformational preferences of human little gastrin, [Nle 15 ] gastrin-17, and its short analogues, gastrin-4 and [β-Ala 1 ] gastrin-5, which include the C-terminal tetrapeptide sequence Trp–Met–Asp–Phe–NH 2 crucial for gastrin bioactivity, were determined by NMR spectroscopy in aqueous solutions of zwitterionic dodecylphosphocholine micelles.Backbone HN chemical shift temperature...
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The in vitro activity of the lipopeptide PAL-Lys-Lys-NH 2 (PAL), alone or combined with either fluconazole (FLU) or amphotericin B (AMB), was investigated against 14 Cryptococcus neoformans isolates. PAL MICs ranged from 1.0 to 4.0μg/ml. Fungicidal activity was observed. Synergy, defined as a fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index of ≤0.5, was observed in 21.4% of PAL/AMB interactions...
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The K1 peptide is an HLA-A*0201-restricted cytotoxic epitope derived from the Trypanosoma cruzi KMP-11 protein, this being the etiological agent of Chagas’ disease. This work describes the K1 peptide's secondary structure and its recognition by sera from chagasic patients. Circular dichroism and NMR spectroscopy analysis revealed that the K1 peptide adopts an α-helical conformation. Fifty-six percent...
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The influence of peripheral nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) on cold restraint-induced gastric mucosal damage in the rat was investigated. Exposure to cold-restraint for 3 and 4h caused the formation of hemorrhagic lesions in the glandular portion of the stomach. N/OFQ dose-dependently decreased lesion formation, in the range 0.03–1μg/kg/h i.p. Its effect was reversed by the selective NOP receptor antagonist...
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Urotensin II (UTII) is a potent vasoactive peptide. Recent studies have demonstrated increased expression of both UTII and its receptor (UTR) expression in end-stage congestive heart failure (CHF), but it is unclear whether UTII and UTR are late stage markers of decompensation, or earlier adaptive responses. The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of chronic UTII administration in normal...
