title: The TRH-like peptide pGlu-Glu-ProNH2 is present in the porcine pituitary but not in reproductive tissues.
abstract: The peptide pGlu-Glu-ProNH2, which differs from thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH) by only one amino acid, was initially detected and characterised in the rabbit prostate complex and more recently in human semen and rat pituitary. A previous study reported that TRH and a homologous peptide were present in a range of porcine tissues and it was of interest to further characterise these peptides. In this study, high levels of TRH-immunoreactivity have been demonstrated in the porcine pituitary, the majority of which was authentic TRH; although 9% was found to be chromatographically identical to pGlu-Glu-ProNH2. In contrast, TRH-immunoreactivity was not detected in follicular fluid, ovary or prostate. The unexpected finding that pGlu-Glu-ProNH2 is present in the porcine pituitary but absent from regions of the reproductive tract may be of biological significance.
authors.affiliation: Dept. Biochemistry & Physiology, University of Reading, Whiteknights, U.K.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Ashworth
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cockle
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D005260:Female; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000032:analysis*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000737:chemistry; D010053:Ovary / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000737:chemistry*; D011761:Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013552:Swine; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
chemical_list: D009842:Oligopeptides; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; C059697:pyroglutamyl-glutamyl-proline amide; D011761:Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid