title: Partial processing of the neuropeptide Y precursor in transfected CHO cells.
abstract: The activation of regulatory peptides by post-translational modification of their biosynthetic precursors is generally thought to occur only in neuroendocrine cells. We have selected clones of Chinese hamster ovary cells, a non-neuroendocrine cell line, which were transfected with a eukaryotic expression vector coding for the precursor for neuropeptide Y. Although the majority of the immunoreactive NPY was found in the form of pro-NPY, some degree of intracellular proteolytic processing of the precursor occurred in all clones. Part of the intracellular NPY immunoreactivity was even correctly amidated. Extracellular degradation of pro-NPY in the tissue culture medium generated immunoreactivity which corresponded in size to NPY. It is concluded that precursor processing can occur in non-neuroendocrine cells both as a biological process within the cells and as apparent processing, degradation in the tissue culture medium.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Chemistry, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Wulff
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: O'Hare
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Boel
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Theill
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Schwartz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D006224:Cricetinae; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000032:analysis; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D011498:Protein Precursors