Pro-opiocortin: the multiple adrenal hormone precursor. Review.
Corticotropin (ACTH) is biosynthesized in the human pituitary gland as a long polypeptide precursor (pro-opiocortin) of some 240 residues. When ACTH is secreted in response to stress, the peptides derived from the rest of this precursor, pro-gamma-melanotropin (gamma-MSH) and beta-lipotropin (beta-LPH), are also secreted (Fig. 1). This article will describe the search for a biological significance for this phenomenon.
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000254:growth & development*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones / Q000502:physiology; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000502:physiology; D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D006133:Growth Substances; D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior; D011498:Protein Precursors; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones