Regional distribution of urocortin-like immunoreactivity and expression of urocortin mRNA in the human brain.
Regional distribution of urocortin-like immunoreactivity (UCN-LI) in the human brain was studied by radioimmunoassay and was compared with that of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). In addition, the expression of UCN mRNA was examined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. UCN-LI was detected in every region of brain examined, including hypothalamus, pons, cerebral cortex, and cerebellum. The concentrations of UCN-LI in the human brain were approximately 3 pmol/g wet weight in any brain region, and no marked regional difference was noted. On the other hand, the highest concentrations of CRH-LI were found in the frontal cortex, temporal cortex, and hypothalamus and the lowest in the pons. Reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography of the UCN-LI in the human brain extract showed two immunoreactive peaks; one peak eluting earlier and one in the position of synthetic human UCN. RT-PCR showed that UCN mRNA was expressed in every region of brain examined. These findings indicated that UCN and UCN mRNA were widely expressed in the human brain.
Takahashi
K
K
Department of Molecular Biology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan.
Totsune
K
K
Sone
M
M
Murakami
O
O
Satoh
F
F
Arihara
Z
Z
Sasano
H
H
Iino
K
K
Mouri
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D054832:Urocortins
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054832:Urocortins; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone