title: Identification of an urotensin I-like peptide in the pituitary of the lungfish Protopterus annectens: immunocytochemical localization and biochemical characterization.
abstract: In the present study we have investigated the localization and biochemical characteristics of urotensin I (UI)-like and urotensin II (UII)-like immunoreactive peptides in the central nervous system (CNS) and pituitary of the lungfish, Protopterus annectens, by using antisera raised against UI from the white sucker Catostomus commersoni and against UII from the goby Gillichythys mirabilis. UI-like immunoreactive material was found within the melanotrope cells of the intermediate lobe of the pituitary. By contrast, no UI-immunoreactive structures were found in the brain. No UII-like peptides structurally similar to goby UII were found in the brain and pituitary of P. annectens. The UI-immunoreactive material localized in the pituitary was characterized by combining reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis and radioimmunological detection. The UI-like immunoreactivity contained in a pituitary extract eluted as a single peak with a retention time intermediate between those of sucker UI and rat corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). Control tests on adjacent sections of pituitary showed that the UI antiserum cross-reacted with the frog skin peptide sauvagine, but lungfish UI did not co-elute with synthetic sauvagine on HPLC. On the contrary, no cross-reaction was observed between the UI antiserum and CRF or alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH). The occurrence of an UI-like peptide in the intermediate lobe of the pituitary of P. annectens suggests that, in lungfish, this peptide may act as a classic pituitary hormone or may be involved in the control of melanotrope cell secretion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Genova, DIBISAA, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mathieu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vallarino
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trabucchi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chartrel
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vaudry
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Conlon
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000737:chemistry*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014579:Urotensins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014579:Urotensins; C029676:urotensin I