title: Novel orphanin FQ/nociceptin transcripts are expressed in human immune cells.
abstract: The opioid-like receptor (NOP) is widely expressed throughout the human immune system. Here, we report that human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) express transcripts encoding the NOP receptor agonist, orphanin FQ/nociceptin (OFQ/N). OFQ/N transcripts in resting PBLs were restricted to CD19+B cells and contained a novel 5' exon (ImEx2b), replacing exons 1 and 2 found in neuronal transcripts. Translation of ImEx2b-containing transcripts resulted in truncated OFQ/N precursors lacking a classical signal peptide. Mitogen activation of PBLs dramatically up-regulated neuronal-like transcripts, predominantly in CD3+T cells. Overall, this suggests different promoters direct specific OFQ/N transcript expression in immune cells.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jamshid
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arjomand
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: Chris J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing / Q000235:genetics*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D018941:Antigens, CD19 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018847:Opioid Peptides / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D022821:RNA Splice Sites / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000235:genetics; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000235:genetics; D000094942:Nociceptin Receptor; D000097629:Nociceptin
chemical_list: D018941:Antigens, CD19; D018847:Opioid Peptides; D022821:RNA Splice Sites; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D000094942:Nociceptin Receptor; D000097629:Nociceptin; C000722283:OPRL1 protein, human