title: Expression of agouti-related protein (AgRP) in the hypothalamus and adrenal gland of the duck ( Anas platyrhynchos).
abstract: The presence and distribution of agouti-related protein (AgRP) immunoreactivity were investigated in the hypothalamus and adrenal gland of the duck using immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. Expression of AgRP mRNA was also studied using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A partial coding sequence (cds) of the duck AgRP gene was identified. Western blot analysis showed the presence of an AgRP-like peptide having a molecular weight consistent with the number of predicted amino acids of the avian AgRP. In the hypothalamus, AgRP immunoreactivity was found in neurons of the nucleus infundibularis and in fibers projecting to the median eminence. In the adrenals, AgRP immunoreactivity was observed in medullary cells. These findings suggest that in the duck, AgRP may play a role in regulating energy homeostasis and adrenal endocrine functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Structure, Functions and Biological Technologies, University of Naples Federico II, Via Veterinaria 1, 80137, Naples, Italy. mirabell@unina.it
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mirabella
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Squillacioti
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paino
mesh_terms: D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D054369:Agouti-Related Protein; D000818:Animals; D004372:Ducks / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008297:Male; D008473:Median Eminence / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D054369:Agouti-Related Protein; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger