Relaxin-3 and receptors in the human and rhesus brain and reproductive tissues.
Evidence suggests that relaxin-3 may have biological functions in the reproductive and central nervous systems. To date, however, relaxin-3 biodistribution has only been investigated in the mouse, rat, pig and teleost fish. Characterizing relaxin-3 gene structure, expression patterns, and function in non-human primates and humans is critical to delineating its biological significance. Experiments were performed to clone the rhesus macaque orthologues of the relaxin-3 peptide hormone and its cognitive receptors (RXFP1 and RXFP4). An investigation of rhesus relaxin-3 bioactivity and RXFP1 binding properties was also performed. Next we sought to investigate relaxin-3 immunoreactivity in human and rhesus macaque tissues. Immunohistofluorescence staining for relaxin-3 in the brain, testis, and prostate indicated predominant immunostaining in the ventral and dorsal tegmental nuclei, interstitial space surrounding the seminiferous tubules, and prostatic stromal cells, respectively. Further, in studies designed towards exploring biological functions, we observed neuroprotective actions of rhesus relaxin-3 on human neuronal cell cultures. Taken together, this study broadens the significance of relaxin-3 as a peptide involved in both neuronal cell function and reproductive tissues in primates.
Division of Stem Cell and Developmental Biology, Ontario Cancer Institute, University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, Canada.
Josh D
JD
Silvertown
Anton
A
Neschadim
Hsueh-Ning
HN
Liu
Patrick
P
Shannon
Jagdeep S
JS
Walia
Jessica C H
JC
Kao
Janice
J
Robertson
Alastair J S
AJ
Summerlee
Jeffrey A
JA
Medin
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D006801:Humans; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000502:physiology; D011467:Prostate / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000378:metabolism*; D018000:Receptors, Peptide / Q000378:metabolism*; D012065:Relaxin / Q000378:metabolism*; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013681:Tegmentum Mesencephali / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
C480238:RLN3 protein, human; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D018000:Receptors, Peptide; C033395:relaxin receptors; D012065:Relaxin