title: Molecular characterization of structure and tissue distribution of chicken neurotensin receptor.
abstract: Neurotensin, a tridecapeptide, is distributed in a wide range of tissues and exhibits multiple functions through its receptors. Hitherto molecular characterization of the neurotensin receptor has been reported in mammalian, amphibian, and fish species but not in avian species. In this study, we cloned the cDNA encoding chicken neurotensin receptor from the duodenum and characterized its primary structure, biological activity and distribution in the gastrointestinal tract. The cDNA encoded a protein consisting of 399 amino acids that had significant overall sequence homology to other vertebrate neurotensin receptor 1 with higher extent in the seven transmembrane domains. Chicken neurotensin increased intracellular Ca(2+) concentrations in human embryonic kidney 293 cells transiently expressing the chicken neurotensin receptor 1. Real-time PCR analysis showed that chicken neurotensin receptor 1 mRNA is expressed throughout the gastrointestinal tract with markedly higher level in the colon/rectum. These results indicate that the chicken neurotensin receptor 1 is involved in gastrointestinal functions through an intracellular signaling pathway accompanied by an increase in Ca(2+) levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Applied Life Science, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Musashino, Tokyo 180-8602, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Numao
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sudo
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Nobuhiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaiya
authors.forename: Mikiya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyazato
authors.forename: Nobumichi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsushima
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D002645:Chickens; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009496:Neurotensin / Q000494:pharmacology; D018028:Receptors, Neurotensin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012007:Rectum / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D018028:Receptors, Neurotensin; D009496:Neurotensin; D002118:Calcium