title: Molecular characterization of neuropeptide Y (NPY) receptors (Y1, Y4 and Y6) and investigation of the tissue expression of their ligands (NPY, PYY and PP) in chickens.
abstract: Neuropeptide Y (NPY) receptors and its ligands, NPY, peptide YY (PYY) and pancreatic polypeptide (PP), are suggested to regulate many physiological processes including food intake in birds. However, our knowledge regarding this avian NPY system remains rather limited. Here, we examined the tissue expression of NPY, PYY and PP and the gene structure, expression and signaling of three NPY receptors (cY1, cY4 and cY6) in chickens. The results showed that 1) NPY is widely expressed in chicken tissues with abundance noted in the hypothalamus via quantitative real-time PCR, whereas PYY is highly expressed in the pancreas, gastrointestinal tract and various brain regions, and PP is expressed almost exclusively in the pancreas; 2) cY1, cY4 and cY6 contain novel non-coding exon(s) at their 5'-UTR; 3) The wide tissue distribution of cY1 and cY4 and cY6 were detected in chickens by quantitative real-time PCR and their expression is controlled by the promoter near exon 1, which displays strong promoter activity in DF-1 cells as demonstrated by Dual-luciferase reporter assay; 4) Monitored by luciferase reporter assays, activation of cY1 and cY4 expressed in HEK293 cells by chicken NPY1-36, PYY1-37, and PP1-36treatment inhibits cAMP/PKA and activates MAPK/ERK signaling pathways, while cY6-expressing cells show little response to peptide treatment, indicating that cY1 and cY4, and not cY6, can transmit signals in vitro. Taken together, our study offers novel information about the expression and functionality of cY1, cY4, cY6 and their ligands in birds, and helps to decipher their conserved roles in vertebrates.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Bio-resources and Eco-environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, PR China; College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Chuxiong Normal University, Chuxiong 675000, PR China.
authors.forename: Shunyu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Bio-resources and Eco-environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, PR China.
authors.forename: Jiannan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Bio-resources and Eco-environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, PR China.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Bio-resources and Eco-environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, PR China.
authors.forename: Fengyan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Bio-resources and Eco-environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, PR China.
authors.forename: Guixian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Bio-resources and Eco-environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, PR China.
authors.forename: Guoqiang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Bio-resources and Eco-environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, PR China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Bio-resources and Eco-environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, PR China. Electronic address: cdwyjhk@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yajun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D019894:Peptide YY / Q000235:genetics*; D017476:Receptors, Neuropeptide Y / Q000235:genetics*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D017476:Receptors, Neuropeptide Y; D019894:Peptide YY
keywords: Chicken; NPY receptors; Neuropeptide Y; Pancreatic polypeptide; Peptide YY