title: Identification and immunoregulatory function of neuromedin U (Nmu) in the Japanese pufferfish Takifugu rubripes.
abstract: In this study, immunoregulatory function of neuromedin U (Nmu) in the teleost fish Fugu (Takifugu rubripes) was characterized. Three splicing variants of nmu mRNA encoding preproNMUs consisting of 164 (Nmu1), 139 (Nmu2), and 129 (Nmu3) amino acid residues were found in Fugu.The biologically active C-terminal region of Fugu Nmu showed high homology among fish and other vertebrate NMUs. The genomic organization of Fugu nmu differed from those of zebrafish and mammals. However, in phylogenetic analysis, Fugu Nmu formed a cluster with NMUs of other vertebrates, in addition to neuromedin S. The splicing variants of mRNA were identified in various tissues. Nmu-21 and Nmu-9 were purified as endogenous peptides from Fugu intestine. The synthetic Nmu-21 peptide activated phagocytic cells, and elevated the expression of cytokine mRNA in peripheral blood leukocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Applied Biosciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuen kibanadai-nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan. Electronic address: tkono@cc.miyazaki-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Tomoya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kono
authors.affiliation: Division of Searching and Identification of Bioactive Peptides, Department of Bioactive Peptides, Frontier Science Research Center, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan; Division of Research & Inspection for Infectious Diseases, Center for Animal Disease Control, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan.
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ida
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Applied Biosciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuen kibanadai-nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan.
authors.forename: Natsumi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kawahara
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Applied Biosciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuen kibanadai-nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumiya
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, Kakdwip Research Centre, Kakdwip, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal 743347, India.
authors.forename: Gouranga
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.affiliation: Molecular Genetics, Institute of Life Sciences, Kurume University, Fukuoka 839-0864, Japan.
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Osaka 565-8565, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Osaka 565-8565, Japan.
authors.forename: Mikiya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyazato
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D029941:Fish Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D023741:Takifugu / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D029941:Fish Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; C056900:neuromedin U
keywords: Cytokine mRNA expression; Fugu; Immune regulation; Neuromedin U; Superoxide anion production