Search

Neuropeptide Y receptor Y8 (NPY8R) is a fish-specific receptor, whose role in feeding regulation remains poorly understood. In the present study, two subtypes of NPY8R (NPY8Ra and NPY8Rb) were identified in Chinese perch, and their amino acid sequences were highly conserved in fish. The predicted tertiary protein structures of human NPY1R, Chinese perch NPY8Ra, and NPY8Rb tended to be conserved as a whole. However, the predicted tertiary protein structures of sc-NPY8Ra and sc-NPY8Rb were different at several sites. Chinese perch NPY8Ra and NPY8Rb were mainly expressed in brain. Intracerebroventricular administration of siRNA-NPY8Rb significantly decreased the mRNA expression levels of NPY8Rb and POMC (appetite-suppressive gene) and significantly increased the food intake of Chinese perch at 2 h and 8 h after injection. Similar result has not been observed in the siRNA-NPY8Ra administration group. The above results suggested that NPY8Ra might not play a role in appetite regulation and NPY8Rb might be an effector in the negative feedback regulation of feeding in Chinese perch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Na,K-ATPase maintains sodium and potassium homeostasis. It is the only known receptor for cardiotonic steroids such as ouabain. Binding of ouabain to Na,K-ATPase leads to the activation of Src kinase and the subsequent initiation of intracellular signaling pathways, including the induction of apoptosis. Changes in Na,K-ATPase activity is one of the earliest responses to hypoxia and is most critical for cell survival. However, it is not known how the hypoxia affects the functioning of Na,K-ATPase as a receptor. We have shown that, under the conditions of hypoxia and ischemia, ouabain is less toxic for murine fibroblast cells (SC-1 cell line) and ouabain does not cause an increase in the level of reactive oxygen species, which is typically observed at 20% pO. Under hypoxia, the treatment of cells with ouabain also does not lead to the activation of Na,K-ATPase-associated Src kinase. Thus, at low oxygen content, the receptor function of Na,K-ATPase is altered, and cells become less sensitive to cardiotonic steroids. The decrease in sensitivity to cardiotonic steroids, which is evident at hypoxic conditions, should be taken into account in clinical practice. At the same time, in the presence of ouabain the cells are less sensitive to hypoxia, which indicates that cardiotonic steroids can be protective in acute ischemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular studies of murine FcγR have revealed much exciting new information about the structure and regulation of FcγRI and FcγRII genes and of the FcγRI protein. The FcγRI gene is composed of six exons, whereas the FcγRII gene is composed of ten. The extracellular domains are encoded by individual exons in both genes (three in FcγRI and two in FcγRII); however, the FcγRII gene shows greatest complexity in the region encoding the cytoplasmic tail and membrane spanning region, which is encoded by four exons compared to only one in the FcγRI gene. Expression of FcγRII is controlled by elements within the first 641 bases upstream of the transcription initiation site. The function of the domains of FcγRI has been defined with the surprising finding that in the absence of the third domain the first two extracellular domains function as a broadly specific low affinity FcγRII-like receptor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]