Abstract B31: An interspecies comparison between the structure and products of the parathyroid hormone-related peptide gene

The Parathyroid Hormone-related Peptide (PTHrP) is widely expressed across many species. It acts as a key regulator of cellular metabolic control, including calcium metabolism, and plays a significant role in the development and maintenance of many normal tissues. It also plays an intriguing role in neoplasia of multiple organs, and is thought integral to Breast Cancer in particular. PTHrP has been characterised in many animals in addition to humans. A review of the contemporaneous literature was performed to make this comparison. Although its complexity and composition differ, the PTHrP gene has been shown to have several well-conserved regions across different species; gene products have demonstrated physiological inter-species activity. Three main functional domains have been identified in humans, with similarities in other species. Examination of these areas has yielded insight into the physiology and function of the gene. In humans, potential splicing of PTHrP pre-messenger RNA yields three potential isotypes of 139, 141, and 173 amino acids. Whereas rats and mice produce 141 and 139; chickens several 139 amino acid peptides; Xenopus a 144 and 131; sea bream125 and 126 ; and the elephant shark a single 156 amino acid product. These genes are represented graphically and a review of functional domains is performed. Citation Format: Adam Freeman, T. J. Martin. An interspecies comparison between the structure and products of the parathyroid hormone-related peptide gene. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Invasion and Metastasis; Jan 20-23, 2013; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(3 Suppl):Abstract nr B31.