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ABSTRACT

The cloning and characterization of the mouse TRH receptor (TRH-R) gene revealed an untranslated exon (exon 1), a single intron and an upstream dinucleotide repeat sequence (d(TG)₁₆.d(AG)₂₁) in the 5′ untranslated region (UTR). The coding region was contained almost entirely on a second exon (exon 2), with the final amino acid and stop codon at the COOH terminus of the gene encoded by a third exon (exon 3) flanked by two introns. The 3′ UTR was contained on the remainder of exon 3 and on the final exon (exon 4). Exon 3 (228 bp) corresponds exactly to a 228 bp deletion that exists in the rat TRH-R cDNA, but not in the mouse cDNA.

The mouse TRH-R cDNA encodes a protein of 393 amino acids which is 96% homologous to the rat TRH-R protein of 412 amino acids, but is 19 amino acids shorter at its COOH terminus. The coding sequence for these 19 amino acids (plus 1 extra amino acid) does exist in the mouse TRH-R gene, but the sequence is encoded by exon 4, separated from the rest of the coding region by the stop codon and 223 bp of 3′ UTR on exon 3. Splicing of exon 3 in the mouse TRH-R gene would remove the last amino acid, the stop codon and the 223 bp of 3′ UTR, allowing transcription to continue into the 3′ UTR on exon 4, which encodes the 19 extra amino acids found in the rat cDNA. This would then result in an alternative 412 amino acid version of the mouse TRH-R protein, with 95% homology to the rat TRH-R. This study focused on the structural differences in the intracellular COOH-terminal tail of the receptor, which is known to be a functionally important domain in other members of the G protein-coupled receptor family. We have also recently characterized the human TRH-R cDNA, which revealed a third variant at the COOH terminus. Comparisons between mouse, rat and human TRH-Rs show that the amino acid sequences are virtually identical. However, significant differences between these species exist at the COOH terminus, with each TRH-R having a unique form of the COOH-terminal tail, beginning at exactly the same site and encoding 1, 20 and 6 amino acids in the mouse, rat and human respectively.

ABSTRACT

We have isolated the TRH receptor (TRH-R) from a rat anterior pituitary cDNA library, determined its sequence and examined its functional characteristics. Expression studies were carried out in Xenopus oocytes and in COS-7 cells. Microinjection of sense RNA transcripts into Xenopus oocytes showed electrophysiological responses of between 800 and 1000 nA under voltage-clamp conditions. COS-7 cells were transiently transfected with the cDNA clone under the control of a cytomegalovirus promoter and inositol phosphate (IP) measurements carried out. In TRH-R transfected cells, TRH (100 nm) produced an approximately twofold increase in total IP production. In-situ hybridization in the rat anterior pituitary revealed a heterogeneous distribution of label, a characteristic pattern of TRH-R expression. The rat 3·3 kb insert coded for a protein of 411 amino acids compared with 393 for the mouse protein. Over its length, the rat TRH-R protein showed considerable homology with that of the mouse, except for a deletion of 232 bp in the 3′-coding region. This deletion did not appear to affect the functional characteristics of the receptor, as shown by electrophysiological studies with Xenopus oocytes and by transfection of the cDNA into COS-7 cells. The sequence given for the 3′-untranslated region is 1·5 kb longer than that reported for the mouse receptor, and extends to the poly(A) tail.

ABSTRACT

The liberation of arachidonic acid (AA), by phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂), is the rate-limiting step in a number of cell signalling pathways. In the pancreatic β-cell, AA itself is thought to participate in the regulation of insulin secretion. Recently a Ca²⁺-sensitive, AA-selective cytosolic PLA₂ (type IV cPLA₂) has been isolated from the human monocyte U937 cell line. Although the DNA sequence of this enzyme implies a molecular weight of 85 kDa, the protein migrates with a molecular weight of 100-110 kDa on SDS-PAGE. In many cell types, cPLA₂s which are reactive towards antibodies raised against the type IV cPLA₂ have been shown to hydrolyse AA from membrane glycerophospholipids. Using a polyclonal antibody raised against a recombinant form of type IV cPLA₂, we have detected an immunoreactive protein with a molecular weight of 93·5 kDa in rat islets of Langerhans. Furthermore, we have detected similar immunoreactive proteins in insulin-secreting β-cell lines and have shown co-expression of type IV cPLA₂ immunoreactivity and insulin immunoreactivity in rat pancreatic β-cells. Under non-stimulatory conditions the 93·5 kDa immunoreactive protein detected in rat islets of Langerhans was located predominantly in the cytosolic fraction. We have shown that immunoprecipitation of the rat immunoreactive protein from rat islet homogenates significantly decreases the total dithiothreitol/β-mercaptoethanol-insensitive PLA₂ activity by 56·4±7% This provides further evidence that the immunoreactive rat protein is a type IV cPLA₂ and is responsible for a large component of the PLA₂ activity in rat islets of Langerhans. It is possible that, in the rat β-cell, type IV cPLA₂ couples the increase in intracellular Ca²⁺, brought about by insulin secretagogues, to the liberation of AA and the subsequent release of insulin.

ABSTRACT

Expression of receptors for the hypothalamic regulatory peptide, gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), was investigated by intracellular recording from Xenopus oocytes injected with poly(A)⁺ mRNA isolated from rat anterior pituitary glands. Membrane depolarizations were induced in oocytes in a dose-dependent fashion following the application of GnRH (10nM - 1μM) or a GnRH superactive agonist, buserelin (1nM - 1μM). The response was reversibly blocked by the addition of a GnRH antagonist (1μM). TRH (10nM - 1μM) had no effect on most of these oocytes. In contrast, some other oocytes which showed no responses to GnRH or to the GnRH agonist, displayed depolarizing responses to TRH (10nM - 1μM). A relatively small number of oocytes responded to both ligands. Control oocytes did not respond to the GnRH analogues or to TRH. This successful expression of the GnRH receptor could provide a new approach to the study of the receptor, and serve as a means for the isolation and cloning of the encoding genes.