Corticotropin and β-endorphin-like materials are native to unicellular organisms

LeRoith, Derek; Liotta, Anthony S.; Roth, Jesse; Shiloach, Joseph; Lewis, Michael; Pert, Candace B.; Krieger, D. T.

doi:10.1073/pnas.79.6.2086

Cited by 138 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…However, possession of a recognition molecule on cell surfaces for viral entry seems to be necessary but is clearly not sufficient to support viral replication. It is relevant that neuropeptides (26,27) are distributed throughout the brain and body and show profound evolutionary stability, being present in largely unaltered form in unicellular organisms as well as higher animals. Their receptors, also highly conserved (28,29), are shared components in an intercellular communication network where specificity is conveyed by cell-surface recognition molecules (1,30).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Octapeptides deduced from the neuropeptide receptor-like pattern of antigen T4 in brain potently inhibit human immunodeficiency virus receptor binding and T-cell infectivity.

Pert¹,

Hill²,

Ruff³

et al. 1986

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

226

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Octapeptides deduced from the neuropeptide receptor-like pattern of antigen T4 in brain potently inhibit human immunodeficiency virus receptor binding and T-cell infectivity.

Pert¹,

Hill²,

Ruff³

et al. 1986

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

226

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“…Immunocytochemical studies have revealed the presence of POMC-derived peptides in the gastrointestinal tract (8,9), pancreas (10), adrenal (11,12), lymphocytes (13,14), and the unicellular organism, tetrahymena pyriformis (15). Recently, immunoreactive POMC-derived peptides also have been described in both male and female reproductive tissues (11,(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Equivalent amounts of poly(A)+ RNA from each sample were resuspended in 100 ,ul of 1.5 M NaCl/0.15 M sodium citrate, pH 7.2, and spotted on a nitrocellulose filter by using a Microfold Dot Blot (Schleicher & Abbreviations: POMC, pro-opiomelanocortin; MSHs, melanocytestimulating hormones. *Preliminary results were reported at the Eighth Testis Workshop, October [14][15][16][17]1983, Bethesda, MD.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Expression of pro-opiomelanocortin-like gene in the testis and epididymis.

Chen¹,

Mather²,

Morris³

et al. 1984

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

122

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Adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), j3-endorphin, and the melanocyte-stimulating hormones (MSHs), which are products of a common precursor, pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), are present in a variety of tissues other than pituitary. The recent detection of immunoreactive POMC-derived peptides in the male reproductive tract raised the possibility that these hormones might regulate reproductive function. To Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) is a precursor protein that contains the sequence for several bioactive peptides including adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), 8-endorphin, and melanocyte-stimulating hormones (MSHs) (1, 2). These POMC-derived peptides have been detected in a variety of tissues. The de novo synthesis of POMC-derived peptides has been demonstrated in the pituitary (for a review, see ref.2), hypothalamus (3-5), and human placenta (6, 7). Immunocytochemical studies have revealed the presence of POMC-derived peptides in the gastrointestinal tract (8, 9), pancreas (10), adrenal (11, 12), lymphocytes (13,14), and the unicellular organism, tetrahymena pyriformis (15). Recently, immunoreactive POMC-derived peptides also have been described in both male and female reproductive tissues (11,(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21). Materials similar to 3-endorphin and a-MSH were characterized in human semen (16) and rat testicular extract (17-19) by a variety of physicochemical techniques. Immunostainable POMC-derived peptides were detected in the Leydig cells of the testis and epithelium of epididymis and other male reproductive tissues (11,20). The concentrations of POMC-derived peptides in these tissues are very low, suggesting that they could only have local paracrine and/or autocrine functions (18,19 Ham's F-12/Dulbecco-modified Eagle's medium, 1:1 (vol/ vol) (Irvine Scientific) supplemented with 15 mM Hepes buffer, 20 mg of gentamycin per liter, 5% horse serum, and 2.5% newborn bovine serum. Sera, Hepes, and gentamycin were purchased from GIBCO. Cells were subcultured every 4-6 days when subconfluent. To prepare mRNA, cells were grown to confluency in 100-mm tissue culture dishes (Corning), washed twice with phosphate-buffered saline, and scraped. The cells were pelleted by centrifugation, and the pellets were stored at -70°C until RNA extraction. The derivations of the Leydig cell line, TM3, and the Sertoli cell line, TM4, have been described (22). I1OA cells, established from a mouse Leydig cell tumor by Shin (23), were obtained from the American Type Culture Collection.Blot Hybridization Analysis. Total RNA from various tissues was isolated by the urea/lithium chloride precipitation method (24), and poly(A)-containing RNAs were obtained by oligo(dT)-cellulose column chromatography (25). The poly(A)+ RNAs were denatured with 1 M glyoxal and 50% dimethylsulfoxide and were fractionated in 1.5% agarose gel as described by Thomas (26). The poly(A)+ RNAs were then transferred to nitrocellulose paper, and POMC-like mRNAs were identified by hybridization with a radioactive POMC complementary DNA (cDNA) probe and exposed to x-ray film. D...

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“…[7][8][9][10] Some of these receptors are similar to those of the mammalian ones [10][11][12][13][14] and the hormones are not only cytochemically but also functionally similar to the hormones of mammals. 15 The signal transduction pathways also can be found.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How applicable is the general adaptation syndrome to the unicellular Tetrahymena?

Csaba

Pállinger

2008

Cell Biochemistry & Function

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Hormone receptors, hormones and signal transduction pathways characteristic of higher vertebrates can be observed also in the unicellular Tetrahymena. Previous work showed that stress conditions (starvation, high temperature, high salt concentration, formaldehyde or alcohol treatment) elevated the intracellular level of four hormones (ACTH, endorphin, serotonin and T 3 ). Here, the effect of other stressors (CuSO4 poisoning, tryptophan hydroxylase inhibitor parachlorphenylalanine (PCPA) treatment) on the same and other hormones (epinephrine, insulin, histamine) was studied, using immunocytochemistry and flow cytometric analysis. It was found, that each effect increased the intracellular hormone contents, but some hormones (histamine, T 3 ) were less reactive. Insulin-which is a life-saving factor for Tetrahymena-itself provoked elevation of hormone amounts in association with a stressor, further increased the level of hormones. It was concluded that the ancestor of Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) can be found already at unicellular level, and this possibly has a life saving function. Copyright # 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.key words -hormones; stress; general adaptation syndrome; GAS; Tetrahymena pyriformis INTRODUCTIONIt was demonstrated more than 30 years ago that the unicellular ciliate, Tetrahymena has binding sites (receptors) for hormones characteristic of higher ranked multicellular animals [1][2][3][4][5][6] and it also contains these hormones. 7-10 Some of these receptors are similar to those of the mammalian ones 10-14 and the hormones are not only cytochemically but also functionally similar to the hormones of mammals. 15The signal transduction pathways also can be found. [16][17][18] The hormones can transmit information within the Tetrahymena population even if they are present in an extremely small concentration. 19In earlier experiments it was demonstrated that stress conditions stimulate hormone production by Tetrahymena. Thermal or osmotic stress as well as starvation increased the cells' hormone (ACTH, endorphin, triiodothyronone (T 3 ) and serotonin) concentration, [20][21][22] suggesting that the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) of Selye 23 can be applied at a unicellular level. However, it was not clear how broad is the spectrum of hormones which are activated by stress, especially for epinephrine, which is a key-hormone in mammalian GAS, and whether insulin, which is a life-saving factor for Tetrahymena is also involved or not? In the present experiments we decided to study this problem. In addition the effect of other stressors and the effect of a stressor þ insulin combination are studied here, for testing the generality of GAS theory in unicellular organisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS Cells and culturingTetrahymena pyriformis GL strain was used in the logarithmic phase of growth. The cells were cultured at 288C in tryptone medium (Sigma, St. Louis, USA) containing 0.1% yeast extract, for 24 h. The density of Tetrahymena cultures studied was 10 4 cell mL À1 . TreatmentsStudy of osm...

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Corticotropin and β-endorphin-like materials are native to unicellular organisms

Cited by 138 publications

References 23 publications

Octapeptides deduced from the neuropeptide receptor-like pattern of antigen T4 in brain potently inhibit human immunodeficiency virus receptor binding and T-cell infectivity.

Octapeptides deduced from the neuropeptide receptor-like pattern of antigen T4 in brain potently inhibit human immunodeficiency virus receptor binding and T-cell infectivity.

Expression of pro-opiomelanocortin-like gene in the testis and epididymis.

How applicable is the general adaptation syndrome to the unicellular Tetrahymena?

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