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- Title
Demonstration of the Proopiomelanocortin Signaling System in the Primary Immune Organ of the Quail.
- Authors
Kobayashi, Tetsuya; Takaso, Aya; Tanaka, Shigeyasu; Amano, Masafumi; Takahashi, Akiyoshi; Iwamuro, Shawichi; Machida, Takeo
- Abstract
There is growing evidence to suggest that proopiomelanocortin (POMC), a precursor of adrenocorticotropin and α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), also exists in extrapituitary organs, including immune organs. We investigated the presence of the POMC signaling system in the avian-specific primary immune organ the bursa of Fabricius (BF) of the adult quail. Immunohistochemical staining revealed the presence of cells showing immunopositive reaction with anti-α-MSH antibody in the quail specimens. RT-PCR analysis revealed the expression of POMC, prohormone convertases (PC1/3 and PC2), and three melanocortin receptor subtype (MC1R, MC4R, and MC5R) mRNAs in total RNA specimens of the BF. These findings demonstrate that in the quail BF, just as in the pituitary, immunopositive α-MSH substances may be produced via specific cleavages of POMC by the sequential actions of PC1/3 and PC2. The observation of MCR expression within the BF suggests that the α-MSH substances may exert paracrine actions within the BF.
- Subjects
QUAILS; IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY; PROOPIOMELANOCORTIN; ADRENOCORTICOTROPIC hormone; MSH (Hormone); MELANOCYTES; GENE expression; MESSENGER RNA; ENDOCRINOLOGY; PHYSIOLOGY
- Publication
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2009, Vol 1163, p441
- ISSN
0077-8923
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04430.x