Extrapituitary expression of the rat V1b vasopressin receptor gene.

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.92.15.6783
• Publication Date: 2006-05-31T13:16:00Z
• Authors: S J Lolait; A M O'Carroll; L C Mahan; C C Felder; D C Button; W S Young; E Mezey; M J Brownstein
• Keywords: Estrogen-related receptor gamma; Corticotropic cell; Gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor

[Arg8]vasopressin (AVP) stimulates adrenocorticotropic hormone release from the anterior pituitary by acting on V1b AVP receptor. This receptor can be distinguished vascular/hepatic V1a and renal V2 receptors its differential binding affinities for structural analogous of AVP. Recent studies have shown that cloned are structurally related. We isolated a clone encoding rat cDNA library using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methodology. The is protein 421 amino acids has 37-50% identity with receptors. Homology particularly high in seven putative membrane-spanning domains these guanine nucleotide-binding protein-coupled Expression recombinant mammalian cells shows same specificity agonists antagonists as AVP-stimulated phosphotidylinositol hydrolysis intracellular Ca2+ mobilization Chinese hamster ovary or COS-7 expressing suggest second messenger signaling through phospholipase C. RNA blot analysis, reverse transcription PCR, situ hybridization reveal mRNA expressed majority corticotropes well multiple brain regions number peripheral tissues, including kidney, thymus, heart, lung, spleen, uterus, breast. Thus, must mediate some diverse biological effects other organs.