Abstract
Background/Aim: The tachykinin mouse hemokinin-1, expressed by the mouse Tac4 gene, produces either analgesia or nociception, interacting with the neurokinin 1 receptor. TAC4 precursor processing is not identical to the processing of the TAC1 precursor, for the release of substance P (amidated undecapeptide). The characterization of the mouse hemokinin-1 sequence was required. Materials and Methods: We developed anti-tachykinin-specific antibodies for the immunoaffinity purification of tachykinins. Results: Using MALDI-ToF, we identified mouse hemokinin-1 as an amidated decapeptide expressed in murine brain and periphery. Furthermore, we interestingly observed an additional mass peak corresponding to acetylated mouse hemokinin-1 and this post-translational modification is brain-specific, not detected in the periphery. Conclusion: We suggest that the N-terminal acetylation of the peptide provides greater potency for ligand–receptor interactions during neural cell signaling.
- Mouse hemokinin-1
- substance P
- tachykinins
- N-terminal acetylation
- anti-tachykinin antibodies
- RP-HPLC
- MALDI-ToF
- Received July 16, 2017.
- Revision received August 3, 2017.
- Accepted August 4, 2017.
- Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved