Endocrine Abstracts

Particulate guanylyl cyclases are expressed in all endocrine organs and serve as specific receptors of the natriuretic peptides ANP, BNP and CNP. Guanylyl cyclase-B (GC-B/Npr2) receptors specifically mediate the biological effects of CNP in its target tissues. Targeted disruption of either CNP or GC-B results in pituitary growth hormone deficiency and dwarfism as a result of achondroplasia. Despite this, molecular regulation of GC-B expression is poorly elucidated. Therefore, ...

CNP, the third member of the mammalian natriuretic peptide family, exerts the majority of its biological effects via the guanylyl cyclase B (GC-B) receptor, resulting in accumulation of intracellular cGMP. Previous studies reveal numerous inhibitory effects of natriuretic peptides on the MAPK family in bone, neuronal and cardiovascular tissues. However, we recently reported that CNP stimulates ERK, p38MAPK and JNK phosphorylation in pituitary GH3 somatotrophs. As CNP is known ...

Mammalian pituitary gland development is well established on a molecular and morphological level. In developmental biology the use of chick and zebrafish models is common but despite chicken pituitary gland development being characterised in 1952 these models have only recently been regularly employed in pituitary studies. The third member of the natriuretic peptide family, C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), has been investigated in rodent embryos but little is known about its ...

Despite being identified almost two decades ago, the biological roles for C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) have remained poorly elucidated. Both CNP and GC-B are highly conserved from flies and fish to humans. Recent investigations involving the disruption of the CNP gene (Nppc) or that of its GC-B receptor (Npr2) implicate a role for CNP and GC-B in bone formation and growth. Intriguingly, CNP and GC-B knock-out mouse models also exhibited pituitary growth hormone deficiency....