Endocrine Abstracts

Glycoprotein hormone receptors (GPHRs) have been cloned about 25 years ago and, since then, the glycoprotein hormones TSH, LH/hCG and FSH are considered as the agonists for their respective receptors. Additionally to TSH, the TSH receptor for example, can be activated by mutations and autoantibodies causing hyperthyroidism and Graves’ disease, respectively. The mode, how the receptors integrate the activating actions of glycoprotein hormones, mutations and autoantibodies ...

Diabetes insipidus is a disorder characterised by severe liquid-imbalance because of the inability to concentrate urine. Inactivating mutations in either arginine vasopressin receptor type 2 (AVPR2) or aquaporin 2 (AQP2) gene can cause congenital Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI). AVPR2 is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) and is mainly expressed at the basolateral site of the kidneys collecting duct principal cells. Activation of this receptor by vasopressin is responsib...

By a systematic approach we investigated the interaction of a selective number of GPCRs that are expressed in the arcuate nucleus and known to play an essential role in hypothalamic weight regulation. Based on the results of a sandwich ELISA and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) approach we report the interaction of the melanocortin three receptor (MC3R) and the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) which are coexpressed on arcuate NPY/AgRP neurons. Fu...

Food intake is centrally regulated in hypothalamic nuclei. Peripheral hormonal signals activate their corresponding receptors in the arcuate nucleus (arc) and modulate the expression of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) and neuropetide Y (NPY)/agouti-related-protein (AgRP). Cleavage products of POMC stimulate melanocortin-4-receptors (MC4R) in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) to inhibit food intake or stimulate MC3Rs in the arc to activate a feedback loop. Further mor...