Urocortin 3 marks mature human primary and embryonic stem cell-derived pancreatic alpha and beta cells.

The peptide hormone Urocortin 3 (Ucn 3) is abundantly and exclusively expressed in mouse pancreatic beta cells where it regulates insulin secretion. Here we demonstrate that Ucn 3 first appears at embryonic day (E) 17.5 and, from approximately postnatal day (p) 7 and onwards throughout adult life, becomes a unifying and exclusive feature of mouse beta cells. These observations identify Ucn 3 as a potential beta cell maturation marker. To determine whether Ucn 3 is similarly restricted to beta cells in humans, we conducted comprehensive immunohistochemistry and gene expression experiments on macaque and human pancreas and sorted primary human islet cells. This revealed that Ucn 3 is not restricted to the beta cell lineage in primates, but is also expressed in alpha cells. To substantiate these findings, we analyzed human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived pancreatic endoderm that differentiates into mature endocrine cells upon engraftment in mice. Ucn 3 expression in hESC-derived grafts increased robustly upon differentiation into mature endocrine cells and localized to both alpha and beta cells. Collectively, these observations confirm that Ucn 3 is expressed in adult beta cells in both mouse and human and appears late in beta cell differentiation. Expression of Pdx1, Nkx6.1 and PC1/3 in hESC-derived Ucn 3(+) beta cells supports this. However, the expression of Ucn 3 in primary and hESC-derived alpha cells demonstrates that human Ucn 3 is not exclusive to the beta cell lineage but is a general marker for both the alpha and beta cell lineages. Ucn 3(+) hESC-derived alpha cells do not express Nkx6.1, Pdx1 or PC1/3 in agreement with the presence of a separate population of Ucn 3(+) alpha cells. Our study highlights important species differences in Ucn 3 expression, which have implications for its utility as a marker to identify mature beta cells in (re)programming strategies

Corticotropin-releasing factor receptors in GtoPdb v.2023.1

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF, nomenclature as agreed by the NC-IUPHAR subcommittee on Corticotropin-releasing Factor Receptors [34]) receptors are activated by the endogenous peptides corticotrophin-releasing hormone, a 41 amino-acid peptide, urocortin 1, 40 amino-acids, urocortin 2, 38 amino-acids and urocortin 3, 38 amino-acids. CRF1 and CRF2 receptors are activated non-selectively by CRH and UCN. CRF2 receptors are selectively activated by UCN2 and UCN3. Binding to CRF receptors can be conducted using radioligands [125I]Tyr0-CRF or [125I]Tyr0-sauvagine with Kd values of 0.1-0.4 nM. CRF1 and CRF2 receptors are non-selectively antagonized by α-helical CRF, D-Phe-CRF-(12-41) and astressin. CRF1 receptors are selectively antagonized by small molecules NBI27914, R121919, antalarmin, CP 154,526, CP 376,395. CRF2 receptors are selectively antagonized by antisauvagine and astressin 2B

Corticotropin-releasing factor receptors (version 2019.4) in the IUPHAR/BPS Guide to Pharmacology Database

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF, nomenclature as agreed by the NC-IUPHAR subcommittee on Corticotropin-releasing Factor Receptors [30]) receptors are activated by the endogenous peptides corticotrophin-releasing hormone, a 41 amino-acid peptide, urocortin 1, 40 amino-acids, urocortin 2, 38 amino-acids and urocortin 3, 38 amino-acids. CRF1 and CRF2 receptors are activated non-selectively by CRH and UCN. CRF2 receptors are selectively activated by UCN2 and UCN3. Binding to CRF receptors can be conducted using radioligands [125I]Tyr0-CRF or [125I]Tyr0-sauvagine with Kd values of 0.1-0.4 nM. CRF1 and CRF2 receptors are non-selectively antagonized by α-helical CRF, D-Phe-CRF-(12-41) and astressin. CRF1 receptors are selectively antagonized by small molecules NBI27914, R121919, antalarmin, CP 154,526, CP 376,395. CRF2 receptors are selectively antagonized by antisauvagine and astressin 2B

Inhibin secretion during the rat estrous cycle: Relationships to FSH secretion and FSH beta subunit mRNA concentrations

Serum inhibin and FSH and FSH beta subunit mRNA levels were measured at 3h intervals throughout the 4 day estrous cycle in female rats and hourly between 1000 and 2400 h of proestrus. On proestrus, serum inhibin concentrations fell during the late morning-early afternoon, then increased transiently during the late afternoon gonadotropin surges. Inhibin levels decreased during the late evening of proestrus, coincident with the FSH surge-related rise in FSH beta mRNA levels. Serum inhibin remained relatively stable during estrus and early metestrus, but rose during the late evening of metestrus and remained elevated until early diestrus. FSH beta mRNA levels were elevated on late estrus and early metestrus and declined during the evening of metestrus as serum inhibin levels increased. These data show that concetrations of serum inhibin change during the estrous cycle and that a general inverse relationship exist between serum inhibin and FSH levels and FSH beta mRNA concentrations in the pituitary. This suggests that inhibin may inhibit FSH beta gene expression and FSH secretion during the 4 day cycle in female rats.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/28957/1/0000794.pd

Human urocortin II, a selective agonist for the type 2 corticotropinreleasing factor receptor, decreases feeding and drinking in the rat

ABSTRACT Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) has been hypothesized to modulate consummatory behavior through the Type 2 CRF (CRF 2 ) receptor. However, behavioral functions subserved by the CRF 2 receptor remain poorly understood. Recently, human urocortin II (hUcn II), a selective CRF 2 receptor agonist, was identified. To study the effects of this neuropeptide on ingestive behavior, we examined the effects of centrally infused hUcn II (i.c.v. 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1.0, 10.0 g) on the microstructure of nosepoke responding for food and water in nondeprived, male rats. Malaise-inducing properties of the peptide were monitored using conditioned taste aversion (CTA) testing. To identify potential sites of action, central induction of Fos protein expression was examined. hUcn II dose dependently reduced the quantity and duration of responding for food and water at doses lower (0.01-1.0 g) than that forming a CTA (10 g). Effects were most evident during hours 4 to 6 of the dark cycle. Meal pattern analysis showed that hUcn II potently (0.1 g) increased the satiating value of food. Rats ate and drank smaller and shorter meals without changing meal frequency. Rats also ate more slowly. hUcn II induced Fos in regions involved in visceral sensory processing and autonomic/neuroendocrine regulation and resembling those activated by appetite suppressants. hUcn II is a promising neuropeptide for investigating the role of the CRF 2 receptor in ingestive behavior. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is hypothesized to mediate behavioral, autonomic, endocrine, and immunological responses to stres

Chronic Activation of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Type 2 Receptors Reveals a Key Role for 5-HT1A Receptor Responsiveness in Mediating Behavioral and Serotonergic Responses to Stressful Challenge

BackgroundThe corticotropin-releasing factor type 2 receptor (CRFR2) is suggested to play an important role in aiding recovery from acute stress, but any chronic effects of CRFR2 activation are unknown. CRFR2 in the midbrain raphé nuclei modulate serotonergic activity of this key source of serotonin (5-HT) forebrain innervation.MethodsTransgenic mice overexpressing the highly specific CRFR2 ligand urocortin 3 (UCN3OE) were analyzed for stress-related behaviors and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis responses. Responses to 5-HT receptor agonist challenge were assessed by local cerebral glucose utilization, while 5-HT and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid content were quantified in limbic brain regions.ResultsMice overexpressing urocortin 3 exhibited increased stress-related behaviors under basal conditions and impaired retention of spatial memory compared with control mice. Following acute stress, unlike control mice, they exhibited no further increase in these stress-related behaviors and showed an attenuated adrenocorticotropic hormone response. 5-HT and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid content of limbic nuclei were differentially regulated by stress in UCN3OE mice as compared with control mice. Responses to 5-HT type 1A receptor challenge were significantly and specifically reduced in UCN3OE mice. The distribution pattern of local cerebral glucose utilization and 5-HT type 1A receptor messenger RNA expression levels suggested this effect was mediated in the raphé nuclei.ConclusionsChronic activation of CRFR2 promotes an anxiety-like state, yet with attenuated behavioral and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis responses to stress. This is reminiscent of stress-related atypical psychiatric syndromes such as posttraumatic stress disorder, chronic fatigue, and chronic pain states. This new understanding indicates CRFR2 antagonism as a potential novel therapeutic target for such disorders

Multiple novel prostate cancer susceptibility signals identified by fine-mapping of known risk loci among Europeans

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified numerous common prostate cancer (PrCa) susceptibility loci. We have fine-mapped 64 GWAS regions known at the conclusion of the iCOGS study using large-scale genotyping and imputation in 25 723 PrCa cases and 26 274 controls of European ancestry. We detected evidence for multiple independent signals at 16 regions, 12 of which contained additional newly identified significant associations. A single signal comprising a spectrum of correlated variation was observed at 39 regions; 35 of which are now described by a novel more significantly associated lead SNP, while the originally reported variant remained as the lead SNP only in 4 regions. We also confirmed two association signals in Europeans that had been previously reported only in East-Asian GWAS. Based on statistical evidence and linkage disequilibrium (LD) structure, we have curated and narrowed down the list of the most likely candidate causal variants for each region. Functional annotation using data from ENCODE filtered for PrCa cell lines and eQTL analysis demonstrated significant enrichment for overlap with bio-features within this set. By incorporating the novel risk variants identified here alongside the refined data for existing association signals, we estimate that these loci now explain ∼38.9% of the familial relative risk of PrCa, an 8.9% improvement over the previously reported GWAS tag SNPs. This suggests that a significant fraction of the heritability of PrCa may have been hidden during the discovery phase of GWAS, in particular due to the presence of multiple independent signals within the same regio

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570