Development of a [68Ga]-ghrelin analogue for PET imaging of the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a).

The ghrelin receptor is a member of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R) family and is present at low concentrations in tissues such as the brain, kidney, cardiovascular system, and prostate. The ghrelin receptor plays an important role in cellular proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and migration associated with the progression of many cancers, including prostate, breast, ovarian, testicular, and intestinal carcinomas. Ghrelin, the endogenous ligand, is a 28 amino acid peptide (IC50 = 3.1 nM) known to have poor in vivo stability. Herein, we report the synthesis and evaluation of [Dpr3(octanoyl),Lys19(Ga-DOTA)]ghrelin(1-19). This new ghrelin analogue has a binding affinity (IC50 = 5.9 nM) comparable to that of natural ghrelin. Preliminary in vivo evaluation shows higher uptake of [Dpr3(octanoyl),Lys19(68Ga-DOTA)]ghrelin(1-19) in HT1080/GHSR-1a xenografts than the non-transfected HT1080 xenografts in NOD-SCID mice, although considerable uptake is observed in the kidneys. This is the first example of ghrelin receptor PET imaging in a xenograft model using a peptide derived directly from the endogenous ligand and serves as motivation for developing more effective ghrelin-based radiopeptides.

Coregulation of glucagon-like peptide-1 synthesis with proglucagon and prohormone convertase 1 gene expression in enteroendocrine GLUTag cells.

The insulinotropic hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is synthesized in the intestinal L cell by prohormone convertase 1 (PC1)-mediated posttranslational processing of proglucagon. Previous studies have demonstrated that proglucagon gene transcription in the L cell is stimulated by the protein kinase A (PKA) pathway through a cAMP response element (CRE). Because the PC1 gene contains two functional CREs, the present studies were conducted to investigate whether the PC1 and proglucagon genes are coregulated by PKA, and to elucidate the temporal relationship(s) of PC1 and proglucagon gene expression with production of GLP-1, in the intestinal cell. The GLUTag enteroendocrine cell line, which is known to express the proglucagon gene and to synthesize and secrete GLP-1, was used as a model. Proglucagon and PC1 messenger RNA transcript levels were both increased after 12 h (but not 24 h) of treatment of GLUTag cells with forskolin/isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX), by 2.7 +/- 0.3- and 2.4 +/- 0.3-fold, respectively, compared with controls (P < 0.01-0.001). Activation of PKA resulted in a 2.1 +/- 0.1-fold increase in PC1 reporter construct expression (P < 0.001) at 12 h, which was dependent on the presence of the CRE, and a 13- to 24-fold increment in PC1 protein levels (P < 0.01) at 12 and 24 h. Similarly, forskolin/IBMX increased secretion of GLP-1, by 1.8 +/- 0.2- and 2.2 +/- 0.6-fold at 12 and 24 h, respectively (P < 0.05-0.01). Although the cell content of GLP-1 was diminished after 12 h of treatment (P < 0.001), GLP-1 levels increased back to control values after 24 h of forskolin/IBMX treatment (P < 0.01 vs. 12-h levels). Thus, PKA-induced secretion of GLP-1 from the L cell is followed by restoration of the cellular peptide levels through a PKA-mediated, CRE-dependent up-regulation of proglucagon and PC1 gene expression.

Lipid raft association of carboxypeptidase E is necessary for its function as a regulated secretory pathway sorting receptor.

Membrane carboxypeptidase E (CPE) is a sorting receptor for targeting prohormones, such as pro-opiomelanocortin, to the regulated secretory pathway in endocrine cells. Its membrane association is necessary for it to bind a prohormone sorting signal at the trans-Golgi network (TGN) to facilitate targeting. In this study, we examined the lipid interaction of CPE in bovine pituitary secretory granule membranes, which are derived from the TGN. We show that CPE is associated with detergent-resistant lipid domains, or rafts, within secretory granule membranes. Lipid analysis revealed that these rafts are enriched in glycosphingolipids and cholesterol. Pulse-chase and subcellular fractionation experiments in AtT-20 cells show that the association of CPE with membrane rafts occurred only after it reached the Golgi. Cholesterol depletion resulted in dissociation of CPE from secretory granule membranes and decreased the binding of prohormones to membranes. In vivo cholesterol depletion using lovastatin resulted in the lack of sorting of CPE and its cargo to the regulated secretory pathway. We propose that the sorting receptor function of CPE necessitates its interaction with glycosphingolipid-cholesterol rafts at the TGN, thereby anchoring it in position to bind to its prohormone cargo.

Proglucagon processing in an islet cell line: effects of PC1 overexpression and PC2 depletion.

Proglucagon (proG) is differentially processed in the A cells of the pancreas to yield glucagon, and in the L cells of the intestine to generate glicentin, oxyntomodulin, the incretin glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1(7-36NH2) and the intestinotropin GLP-2. To establish roles for the prohormone convertases PC1 and PC2 in proG processing within the context of a physiological model, we created stable cell lines from an islet-derived cell line, InR1-G9. These cells express proG and PC2, but not PC1, messenger RNA (mRNA). InR1-G9 cells were stably transfected with PC1 or antisense PC2. Selection was carried out in G418 (InR1-G9/PC1) or Zeocin (InR1-G9/ASPC2). Both PC1 mRNA and protein were highly expressed in InR1-G9/PC1 cells (P < 0.01-0.001) compared with wild-type (WT) cells. Cells transfected with ASPC2 demonstrated significant decreases in both PC2 mRNA (P < 0.001) and protein (P < 0.05) levels. ProG-derived peptides in WT, control, InR1-G9/PC1, and InR1-G9/ASPC2 cells were identified by HPLC and RIA. Overexpression of PC1 in InR1-G9 cells resulted in increased processing to glicentin (P < 0.01), oxyntomodulin (P < 0.05), and GLP-2 (P < 0.05). Interestingly, processing to GLP-1(7-36NH2) did not increase upon transfection of PC1. Transfection of InR1-G9 cells with ASPC2 resulted in the disappearance of glicentin (P < 0.05). However, production of glucagon was not altered by antisense deletion of PC2. Surprisingly, GLP-1(7-36NH2) production appeared to be augmented (P < 0.05) in InR1-G9/ASPC2 cells, whereas GLP-2 production was not altered. In conclusion, these studies establish the role of PC1 in the processing of proG to the intestinal proG-derived peptides. This study also establishes a role for PC2 in the production of glicentin; however, the liberation of glucagon appears to be mediated by another, yet to be identified, convertase.

Intestinal growth is associated with elevated levels of glucagon-like peptide 2 in diabetic rats.

Glucagon-like peptide 2 (GLP-2) has recently been identified as a novel intestinal growth factor. Because experimental diabetes is associated with bowel growth, we examined the relationship between GLP-2 and intestinal growth in rats made diabetic by streptozotocin (STZ) injection and treated with or without insulin for 3 wk. Ileal concentrations of the intestinal proglucagon-derived peptides, i.e., glicentin + oxyntomodulin, and GLPs 1 and 2, were increased by 57 +/- 20% above those of controls in untreated STZ diabetes (P < 0.05-0.001). Similar increases in plasma concentrations of glicentin + oxyntomodulin (77 +/- 15% above controls, P < 0.01) and GLP-2 (91 +/- 32% above controls, P < 0.05) were seen in untreated STZ diabetes. Both wet and dry small intestinal weight increased by 74 +/- 20% above controls (P < 0.01) in STZ diabetes, and macromolecular analysis indicated parallel increases in both protein (P < 0.001) and lipid (P < 0.05) content. Villus height (P < 0.001) and crypt depth (P < 0.01) were also increased in untreated diabetic rat intestine. Insulin therapy prevented the changes in plasma GLP-2 and intestinal mass seen in untreated STZ diabetes. Thus STZ diabetes is associated with both increased production of GLP-2 and enhanced bowel weight, thereby suggesting a role for GLP-2 in diabetes-associated bowel growth.

Role of prohormone convertases in the tissue-specific processing of proglucagon.

Proglucagon (proG) is processed in a tissue-specific manner to glucagon in the pancreas and to gilcentin, oxyntomodulin, glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1, and GLP-2 in the intestine. Recombinant vaccinia virus (vv) vectors were used to infect prohormone convertase 1 (PC1) or PC2 into nonendocrine (BHK-proG) cells, which stably express proG. Similarly, endocrine (GH3, AtT-20) cells were coinfected with proG along with PC1 or PC2 alone, or in combination with furin, PACE4, PC5a, or PC5b. Cell extracts were analyzed for various proG-derived peptides by RIA of fractions obtained from HPLC. Upon infection of BHK-proG cells with either vv: furin or vv:PC1, glicentin was produced, while vv: PC2 did not process proG. In GH3 and AtT-20 cells, vv:PC1 produced glicentin, oxyntomodulin, GLP-1(1-37), GLP-1(7-37), and GLP-2. All other enzymes tested produced only glicentin. Interestingly, no enzyme or combination produced glucagon. Coinfection of GH3 cells with vv:PC2 and members of the chromogranin family of peptides, including chromogranin A and B and secretogranin II, as well as the PC2-binding protein 7B2, did not result in processing to glucagon. It is concluded that: 1) PC1 is responsible for the processing of proG to produce the intestinal peptides glicentin, oxyntomodulin, GLP-1(1-37), GLP-1(7-37), and GLP-2, and 2) PC2 processes proG to glicentin but does not produce glucagon, alone or in combination with other enzymes or with known molecular chaperones.

Proglucagon processing in islet and intestinal cell lines.

To investigate the factors involved in the post-translational processing of proglucagon, we have examined the proglucagon-derived peptides (PGDPs) expressed in normal mouse pancreas and intestine, as well as in both islet (InR1-G9, RIN 1056A) and intestinal (STC-1) cell lines. N-terminal proglucagon processing was similar to that of normal mouse pancreas in InR1-G9 cells, but differed in RIN 1056A and STC-1 cells, which contained significant amounts of glucagon as well as the intestinal PGDPs, glicentin and oxyntomodulin. The C-terminal end of proglucagon was processed to small amounts of glucagon-like peptide-1 in InR1-G9 and RIN 1056A cells, as in normal pancreas, while processing was more extensive in both STC-1 cells and normal intestine. Northern blot analysis of mRNA transcripts for the prohormone convertases, PC1 and PC2, in the 3 cell lines demonstrated correlations between PC2 and the presence of glucagon, as well as between PC1 and production of the intestinal PGDPs. These findings provide support for the suggestion that PC1 and PC2 play roles in the tissue-specific post-translational processing of proglucagon.

Suppression of follicle-stimulating hormone by the gonadal- and neurosteroid 3 alpha-hydroxy-4-pregnen-20-one involves actions at the level of the gonadotrope membrane/calcium channel.

We have previously shown that the gonadal- and neurosteroid 3 alpha-hydroxy-4-pregnen-20-one (3 alpha HP) suppresses FSH release in cultures of anterior pituitary cells. We undertook exploration of the mechanisms of this suppression by examining the possible sites of 3 alpha HP action in isolated anterior pituitary cells of rats. The specific objective of this study was to determine if 3 alpha HP suppresses FSH by action at the level of the gonadotrope membrane and/or calcium channels. Pituitary cells from adult randomly cycling female rats were precultured for 72 h and then treated for 4 h with 10 nM GnRH and 0.1 nM 3 alpha HP with or without Ca2+ channel agonists or antagonist. In other experiments, cells were treated with BSA-conjugated 3 alpha HP, progesterone, or 3 beta HP (the stereoisomer of 3 alpha HP). Levels of FSH were determined by RIA in media and cells. GnRH-stimulated FSH release and the total FSH (released plus cellular) were significantly suppressed by 3 alpha HP. The Ca2+ ionophore A23187 induced FSH release and 3 alpha HP significantly suppressed both released and total FSH in its presence. In combination with a high dose (100 microM) of the dihydropyridine-sensitive Ca2+ channel antagonist nifedipine, 3 alpha HP suppressed FSH secretion to a greater extent than the antagonist alone. Cellular content of FSH was also decreased by nifedipine (100 microM) and was further suppressed in the presence of 3 alpha HP. The phenylalkylamine-sensitive Ca2+ channel antagonist methoxyverapamil (D600) suppressed GnRH-induced FSH release, and 3 alpha HP significantly potentiated the suppression. Released and cellular FSH were increased by the dihydropyridine-sensitive agonist BAYK 8644, whereas 0.1 nM 3 alpha HP suppressed this agonist-induced FSH to a greater extent than the maximum dose (100 microM) of nifedipine. In order to test for direct action at the level of the gonadotrope membrane, 3 alpha HP was conjugated to BSA (3 alpha HP-BSA) and administered to cultured pituitary cells. The 3 alpha HP-BSA conjugate (but not progesterone-BSA or 3 beta HP-BSA) significantly suppressed release of FSH. The results of the study suggest that 3 alpha HP may be interacting with the Ca2+ channel component of the GnRH signal transduction mechanism; in addition, 3 alpha HP may also suppress FSH release (and possibly synthesis) through direct action at the level of the gonadotrope membrane.

Suppression in gonadotropes of gonadotropin-releasing hormone-stimulated follicle-stimulating hormone release by the gonadal- and neurosteroid 3 alpha-hydroxy-4-pregnen-20-one involves cytosolic calcium.

The gonadal- and neurosteroid 3 alpha-hydroxy-4-pregnen-20-one (3 alpha HP) suppresses FSH release in cultures of anterior pituitary cells. In a previous report, we showed that this suppression is achieved at least in part by an interaction at the plasma membrane level. We undertook to examine the possible interaction of 3 alpha HP at the level of intracellular Ca2+. Anterior pituitary cells from adult randomly cycling female rats were treated for 4 h with 10 nM GnRH and 0.1 nM 3 alpha HP with or without protein kinase C activator (SC10), antagonist (H-7), intracellular Ca2+ chelator (TMB-8), and intracellular Ca2+ mobilizer (glutamate), and with or without EGTA and Ca2+ in the medium. FSH content in media and cells was determined by RIA. The protein kinase C (PKC) activator, SC10, increased basal levels of secreted FSH. 3 alpha HP suppressed (P < 0.05) SC10-stimulated basal FSH release. The PKC inhibitor, H7, decreased GnRH-induced FSH release; FSH was further suppressed (P < 0.05) by 3 alpha HP in the presence of H7. These results were interpreted to indicate that 3 alpha HP may act in part at the level of PKC and also at another site(s). The intracellular Ca2+ chelator, TMB-8, suppressed released and cellular GnRH-stimulated FSH to the same extent as 3 alpha HP; FSH was not further decreased by 3 alpha HP in the presence of TMB-8. 3 alpha HP suppressed glutamate-stimulated FSH release in Ca(2+)-free medium (P < 0.01). Moreover, GnRH-induced release of FSH was suppressed to the same degree by 10(-10) M 3 alpha HP as by 10(-4) M EGTA. In pituitary cell suspensions, the GnRH-induced [Ca2+]i elevations were significantly (P < 0.05) attenuated by 3 alpha HP. From these and previous results, a model is proposed for the action of 3 alpha HP. The model suggests that 3 alpha HP may interact with gonadotropes at the level of the PKC cell signaling pathway and intracellular Ca2+ mobilization, in addition to the plasma membrane/calcium channel. The interaction effects a decrease in intracellular Ca2+, leading to decreases in FSH release from those pituitary gonadotropes that are responsible for FSH. The consistent decrease in total FSH (released plus cellular content) by 3 alpha HP suggests that this neurosteroid may also suppress FSH synthesis.

Influence of serotonin and melatonin on some parameters of gastrointestinal activity.

In vitro melatonin (M) reduced the tone of gut muscles and counteracted the tonic effect of serotonin (5-HT). In vivo 0.1 to 4 mg of 5-HT (contained in beeswax implants) decreased the food transit time (FTT) in a dose-dependent manner, but higher doses (5 and 6 mg) increased the FTT. Melatonin injected intraperitoneally into mice bearing 5-HT implants (2 mg per animal) blocked partly the serotonin effect and increased FTT by 50%; however, no dose-dependent effect was observed when doses between 0.01 and 1 mg were used. Surprisingly, M injected into intact mice decreased FTT to levels comparable to those observed in 5-HT implanted, M-treated mice. Again, this significant decrease was not dose-dependent between 0.02 and 1 mg. Although in vitro the maximal inhibition of serotonin-induced spasm was achieved when the M:5-HT ratio was 50-100:1, in vivo the effective ratio was about 1:1. This may indicate that part of M action on the gut movement is mediated by extraintestinal mechanisms. A hypothetical, counterbalancing system of M and 5-HT regulation of gut activity (similar to adrenaline-acetylcholine system) is proposed.