Most PRKAR1A tumorigenic mutations lead to nonsense mRNA that is decayed; tumor formation has been associated with an increase in type II protein kinase A (PKA) subunits. The IVS6+1G>T PRKAR1A mutation leads to a protein lacking exon 6 sequences [R1A#184-236 (R1A#6)]. We compared in vitro R1A#6 with wild-type (wt) R1A. We assessed PKA activity and subunit expression, phosphorylation of target m...

The growth hormone secretagogue-receptor (GHS-R) is an endogenous receptor for the gut hormone ghrelin. Here we report the identification and characterization of GHS-R1a in grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idellus. The full-length GHS-R1a cDNA contained a 1803-bp coding domain sequence which encoded a peptide of 360 amino acid residues. Comparison analysis revealed that the amino acid sequences of ...

The orexigenic peptide hormone ghrelin exerts potent inhibitory effects on pro-inflammatory cytokine release via the growth hormone secretagogue receptor-1a (GHS-R1a) on T cells and monocytes. As such, ghrelin is a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of inflammatory conditions, but these effects depend on the availability of GHS-R1a. The aim of this study was to determine the effect o...

The gut hormone, ghrelin, is the only known peripherally derived orexigenic signal. It activates its centrally expressed receptor, the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R1a), to stimulate food intake. The ghrelin signaling system has recently been suggested to play a key role at the interface of homeostatic control of appetite and the hedonic aspects of food intake, as a critical role f...

In situ hybridization histochemistry and immunocytochemistry were used to examine GABA(B)R1a,b receptor mRNA and protein expression in areas 17 and 18 of the visual cortex of normal macaque monkeys and of monkeys that had been deprived of vision in one eye. In addition, the normal patterns of GABA(B)R1a,b protein expression were immunocytochemically studied in the human visual cortex. Overall l...

AIMS Ghrelin initially emerged as a gut-brain hormone controlling food intake, meal initiation and appetite mainly via hypothalamic circuits in both rodents and humans. The findings that ghrelin receptors (GHS-R1A) are expressed in reward-related areas, including the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA), suggest that ghrelin is a novel reward regulator. Indeed, ghrelin signa...

Ghrelin synergizes with growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) to potentiate growth hormone (GH) response through a mechanism not yet fully characterized. This study was conducted to analyze the role of GHRH as a potential ligand of the ghrelin receptor, GHS-R1a. The results show that hGHRH(1-29)NH(2) (GHRH) induces a dose-dependent calcium mobilization in HEK 293 cells stably transfected with...

We have identified cDNA encoding a functional growth hormone secretagogue-receptor 1a (GHS-R1a, ghrelin receptor) in two species of anuran amphibian, the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana), and the Japanese tree frog (Hyla japonica). Deduced receptor protein for bullfrog and Japanese tree frog (tree frog) was comprised of 374- and 371-amino acids, respectively. The two receptors shared 86% identity, a...

Previous Y-chromosome studies have demonstrated that Ashkenazi Levites, members of a paternally inherited Jewish priestly caste, display a distinctive founder event within R1a, the most prevalent Y-chromosome haplogroup in Eastern Europe. Here we report the analysis of 16 whole R1 sequences and show that a set of 19 unique nucleotide substitutions defines the Ashkenazi R1a lineage. While our su...

The stomach-derived hormone ghrelin interacts with key CNS circuits regulating energy balance and body weight. Here we provide evidence that the central ghrelin signaling system is required for alcohol reward. Central ghrelin administration (to brain ventricles or to tegmental areas involved in reward) increased alcohol intake in a 2-bottle (alcohol/water) free choice limited access paradigm in...