Neuropeptides of the islets of Langerhans: a peptidomics study

Gen Comp Endocrinol. 2007 Jun-Jul;152(2-3):231-41. doi: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2007.05.002. Epub 2007 May 8.

Abstract

Neuropeptides from the endocrine pancreas (the islets of Langerhans) play an important role in the regulation of blood glucose levels. Therefore, our aim is to identify the "peptidome" (the in vivo peptide profile at a certain time) of the pancreatic islets, which is beneficial for medical progress related to the treatment of diabetes. So far, there are few neuropeptides isolated and sequenced from the endocrine pancreas and mainly in situ hybridisation and immunocytochemical techniques have been used to demonstrate the occurrence of peptides in the pancreas. These techniques do not allow for unequivocal identification of peptides. In contrary, mass spectrometry identifies peptides unambiguously. We have analysed the peptidome of the islets using peptidomics, i.e. a combination of liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry and bioinformatics. We are able to identify the peptidome of islets extracts. We not only confirm the presence of peptides with a well-known effect on blood glucose levels, but also identify new peptides, which are unknown to affect blood glucose levels.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Amyloid / chemistry
  • Amyloid / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • Chromogranin A / chemistry
  • Chromogranin A / metabolism
  • Chromogranin B / chemistry
  • Chromogranin B / metabolism
  • Female
  • Islet Amyloid Polypeptide
  • Islets of Langerhans / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / chemistry
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
  • Neuropeptides / chemistry
  • Neuropeptides / metabolism*
  • Peptide YY / chemistry
  • Peptide YY / metabolism
  • Proglucagon / chemistry
  • Proglucagon / metabolism
  • Proinsulin / chemistry
  • Proinsulin / metabolism
  • Protein Precursors / chemistry
  • Protein Precursors / metabolism
  • Proteomics*
  • Secretogranin II / chemistry
  • Secretogranin II / metabolism
  • Somatostatin / chemistry
  • Somatostatin / metabolism

Substances

  • Amyloid
  • Blood Glucose
  • Chromogranin A
  • Chromogranin B
  • Islet Amyloid Polypeptide
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Neuropeptides
  • Pcsk1n protein, mouse
  • Protein Precursors
  • Secretogranin II
  • chromogranin A, mouse
  • chromogranin B, mouse
  • secretogranin 2, mouse
  • Peptide YY
  • Somatostatin
  • Proglucagon
  • prosomatostatin
  • Proinsulin