Neuroregulatory Aspects of Brain Calcitonin

降钙素是一种肽类激素， 哺乳动物的甲状腺和后鳃腺 鸟和鱼。 在哺乳动物中，这种激素分泌到 血液对血钙升高的反应。 行进 肾脏和骨骼中的靶细胞 通过增强肾钙排泄和减少骨分解， 从而降低血钙恢复正常。 库珀博士 表明降钙素在被注射时会产生行为变化， 导入CNS。 事实上，这种肽具有深刻的 对食物和水摄入量、疼痛感知和胃功能的影响 酸分泌 然而，降钙素还没有在自然界中发现。 循环的降钙素不能通过大脑， 血脑屏障 库珀博士认为， 分子存在于CNS中，但尚未鉴定 因为它不同于在外围产生的， 甲状腺激素 他将使用结构类似物 降钙素分离CNS受体，并确定是否 存在不止一种降钙素受体亚型。 库珀博士 然后将比较中枢神经系统和外周神经系统的特性， 降钙素受体，以确定它们的相似性， 差异 此外，他还将描述 当引入CNS时启动进食的序列， 饮酒和胃酸分泌。 这项工作将增加我们的 肽如何作为化学信使的一般理解 在大脑里。 此外，这项工作的潜在用途， 用于疼痛控制的药理学试剂的开发， 注意到胃酸分泌。

Calcitonin is a peptide hormone produced by special cells in the mammalian thyroid gland and the ultimobranchial gland of birds and fish. In mammals, the hormone is secreted into the bloodstream in response to a rise in blood calcium. It travels to the kidney and bone where is acts on target cells that respond by enhancing renal calcium excretion and reducing bone breakdown, thereby lowering blood calcium back to normal. Dr. Cooper has shown that calcitonin produces behavioral changes when it is introduced into the CNS. Indeed, this peptide has profound effects on food and water intake, pain perception, and gastric acid secretion. Yet, calcitonin has not been found naturally in the brain, and circulating calcitonin cannot get through the blood-brain barrier. Dr. Cooper suggests that a calcitonin-like molecule is present in the CNS but has not been identified because it is different than the one produced in the periphery by the thyroid hormone. He will use structural analogs of calcitonin to isolate CNS receptors, and to determine whether more than one subtype of calcitonin receptor exists. Dr. Cooper will then compare the properties of the CNS and peripheral calcitonin receptors to determine their similarities and differences. In addition, he will characterize the peptide sequences that when introduced into the CNS initiate feeding, drinking and gastric acid secretion. This work will increase our general understanding of how peptides act as chemical messengers in the brain. Moreover, potential usefulness of this work for the development of pharmacological agents for pain control and gastric acid secretion is noted.