TAILIEUCHUNG - Báo cáo khoa học: From heart to mind The urotensin II system and its evolving neurophysiological role

The discovery of novel biologically active peptides has led to an explosion in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie the regula-tion of sleep and wakefulness. Urotensin II (UII), a peptide originally isolated from fish and known for its strong cardiovascular effects in mammals, is another surprising candidate in the regulatory network of sleep. | IFEBS Journal MINIREVIEW From heart to mind The urotensin II system and its evolving neurophysiological role Hans-Peter Nothacker1 and Stewart Clark2 1 Department of Pharmacology University of California Irvine CA USA 2 The Centre for Addiction and MentalHealth Toronto Ontario Canada Keywords acetylcholine laterodorsal tegmental nucleus pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus REM sleep urotensin receptors urotensin II urotensin II-related peptide Correspondence . Nothacker Department of Pharmacology University of California 354 MedSurge II Irvine CA 92697-4625 USA Fax 1 949 824 4855 Tel 1 949 824 1892 E-mail hnothack@ Received 21 June 2005 accepted 22 August 2005 The discovery of novel biologically active peptides has led to an explosion in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie the regulation of sleep and wakefulness. Urotensin II UII a peptide originally isolated from fish and known for its strong cardiovascular effects in mammals is another surprising candidate in the regulatory network of sleep. The UII receptor was found to be expressed by cholinergic neurons of laterodorsal and pedunculopontine tegmental nuclei an area known to be of utmost importance for the on- and offset of rapid eye movement REM sleep. Recently physiological data have provided further evidence that UII is indeed a modulator of REM sleep. The peptide directly excites cholinergic mesopontine neurons and increases the rate of REM sleep episodes. These new results and its emerging behavioral effects establish UII as a neurotransmitter neuromodulator in mammals and should spark further interest into the neurobiological role of the peptide. doi Introduction Urotensin II UII is a peptide structurally related to somatostatin cortistatin peptides. It contains a carboxyterminal cysteine-bridged cyclic hexapeptide sequence that is conserved across species. UII was originally isolated from fish urophysis a neuroendocrine gland located in the

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