Biological activities of Bv8 analogues.

1 The small protein Bv8, secreted by the skin of the frog Bombina variegata, belongs to a novel family of secreted proteins whose orthologues have been identified in snakes (MIT) and in mammals (prokineticins (PKs)). A characteristic feature of this protein family is the same N-terminal sequence, AVITGA, and the presence of 10 cysteines with identical spacing in the C-terminal domain. Two closely related G protein-coupled receptors that mediate signal transduction of Bv8/PKs have been cloned (PK-R1 and PK-R2). In mammals, the Bv8/PK protein family is involved in a number of biological activities such as ingestive behaviours, circadian rhythms, angiogenesis and pain sensitization. 2 In an attempt to identify the structural determinants required for the pronociceptive activity of Bv8, we prepared Bv8 derivatives lacking one (des-Ala-Bv8) or two (des-Ala-Val-Bv8) residues from the N-terminus. 3 des-Ala-Bv8 displayed a receptor affinity five times lower than that of Bv8, it was five times less potent in inducing Ca(2+) transients and in causing p42/p44 MAPK phosphorylation in CHO-cells expressing PK-R1 and PK-R2. Moreover, dA-Bv8 was about 20 times less potent than Bv8 in inducing hyperalgesia in rats. 4 The deletion of the first two amino acids of Bv8 abolished any biological activity both 'in vitro' and 'in vivo'; however, des-AlaVal-Bv8 is able to antagonize the Bv8-induced hyperalgesia, binding the PK-Rs on peripheral and central projections of the primary sensitive neurons.