Department of Endocrinology and Applied Medical Science, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan.
J Neuroendocrinol. 2010 May;22(5):453-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2010.01980.x. Epub 2010 Feb 12.
(Pro)renin receptor [(P)RR], a specific receptor for renin and prorenin, is a 350 amino acid protein with a single transmembrane domain. In the present study, the expression of (P)RR in the human brain and pituitary, and its co-localisation with arginine vasopressin and oxytocin in the human hypothalamus were studied by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunocytochemistry. Human brain and pituitary tissues were obtained at autopsy from the subjects without neurological or endocrinological disorders. The antiserum against (P)RR was raised in a rabbit by injecting the peptide fragment of human (P)RR corresponding to 224-237 amino acids conjugated with bovine serum albumin. Quantitative RT-PCR showed that (P)RR mRNA was widely expressed in every region of brain examined and pituitary, with the highest expression levels found in the pituitary and frontal lobe. Immunocytochemistry showed that (P)RR was expressed in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of human hypothalami, and in anterior pituitary cells. Immunostaining of serial sections showed that (P)RR was co-localised with arginine vasopressin and oxytocin in the magnocellular neurones of the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei. The preabsorption of the antibody by the antigen peptide abolished the immunostaining of (P)RR in the human hypothalamus. The present study has shown that (P)RR mRNA is widely expressed in the human brain and pituitary, consistent with the hypothesis that (P)RR is related to the various brain functions, such as cognitive function and brain development. Co-localisation of (P)RR with vasopressin in the hypothalamus raised the possibility that (P)RR may be related to the central control of water-electrolyte metabolism and blood pressure.
（前）肾素受体 [(P)RR]，是肾素和前肾素的特异性受体，是一种含有一个跨膜域的 350 个氨基酸的蛋白质。在本研究中，通过定量逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）和免疫细胞化学法，研究了（P)RR 在人脑和垂体中的表达，及其在人下丘脑与血管加压素和催产素的共定位。人脑和垂体组织取自无神经或内分泌疾病的尸检受试者。（P)RR 抗血清是通过向兔子注射与人（P)RR 224-237 个氨基酸的肽段与牛血清白蛋白偶联而产生的。定量 RT-PCR 显示，（P)RR mRNA 广泛表达于所检测的脑区和垂体，其中在垂体和额叶表达水平最高。免疫细胞化学显示，（P)RR 表达于人下丘脑的室旁核和视上核，以及垂体前叶细胞。连续切片的免疫染色显示，（P)RR 与室旁核和视上核的大细胞神经元中的血管加压素和催产素共定位。抗体被抗原肽预先吸收后，可消除（P)RR 在人下丘脑的免疫染色。本研究表明，（P)RR mRNA 广泛表达于人脑和垂体，与（P)RR 与认知功能和脑发育等各种脑功能相关的假说一致。（P)RR 在下丘脑与血管加压素的共定位提示（P)RR 可能与水-电解质代谢和血压的中枢控制有关。
