Bovine chromogranin A sequence and distribution of its messenger RNA in endocrine tissues.

Chromogranin A is contained in storage vesicles of chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla and released with catecholamines when the splanchnic nerve is stimulated. Chromogranin A is similar to secretory protein I (SP-I), a major secreted protein of the parathyroid. Chromogranin A/SP-I immunoreactivity is abundant in endocrine cells that secrete peptide hormones from storage vesicles. Chromogranins may act in neuroendocrine secretion by binding intravesicular calcium. Serum levels of chromogranin are raised in hypertension and endocrine neoplasia. We report here the isolation and sequencing of a cDNA encoding bovine chromogranin A, providing the first complete primary structure of a chromogranin protein. Chromogranin A is a highly acidic protein with an apparent relative molecular mass (Mr) of 75,000 on SDS-PAGE, but an actual Mr of 48,000. Adrenal medulla, brain, pituitary and parathyroid are all sites of synthesis of chromogranin A. The primary structure of chromogranin A, and the presence of chromogranin mRNA in the parathyroid, indicate that chromogranin A and SP-I are identical.