Molecular cloning and characterization of prokineticin receptors

Recent studies have identified two novel biofunctional proteins, termed prokineticin 1/EG-VEGF and prokineticin 2, which were mammalian homologues of mamba MIT1 and frog Bv8. Prokineticins have been demonstrated to exert their physiological functions through G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). In this study, we report the molecular identification of two endogenous prokineticin receptors, designated PK-R1 and PK-R2, through a search of the human genomic DNA database. PK-R1, locating in chromosome 2, and PK-R2, locating in chromosome 20p13, shared 87% homology, which was an extremely high value among known GPCRs. In functional assays, mammalian cells expressing PK-Rs responded to prokineticins in a concentration-dependent manner. Tissue distribution analysis revealed that expression of PK-R1 was observed in the testis, medulla oblongata, skeletal muscle and skin, while that of PK-R2 showed preferential expression in the central nervous system. The tissue distribution of PK-Rs reported in this paper suggests that the prokineticins play multifunctional roles in vivo.