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Rhesus monkey gastroenteropancreatic hormones: relationship to human sequences.
1Solomon A. Berson Research Laboratory, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10468.
Regulatory Peptides
|January 1, 1991
Summary
Gastroenteropancreatic peptides in rhesus monkeys are mostly identical to human versions, except for gastrin, which differs. This research highlights species-specific variations in key digestive hormones.
Area of Science:
- Comparative genomics
- Endocrinology
- Mammalian physiology
Background:
- Gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) peptides are crucial for digestion and metabolism.
- Amino acid sequences of GEP peptides are generally conserved across Old World mammals.
- Human and rhesus monkey insulin, glucagons, and vasoactive intestinal polypeptides (VIP) are known to be identical.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the conservation of other GEP peptides between rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) and humans.
- To identify any amino acid sequence differences in key GEP peptides.
Main Methods:
- Purification of GEP peptides from rhesus monkey tissues.
- Amino acid sequencing of purified glucagon, pancreatic polypeptide, VIP, insulin, and gastrin.
- Comparison of sequenced peptides with their human counterparts.
Main Results:
- Glucagon, pancreatic polypeptide, VIP, and insulin sequences were confirmed to be identical between rhesus monkeys and humans.
- Rhesus monkey gastrin, a 17-amino acid peptide, was found to be identical to dog gastrin.
- Rhesus monkey gastrin differs from human gastrin at two positions: methionine at position 5 and alanine at position 10.
Conclusions:
- While many GEP peptides are conserved, rhesus monkey gastrin exhibits species-specific differences compared to human gastrin.
- The findings suggest potential variations in gastrointestinal peptide evolution and function across primate and non-primate species.
- Further investigation into other gastrointestinal peptides in rhesus monkeys is warranted.