Invertebrate and vertebrate immune cells express pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA

We show here that hemocytes and leukocytes with phagocytic activity from both invertebrates (Planorbarius corneus, Viviparus ater) and vertebrates (Carassius auratus, Rana esculenta) express pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA, as assessed by in situ hybridization with a digoxigenin-labeled human DNA probe. These data are in accord with previous observations from our laboratories on the presence in these cells of POMC-derived peptides and strongly suggest that these molecules--highly conserved throughout evolution--play an important role in cell locomotion and phagocytosis. POMC mRNA was also detected in lymphocytes of R. esculenta, but not of C. auratus, suggesting that from anuran amphibians onwards lymphocytes also express this gene. This phenomenon could be related to the appearance of more than one immunoglobulin isotype in anurans.