Neuropeptide VF precursor, also known as pro-FMRFamide-related neuropeptide VF or RFamide-related peptide precursor, is a propeptide that in mammals is encoded by the ''NPVF'' (or ''RPFP'')

gene In biology, the word gene (from , ; "... Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a b ...

. The ''NPVF'' gene, and thus the propeptide, are expressed in

neuron A neuron, neurone, or nerve cell is an electrically excitable cell that communicates with other cells via specialized connections called synapses. The neuron is the main component of nervous tissue in all animals except sponges and placozoa. ...

s in the mediobasal

hypothalamus The hypothalamus () is a part of the brain that contains a number of small nuclei with a variety of functions. One of the most important functions is to link the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland. The hypothalamu ...

. The propeptide is cleaved to form three other

peptide Peptides (, ) are short chains of amino acids linked by peptide bonds. Long chains of amino acids are called proteins. Chains of fewer than twenty amino acids are called oligopeptides, and include dipeptides, tripeptides, and tetrapeptides. ...

s, which are: * Neuropeptide SF (NPSF) (RFRP-1) – agonist of the NPFF₁ and NPFF₂ receptors ( EC₅₀ = 29 nM and 0.0011 nM, respectively) * RFRP-2 – does not bind to either of the NPFF receptors; no known biological activity * Neuropeptide VF (NPVF) (RFRP-3) – agonist of the NPFF₁ receptor ( IC₅₀ = 0.7 nM) NPSF and NPVF, originally referred to as the RFamide-related peptides RFRP-1 and RFRP-3, respectively, are the mammalian homologs of the

avian Avian may refer to: *Birds or Aves, winged animals *Avian (given name) (russian: Авиа́н, link=no), a male forename Aviation *Avro Avian, a series of light aircraft made by Avro in the 1920s and 1930s *Avian Limited, a hang glider manufacture ...

neuropeptide Neuropeptides are chemical messengers made up of small chains of amino acids that are synthesized and released by neurons. Neuropeptides typically bind to G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) to modulate neural activity and other tissues like the ...

gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) is a RFamide-related peptide coded by the '' NPVF'' gene in mammals. Discovery GnIH was discovered in 2000. It is an RFamide peptide that significantly reduced luteinizing hormone release in Coturnix Japon ...

'' (''GnIH''). The mammalian ''NPVF'' and avian ''GnIH'' genes, along with their aforementioned peptide products, were discovered concurrently in 2000. Similarly to the avian GnIH neuropeptide, NPSF and NPVF have been found to potently inhibit

gonadotropin Gonadotropins are glycoprotein hormones secreted by gonadotropic cells of the anterior pituitary of vertebrates. This family includes the mammalian hormones follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), the placental/ chorioni ...

secretion. Moreover, a potent and selective antagonist of the NPFF receptors, RF9, has been reported to possess "very strong" gonadotropin-releasing effects ''in vivo'' in male and female mice.

See also

References

Further reading