Prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP) is a

peptide hormone Peptide hormones or protein hormones are hormones whose molecules are peptide, or proteins, respectively. The latter have longer amino acid chain lengths than the former. These hormones have an effect on the endocrine system of animals, including h ...

that in humans is encoded by the ''PRLH''

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 ba ...

. PrRP stimulates

prolactin Prolactin (PRL), also known as lactotropin, is a protein best known for its role in enabling mammals to produce milk. It is influential in over 300 separate processes in various vertebrates, including humans. Prolactin is secreted from the pit ...

(PRL) release and regulates the expression of prolactin through binding to the

prolactin-releasing peptide receptor The prolactin-releasing peptide receptor (PrRPR) also known as G-protein coupled receptor 10 (GPR10) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''PRLHR'' gene. PrRPR is a G-protein coupled receptor that binds the prolactin-releasing peptide (P ...

(GPR10).

Description

PrRP has 20

amino acids Amino acids are organic compounds that contain both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. Although hundreds of amino acids exist in nature, by far the most important are the alpha-amino acids, which comprise proteins. Only 22 alpha am ...

, and is a member of the

RFamide peptide family The RFamide peptide family, or the RFamide-related peptides (RFRPs), are a family of neuropeptides. They are characterized by the possession of an Arg-Phe-NH2 motif at their C-terminal extremities. Members of the family include: * Neuropeptide FF ...

. During the discovery process, PrRP was found to be a ligand for an orphan

G-protein coupled receptor G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), also known as seven-(pass)-transmembrane domain receptors, 7TM receptors, heptahelical receptors, serpentine receptors, and G protein-linked receptors (GPLR), form a large group of protein family, evolution ...

(GPR 10). Preliminary ''in vitro'' studies showed it to stimulate the secretion of prolactin from

lactotropic cell A lactotropic cell (also known as prolactin cell, epsilon acidophil, lactotrope, lactotroph, mammatroph, mammotroph) is a cell in the anterior pituitary which produces prolactin in response to hormonal signals including dopamine which is inhibit ...

s, hence its name. Now, however, the function of PrRP in the brain is understood in terms of negative regulation of appetite.
This extract is more helpful.
PrRP is produced by noradrenergic neurons A1 and A2 in the

solitary nucleus In the human brainstem, the solitary nucleus, also called nucleus of the solitary tract, nucleus solitarius, and nucleus tractus solitarii, (SN or NTS) is a series of purely sensory nuclei (clusters of nerve cell bodies) forming a vertical column ...

, and also by neurons in the

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 ...

Description

References

Further reading