Hemopressins and other hemoglobin-derived peptides in mouse brain: comparison between brain, blood, and heart peptidome and regulation in Cpefat/fat mice

J Neurochem. 2010 May;113(4):871-80. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2010.06653.x. Epub 2010 Feb 24.

Abstract

Many hemoglobin-derived peptides are present in mouse brain, and several of these have bioactive properties including the hemopressins, a related series of peptides that bind to cannabinoid CB1 receptors. Although hemoglobin is a major component of red blood cells, it is also present in neurons and glia. To examine whether the hemoglobin-derived peptides in brain are similar to those present in blood and heart, we used a peptidomics approach involving mass spectrometry. Many hemoglobin-derived peptides are found only in brain and not in blood, whereas all hemoglobin-derived peptides found in heart were also seen in blood. Thus, it is likely that the majority of the hemoglobin-derived peptides detected in brain are produced from brain hemoglobin and not erythrocytes. We also examined if the hemopressins and other major hemoglobin-derived peptides were regulated in the Cpe(fat/fat) mouse; previously these mice were reported to have elevated levels of several hemoglobin-derived peptides. Many, but not all of the hemoglobin-derived peptides were elevated in several brain regions of the Cpe(fat/fat) mouse. Taken together, these findings suggest that the post-translational processing of alpha and beta hemoglobin into the hemopressins, as well as other peptides, is up-regulated in some but not all Cpe(fat/fat) mouse brain regions.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Brain Chemistry / physiology
  • Erythrocytes / metabolism*
  • Hemoglobins / analysis
  • Hemoglobins / genetics
  • Hemoglobins / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Myocardium / metabolism*
  • Peptide Fragments / analysis
  • Peptide Fragments / blood*
  • Peptide Fragments / genetics
  • Peptides / analysis
  • Peptides / blood*
  • Peptides / genetics
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational / physiology
  • Proteome / metabolism
  • Proteomics / methods
  • RNA, Messenger / analysis
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

  • Hemoglobins
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Peptides
  • Proteome
  • RNA, Messenger
  • hemopressin