| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
USUKI Yoshie University of Tsukuba, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Ophthalmology, Assistant, 臨床医学系, 講師 (80134229)
SHIODA Masaki University of Kumamoto, Faculty of Science, Biology, Professor, Ph.D., 理学部, 教授 (80134526)
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| Research Abstract |
There exists pituitry adenylate-activating peptides (PACAP), which are known to be a member of secretin, glucagon and vasoactive polypetide family peptides, in rat and human ovaries. PACAP regulates ovarian functions mainly through type II PACAP receptor. PACAP appears to regulate cyclic nucleotides, cytosolic Ca^<2+>, intracellular voltage, apoptosis, adhesion molecule. Furthermore, PACAP regulates not only ovarian steroidogenesis but also gonadotropin- or other peptide-induced steroidogenesis. As for DNA polymerase activities, it controls DNA polymerase alpha activity, a replicating enzyme for DNA synthesis, indicating the involvement of PACAP in ovarian cellular proliferation. In addition, PACAP is closely involved in endothelin-renin-angiotensin atrial natriuretic peptide system (ERAANPS) and growth hormone actions, and further it appears to regulate receptors for endothelin and angiotensin. In contrast, the involvement of neovascularization has not been shown well. PACAP exists more in the granulosa cells than in thecal and interstitial cells. PACAP is also suggested to be involved in ovarian atresia and oocyte function.
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