Study on functional evolution of the digestive hormone peptide cholecystokinin(CCK)/gastrin: Expression analysis of CCK/gastrin peptide in ascidian Ciona intestinalis

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25840114
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Morphology/Structure
• Research Institution: Kanazawa University
• Principal Investigator: TOSHIO Sekiguchi 金沢大学, 環日本海域環境研究センター, 助教 (40378568)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: コレシストキニン / ガストリン / カタユウレイボヤ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To elucidate the evolution of the digestive hormone cholecystokinin (CCK)/gastrin in chordates, we analyzed the expression of cionin which is a CCK/gastrin ortholog and cionin receptor in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis. Analysis of cionin receptor gene promoter-driven fluorescence demonstrated that the cionin receptor was expressed in the visceral ganglion and tail nerve cord of larval ascidians. This expression pattern coincided with cholinergic neurons. In adult ascidians, cionin mRNA was exclusively expressed in the central nervous system, whereas the expression of cionin receptor mRNA was detected in both the central nervous system and digestive tract. These results suggest that cionin is released from the central nervous system and acts as a neurotransmitter or neuromodulator, affecting cionin receptor-expressing neurons. Alternatively, cionin can affect the digestive tract as a digestive hormone.

Free Research Field

比較内分泌学