Neuropeptide VF precursor, also known as pro-FMRFamide-related neuropeptide VF or RFamide-related peptide precursor, is a

propeptide A protein precursor, also called a pro-protein or pro-peptide, is an inactive protein (or peptide) that can be turned into an active form by post-translational modification, such as breaking off a piece of the molecule or adding on another molecule ...

that in

mammal A mammal () is a vertebrate animal of the Class (biology), class Mammalia (). Mammals are characterised by the presence of milk-producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a broad neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair, and three ...

s is encoded by the ''NPVF'' (or ''RPFP'')

gene In biology, the word gene has two meanings. The Mendelian gene is a basic unit of heredity. The molecular gene is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is transcribed to produce a functional RNA. There are two types of molecular genes: protei ...

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

neuron A neuron (American English), neurone (British English), or nerve cell, is an membrane potential#Cell excitability, excitable cell (biology), cell that fires electric signals called action potentials across a neural network (biology), neural net ...

s in the mediobasal

hypothalamus The hypothalamus (: hypothalami; ) is a small part of the vertebrate brain that contains a number of nucleus (neuroanatomy), nuclei with a variety of functions. One of the most important functions is to link the nervous system to the endocrin ...

. The propeptide is cleaved to form three other

peptide Peptides are short chains of amino acids linked by peptide bonds. A polypeptide is a longer, continuous, unbranched peptide chain. Polypeptides that have a molecular mass of 10,000 Da or more are called proteins. Chains of fewer than twenty am ...

s, which are: *

Neuropeptide SF 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 ...

(NPSF) (RFRP-1) –

agonist An agonist is a chemical that activates a Receptor (biochemistry), receptor to produce a biological response. Receptors are Cell (biology), cellular proteins whose activation causes the cell to modify what it is currently doing. In contrast, an R ...

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 In pharmacology, biological activity or pharmacological activity describes the beneficial or adverse effects of a drug on living matter. When a drug is a complex chemical mixture, this activity is exerted by the substance's active ingredient or ...

Neuropeptide VF 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 ...

(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

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. They are central to the complex endocrine system that regulates normal growth, sexual development, and reproductive function. T ...

secretion. Moreover, a potent and selective

antagonist An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the main enemy or rival of the protagonist and is often depicted as a villain.RF9, has been reported to possess "very strong" gonadotropin-releasing effects ''in vivo'' in male and female mice.

See also

References

Further reading