Hormones

Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) act as a cardiac hormone with a variety of biological actions including natriuresis, diuresis, vasorelaxation, and inhibition of renin and aldosterone secretion. BNP is used to treat heart failure.

AR (androgen receptor) is a member of the steroid superfamily of ligand-dependent transcription factors. They regulate eukaryotic gene expression and affect cellular proliferation and differentiation in target tissues. AR consists of an amino terminal modulating domain, a central DNA-binding domain, a hinge region and a carboxyl terminal ligand binding domain. Defects in AR are the cause of androgen insensibility syndrome (genital disorders), X-linked spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (Kennedy disease), metastatic prostate cancer and infertility male syndrome.

Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH, GnRH, Gonadoliberin, Luliberin) is a decapeptide neurohormone produced mainly in the preoptic area of the hypothalamus, secreted at the median eminence into the portal blood, and carried to the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRHR). GnRHR is found on gonadotrope cells of the pituitary gland, and other organs.

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulates the adrenal glands to release cortisol. ACTH is a 39 aa peptide processed from precursor pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) by specific enzymatic cleavages. Defects in POMC are a cause of obesity.

Glycoprotein-340 is member of the scavenger receptor superfamily and has been identified as a putative SP-D receptor. Gp-340 has been shown to bind SP-D in a calcium dependent manner through a protein-protein interaction. Like SP-D, gp-340 is mainly found in lung tissue and immunohistochemistry revealed high expression in alveolar macrophages. An identical protein is present in saliva (salivary agglutinin) and both forms are encoded by the gene DMBT1. This antibody is specific for gp-340.