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

P>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 Cpefat/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 Cpefat/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 Cpefat/fat mouse brain regions.

U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH)

National Institutes of Health (NIH)[DA-04494]

FAPESP Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo[04/04933-2]

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

FAPESP Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo[04/14846-0]

Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos (FINEP)

Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos (FINEP)[A-03/134]

CNPq Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)