Urocortin, rat TFA is a neuropeptide and a potent endogenous CRFR agonist (Kis: 0.97 nM, 1.5 nM, and 13 nM for mouse CRF2β, rat CRF2α, and human CRF1).
Urocortin II, a neuropeptide hormone within the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family—which comprises mammalian CRF, urocortin I, urocortin III, frog sauvagine, and piscine urotensin I—displays 34, 43, and 37-40% sequence homology with rat and human CRF, human urocortin I, and human urocortin III, respectively. This compound enhances rabbit ventricular myocyte shortening and relaxation in both a time- and concentration-dependent manner. In vivo studies reveal that urocortin II lowers arterial blood pressure in both normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats through peripheral CRF2 receptor agonism, inducing dose-dependent tachycardia and hypotension at doses of 3 and 30 pmol/kg. Additionally, it mitigates the visceral pain response to colorectal distension at 10 and 20 μg/kg in conscious rats and delays gastric emptying in mice.
Urocortin II is a neuropeptide hormone and member of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family which includes mammalian CRF , urocortin , urocortin III , frog sauvagine, and piscine urotensin I.1 Mouse urocortin II shares 34 and 42% sequence homology with rat CRF and urocortin . It is expressed in mouse paraventricular, supraoptic, and arcuate nuclei of the hypothalamus, the locus coeruleus, and in motor nuclei of the brainstem and spinal ventral horn. Urocortin II selectively binds to CRF1 over CRF2 receptors (Kis = 0.66 and >100 nM, respectively) and induces cAMP production in CHO cells expressing CRF2 (EC50 = 0.14 nM). In vivo, urocortin II suppresses nighttime food intake by 35% in rats when administered intracerebroventricularly at a dose of 1 μg. Urocortin II (0.1 and 0.5 μg, i.c.v) stimulates fecal pellet output, increases distal colonic transit, and inhibits gastric emptying in mice.2References1. Reyes, T.M., Lewis, K., Perrin, M.H., et al. Urocortin II: A member of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neuropeptide family that is selectively bound by type 2 CRF receptors. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 98(5), 2843-2848 (2001).2. Martinez, V., Wang, L., Million, M., et al. Urocortins and the regulation of gastrointestinal motor function and visceral pain. Peptides 25(10), 1733-1744 (2004). Urocortin II is a neuropeptide hormone and member of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family which includes mammalian CRF , urocortin , urocortin III , frog sauvagine, and piscine urotensin I.1 Mouse urocortin II shares 34 and 42% sequence homology with rat CRF and urocortin . It is expressed in mouse paraventricular, supraoptic, and arcuate nuclei of the hypothalamus, the locus coeruleus, and in motor nuclei of the brainstem and spinal ventral horn. Urocortin II selectively binds to CRF1 over CRF2 receptors (Kis = 0.66 and >100 nM, respectively) and induces cAMP production in CHO cells expressing CRF2 (EC50 = 0.14 nM). In vivo, urocortin II suppresses nighttime food intake by 35% in rats when administered intracerebroventricularly at a dose of 1 μg. Urocortin II (0.1 and 0.5 μg, i.c.v) stimulates fecal pellet output, increases distal colonic transit, and inhibits gastric emptying in mice.2 References1. Reyes, T.M., Lewis, K., Perrin, M.H., et al. Urocortin II: A member of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neuropeptide family that is selectively bound by type 2 CRF receptors. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 98(5), 2843-2848 (2001).2. Martinez, V., Wang, L., Million, M., et al. Urocortins and the regulation of gastrointestinal motor function and visceral pain. Peptides 25(10), 1733-1744 (2004).
Urocortin III is a neuropeptide hormone and member of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family which includes mammalian CRF , urocortin , urocortin II , frog sauvagine, and piscine urotensin I.1 Human urocortin III shares 90, 40, 37, and 21% identity to mouse urocortin III , mouse urocortin II , human urocortin , and mouse urocortin, respectively. Urocortin III selectively binds to type 2 CRF receptors (Kis = 21.7, 13.5, and >100 nM for rat CRF2α, rat CRF2β, and human CRF1, respectively). It stimulates cAMP production in CHO cells expressing rat CRF2α and mouse CRF2β (EC50s = 0.16 and 0.12 nM, respectively) as well as cultured anterior pituitary cells expressing endogenous CRF2β. Urocortin III is co-released with insulin to potentiate glucose-stimulated somatostatin release in vitro in human pancreatic β-cells.2 In vivo, urocortin III reduces food intake in a dose- and time-dependent manner in mice with a minimum effective dose (MED) of 0.3 nmol/animal.3 It increases swimming time in a forced swim test in mice, indicating antidepressant-like activity.4References1. Lewis, K., Li, C., Perrin, M.H., et al. Identification of urocortin III, an additional member of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family with high affinity for the CRF2 receptor. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 98(13), 7570-7575 (2001).2. van der Meulen, T., Donaldson, C.J., Cáceres, E., et al. Urocortin3 mediates somatostatin-dependent negative feedback control of insulin secretion. Nat. Med. 21(7), 769-776 (2015).3. Pelleymounter, M.A., Joppa, M., Ling, N., et al. Behavioral and neuroendocrine effects of the selective CRF2 receptor agonists urocortin II and urocortin III. Peptides 25(4), 659-666 (2004).4. Tanaka, M., Kádár, K., Tóth, G., et al. Antidepressant-like effects of urocortin 3 fragments. Brain Res. Bull. 84(6), 414-418 (2011). Urocortin III is a neuropeptide hormone and member of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family which includes mammalian CRF , urocortin , urocortin II , frog sauvagine, and piscine urotensin I.1 Human urocortin III shares 90, 40, 37, and 21% identity to mouse urocortin III , mouse urocortin II , human urocortin , and mouse urocortin, respectively. Urocortin III selectively binds to type 2 CRF receptors (Kis = 21.7, 13.5, and >100 nM for rat CRF2α, rat CRF2β, and human CRF1, respectively). It stimulates cAMP production in CHO cells expressing rat CRF2α and mouse CRF2β (EC50s = 0.16 and 0.12 nM, respectively) as well as cultured anterior pituitary cells expressing endogenous CRF2β. Urocortin III is co-released with insulin to potentiate glucose-stimulated somatostatin release in vitro in human pancreatic β-cells.2 In vivo, urocortin III reduces food intake in a dose- and time-dependent manner in mice with a minimum effective dose (MED) of 0.3 nmol/animal.3 It increases swimming time in a forced swim test in mice, indicating antidepressant-like activity.4 References1. Lewis, K., Li, C., Perrin, M.H., et al. Identification of urocortin III, an additional member of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family with high affinity for the CRF2 receptor. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 98(13), 7570-7575 (2001).2. van der Meulen, T., Donaldson, C.J., Cáceres, E., et al. Urocortin3 mediates somatostatin-dependent negative feedback control of insulin secretion. Nat. Med. 21(7), 769-776 (2015).3. Pelleymounter, M.A., Joppa, M., Ling, N., et al. Behavioral and neuroendocrine effects of the selective CRF2 receptor agonists urocortin II and urocortin III. Peptides 25(4), 659-666 (2004).4. Tanaka, M., Kádár, K., Tóth, G., et al. Antidepressant-like effects of urocortin 3 fragments. Brain Res. Bull. 84(6), 414-418 (2011).