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Physiological roles of the peptide Prokineticin 1
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![]() | Thesis | 3.07 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
Title: | Physiological roles of the peptide Prokineticin 1 |
Authors: | Abbara, Ali |
Item Type: | Thesis or dissertation |
Abstract: | Prokineticin-1 (PK-1) and prokineticin-2 (PK-2) are two closely related cysteine-rich peptides which both bind to the prokineticin-1 and prokineticin-2 receptors (PKR-1 and PKR-2). The prokineticins were originally named due to their ability to stimulate gastrointestinal motility. Since that time, these peptides have been found to play a role in other biological processes including reproduction and nociception. Prokineticin-2 is known to be expressed in regions of the central nervous system involved in food intake. Consistent with this, work from our own department has shown that administration of prokineticin-2 to rodents reduces food intake both in lean and obese rodents. Prokineticin-2 is predominantly expressed within the central nervous system, whereas prokineticin-1 is heavily expressed in the gut. My pilot data showed that prokineticin 1 reduces food intake in rodents. I therefore hypothesised that prokineticin 1 may be a novel gut hormone. In this thesis, I investigate the role of prokineticin-1 on appetite in rodents and also compare the effects of prokineticin-1 with prokineticin-2. I also measured the changes in plasma levels of prokineticin in humans during feeding to establish the potential physiological relevance of prokineticin-1 as an anorectic gut hormone. Prokineticin-1 is also a potent angiogenic mitogen on endocrine vascular epithelium and hence it is also known as ‘Endocrine Gland-Vascular Endothelial Factor’. Placental angiogenesis plays an important role in placental function and risk of pregnancy complications such as miscarriage. I therefore hypothesised that prokineticin-1 is a biomarker of pregnancy complications in humans. In this thesis, I have measured circulating levels of prokineticin-1 found in pregnancy and correlated these with the occurrence of pregnancy complications. I have also compared the utility of prokineticin 1 with other potential novel markers of pregnancy complications. Together this body of work investigates the potential physiological roles of prokineticin-1. |
Content Version: | Open Access |
Issue Date: | Jul-2014 |
Date Awarded: | Oct-2014 |
URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/30822 |
DOI: | https://doi.org/10.25560/30822 |
Supervisor: | Dhillo, Waljit Jayasena, Channa Gardiner, James |
Sponsor/Funder: | Wellcome Trust (London, England) |
Funder's Grant Number: | P34470 |
Department: | Department of Medicine |
Publisher: | Imperial College London |
Qualification Level: | Doctoral |
Qualification Name: | Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) |
Appears in Collections: | Medicine PhD theses |