Insulin-like peptide 5: Expression in the mouse brain and mobilization of calcium

Insulin-like peptide 5 (INSL5) mRNA was detected in the mouse hypothalamus by RT-PCR. Immunohistochemical studies using an antiserum against the mouse INSL5 peptide revealed INSL5-immunoreactive (irINSL5) neurons in the paraventricular, supraoptic, accessory secretory, and supraoptic retrochiasmatic nuclei and immunoreactive cell processes in the internal layer of the median eminence. In the pituitary, irINSL5 was detected in terminal-like elements of the posterior lobe and in cells of the anterior lobe. Double-labeling experiments showed that irINSL5 is expressed in vasopressin, but not oxytocin-containing neurons. INSL5 (100 nM) administered to dissociated and cultured mouse hypothalamic neurons elevated cytosolic calcium concentrations [Ca2+](i), as assessed by the microfluorimetric fura-2 method. In a Ca2+-free medium, INSL5 induced in dissociated neurons an increase of [Ca2+](i), which was sensitive to the endoplasmic reticulum calcium pump inhibitor thapsigargin (1 mu M) and the IP3 receptor blocker 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (100 mu M) or xestospongin C (5 mu M). Our result provides the first evidence that INSL5 is expressed in a population of cells in the mouse hypothalamus and pituitary and that it elevates [Ca2+](i) by a mechanism involving both Ca2+ influx and Ca2+ release from intracellular stores. The concentration of irINSL5 in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis suggests a neuroendocrine function of this insulin superfamily member.