Calsyntenins are secretory granule proteins in anterior pituitary gland and pancreatic islet alpha cells

J Histochem Cytochem. 2008 Apr;56(4):381-8. doi: 10.1369/jhc.7A7351.2007. Epub 2007 Dec 23.

Abstract

Calsyntenins are members of the cadherin superfamily of cell adhesion molecules. They are present in postsynaptic membranes of excitatory neurons and in vesicles in transit to neuronal growth cones. In the current study, calsyntenin-1 (CST-1) and calsyntenin-3 (CST-3) were identified by mass spectrometric analysis (LC-MS/MS) of integral membrane proteins from highly enriched secretory granule preparations from bovine anterior pituitary gland. Immunofluorescence microscopy on thin frozen sections of rat pituitary revealed that CST-1 was present only in gonadotropes where it colocalized with follicle-stimulating hormone in secretory granules. In contrast, CST-3 was present not only in gonadotrope secretory granules but also in those of somatotropes and thyrotropes. Neither protein was detected in mammatropes. In addition, CST-1 was also localized to the glucagon-containing secretory granules of alpha cells in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans. Results indicate that calsyntenins function outside the nervous system and potentially are modulators of endocrine function.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cadherins / genetics
  • Cadherins / metabolism*
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cattle
  • Cell Line
  • Chromatography, Liquid
  • Glucagon-Secreting Cells / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Pituitary Gland, Anterior / metabolism*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Secretory Vesicles / metabolism*
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Substances

  • Cadherins
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • Clstn1 protein, mouse
  • Clstn3 protein, mouse
  • Membrane Proteins