Orexin-A (OXA, hyprocretin-1) and orexin-B (OXB, hypocretin-2) are peptides derived from the same 130 amino acid long precursor (prepro-orexin) that bind and activate two closely related orphan G protein-coupled receptors. Orexins and their receptors were first discovered in the rat brain, and soon after that in peripheral neural structures, including the vagal nerve and enteric nervous system, and in other structures involving the gastrointestinal tract diffuse neuroendocrine system, pancreas tissue, stomach and intestinal mucosa. Orexins and their receptors were also demonstrated in the testes, adrenals, kidneys and placenta. This review is focused on central and enteric actions. Originally, orexins were considered to be neurotransmitters that centrally stimulate food intake in animals and humans, but it soon became evident that their action is broader due to activation of a large number of neuronal pathways involved in energy homeostasis, sleep-awake behavior, nociception, reward seeking, food and drug addiction, as well as reproduction, cardiovascular and adrenal function. In the gastrointestinal tract, orexins have been found so far to affect gastrointestinal motility and gastric, intestinal and pancreatic secretions. The effects were observed following central (intraventricular) or local (intraluminal, intraarterial), but not peripheral (intravenous), administrations of orexins. Since the expression of orexins in the gastrointestinal tract is enhanced during fasting, and fasting reveals many of the orexin gastrointestinal effects, it seems probable that on the local level, orexins keep the gastrointestinal tract functions ready during fasting and play a role in brain-gut axis control.
In contrast to the well-known Ah receptor-mediated regulation of the CYP1A1 gene by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, the molecular mechanism by which phenobarbital (PB) and PB-like inducers affect transcription of CYP genes remains unknown; no receptor for these chemicals has been found to date. However, in the last 5 years PB-responsive sequences have been identified in the 5' flanking regions of several P450 genes. The phenobarbital-responsive enhancer unit (PBRU) of CYP2B gene family members contain two potential nuclear receptor binding sites (NR1 and NR2) that flank a nuclear factor 1 (NF-1) binding motif. The nuclear factors that regulate PBRU activity have not yet been characterized. It seems that PB may activate multiple nuclear orphan receptors to induce various CYP genes. CYP2B and CYP3A genes appear to be targets for the orphan receptors CAR and PXR, respectively. It is also possible that the pleiotropic effects of PB can, in part, be explained by the ability of the CAR-RXR heterodimer to bind to a variety of nuclear receptor binding motifs. The induction of cytochromes P450 may result in interactions between xenobiotics and in the interference of xenobiotic metabolism and endogenous signalling pathways.
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