SOLUBILIZATION PARTIAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE ALPHA-MSH RECEPTOR ON PRIMARY RAT SCHWANN-CELLS

The ACTH/MSH(4-10) melanocortin core peptide sequence possesses neurotrophic properties in peripheral nerve. During functional neuroanatomical recovery after damage to peripheral nerves, Schwann cells play a significant role in facilitating regeneration. Here we employ a modified super-potent alpha-MSH analogue to solubilise alpha-MSH receptor proteins from cultured primary rat Schwann cells. [I-125-Tyr(2),Nle(4),D-phe(7),ATB-Lys(11)]-alpha-MSH photoaffinity labelled proteins from Schwann cells were analyzed by SDS-PAGE followed by autoradiography. The results indicate that the alpha-MSH receptor proteins labelled have a molecular weight of 42-45 kDa. These data are the first to demonstrate solubilisation and characterisation of alpha-MSH receptors from non-melanoma cells.