AUTHOR=Hogg David W. , Husić Mia , Wosnick David , Dodsworth Thomas , D’Aquila Andrea L. , Lovejoy David A.
TITLE=Activity of the Carboxy-Terminal Peptide Region of the Teneurins and Its Role in Neuronal Function and Behavior in Mammals
JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neuroscience
VOLUME=13
YEAR=2019
URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2019.00581
DOI=10.3389/fnins.2019.00581
ISSN=1662-453X
ABSTRACT=
Teneurin C-terminal associated peptides (TCAPs) are an evolutionarily ancient family of 40- to 41-residue bioactive peptides located on the extracellular end of each of the four teneurin transmembrane proteins. TCAP-1 may exist as a tethered peptide at the teneurin-1 carboxy end or as an independent peptide that is either released via post-transcriptional cleavage from its teneurin-1 pro-protein or independently expressed as its own mRNA. In neurons, soluble TCAP-1 acts as a paracrine factor to regulate cellular activity and neuroplastic interactions. In vitro studies indicate that, by itself, synthetic TCAP-1 promotes neuron growth and protects cells from chemical insult. In vivo, TCAP-1 increases hippocampal neuron spine density, reduces stress-induced behavior and ablates cocaine-seeking behaviors. Together, these studies suggest that the physiological effects of TCAP-1 are a result of an inhibition of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) activity leading to increased energy production. This hypothesis is supported by in vivo functional positron emissions tomography studies, which demonstrate that TCAP-1 significantly increases glucose uptake in rat brain. Complimentary in vitro studies show that enhanced glucose uptake is the result of TCAP-1-induced insertion of the glucose transporter into the neuronal plasma membrane, leading to increased glucose uptake and ATP production. Interestingly, TCAP-1-mediated glucose uptake occurs through a novel insulin-independent pathway. This review will focus on examining the role of TCAP on neuronal energy metabolism in the central nervous system.