Urocortin 2 (Ucn2) is a newly discovered mammalian CRH-related neuropeptide (a corticotropin-releasing hormone). To investigate the role of Ucn2 in the pathogenesis of bovine paratuberculosis, we first cloned the bovine Ucn2 gene (NM_001032301). This neuropeptide is considered to have effects of tranquilization, anorexia and hypotensive effect via type 2 CRF receptor. Ucn2 is also considered to prevent muscle atrophy and [to develop] muscle and increase muscle strength. The homology of the bovine UCN2 at the predicted amino acid level with human, murine and rat sequences is 83.7%, 81.4% and 79.1%, respectively. We developed a quantitative RT-PCR system and measured the kinetics of UCN2 expression in peripheral blood from paratuberculosis infected or healthy cattle after Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis whole lysate antigen. A significant increase of UCN2 expression was detected at 3 hours in infected cattle but not in healthy cattle.
(Research Team for Paratuberculosis, TEL +81-29-838-7781)
