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

The ACTH/MSH(4-10) melanocortin core peptide sequence possesses neurot rophic properties in peripheral nerve. During functional neuroanatomic al recovery after damage to peripheral nerves, Schwann cells play a si gnificant role in facilitating regeneration. Here we employ a modified super-potent alpha-MSH analogue to solubilise alpha-MSH receptor prot eins from cultured primary rat Schwann cells. -125-Tyr(2),Nle(4),D-phe (7),ATB-Lys(11)]-alpha-MSH photoaffinity labelled proteins from Schwan n cells were analyzed by SDS-PAGE followed by autoradiography. The res ults indicate that the alpha-MSH receptor proteins labelled have a mol ecular weight of 42-45 kDa. These data are the first to demonstrate so lubilisation and characterisation of alpha-MSH receptors from non-mela noma cells.