Mice heterozygous for a null mutation of CPE show reduced expression of carboxypeptidase e mRNA and enzyme activity but normal physiology, behavior, and levels of neuropeptides.

ABSTRACT: Carboxypeptidase E (CPE) is an essential enzyme that contributes to the biosynthesis of the vast majority of neuropeptides and peptide hormones. There are several reports claiming that small decreases in CPE activity cause physiological changes in animals and/or cultured cells, but these studies did not provide evidence that neuropeptide levels were affected by decreased CPE activity. In the present study, we tested if CPE is a rate-limiting enzyme in neuropeptide production using CpeNeo mice, which contain a neomycin cassette within the Cpe gene that eliminates enzyme expression. Homozygous CpeNeo/Neo mice show defects found in Cpe^fat/fat and/or Cpe global knockout (KO) mice, including greatly decreased levels of most neuropeptides, severely impaired fertility, depressive-like

SUBMITTER: Fricker LD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12578091 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature