Tomoregulin-1, a type-I transmembrane protein with two follistatin modules, a unique epidermal growth factor (EGF) domain and a short, highly conserved cytoplasmic tail, was studied. A number of hematopoietic cell lines (L1210, CEM, Jurkat, U937, K562, JY, THP-1 and T2) express tomoregulin-1 endogenously. In these cells, apoptosis was induced by an antiserum (C29) and purified IgG against the follistatin modules, but not by antisera against the EGF-domain or the cytoplasmic tail. Furthermore, C29 induced apoptosis in tomoregulin-1-, but not in mock-transfected cells. Apoptosis was monitored through genomic DNA fragmentation, annexin-V staining and caspase-3 activation. Treatment of the cells with C29 in the presence of H89 (a Ser/Thr kinase inhibitor) or 8'-bromo-cyclicAMP revealed that apoptosis was mediated by a cAMP-dependent Ser/Thr kinase. Moreover, C29 increased [cAMP](i) over 5-fold. Together, these data suggest that the C29 antiserum against tomoregulin-1 induces apoptosis of hematopoietic cells.

Tomoregulin-1 (TMEFF1) was first identified as a gene implicated in pituitary secretion in Xenopus laevis. The predicted structure of TMEFF1 is that of a transmembrane protein with a highly conserved cytoplasmic tail, two follistatin domains and one modified EGF domain in its extracellular region. We report the cloning of the newt orthologue, and show that the expression of TMEFF1 is upregulated in the blastema during limb regeneration, and is also expressed in mouse embryonic limb development.

A novel transmembrane protein (designated X7365) containing two follistatin modules and an epidermal growth factor (EGF) domain has been described in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis of Xenopus laevis. We have now cloned the highly conserved mouse orthologue (M7365), and its mRNA was detected in many mesodermal and (neuro)ectodermal tissues in 8.5-day-old mouse embryos. During further development, M7365 mRNA expression became restricted to certain regions in the brain and to ganglia. In the adult mouse, the brain is the major site of M7365 expression.

Through the use of a screening strategy designed to isolate novel cDNAs encoding proteins concerned with pituitary secretion in Xenopus laevis, we discovered clone X7365, which encodes a transmembrane protein with a signal peptide, two follistatin modules, a unique epidermal growth factor domain, and a short cytoplasmic region. RNA expression analyses indicated that the X7365 transcript is enriched in neuroendocrine tissues. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated that, in addition to being expressed in the optic tectum and in astrocytes in the optic nerve, the X7365 protein is concentrated in a discrete population of hypothalamic magnocellular neurons. Axons projecting to the median eminence and the neurointermediate lobe of the pituitary were also immunopositive, suggesting that X7365 functions in the regulation of magnocellular neurosecretion.

The subtilisin-like prohormone convertase PC2 and the polypeptide 7B2 (an intracellularly cleaved protein of unknown function) are both selectively present in the regulated secretory pathway of neurons and endocrine cells. Here we demonstrate that intact recombinant 7B2 is a potent inhibitor of PC2 and prevents proPC2 cleavage in vitro, whereas the 7B2 cleavage product is virtually inactive. The PC2-related proteinase PC1/PC3 is not inhibited by 7B2. Furthermore, the carboxyl-terminal half of the 7B2 protein sequence is distantly related to the so-called potato inhibitor I family (which includes subtilisin inhibitors). Our findings indicate that 7B2 is a physiological inhibitor of PC2 and may provide alternative avenues for the manipulation of peptide hormone levels.