Trends in Pharmacological Sciences 2004-01-01

Newly discovered tachykinins raise new questions about their peripheral roles and the tachykinin nomenclature.

Riccardo Patacchini, Alessandro Lecci, Peter Holzer, Carlo Alberto Maggi

Index: Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 25 , 1-3, (2004)

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Abstract

The tachykinin family has recently been extended by the discovery of a third tachykinin gene encoding previously unknown mammalian tachykinins (hemokinin 1, endokinin A and endokinin B) that have a widespread peripheral distribution and a tachykinin NK(1) receptor selectivity. This and the identification of other tachykinin-like peptides such as C14TKL-1 and virokinin raise many questions about the roles played by tachykinins in peripheral tissues and render terms such as 'neurokinins' and 'SP receptor' inappropriate.