J Gastroenterol 2006; 41:810â813 DOI 10.1007/s00535-006-1885-z Editorial Role of corticotropin-releasing factor in stress-related visceral hyperalgesia Article on page 740 Corticotropin-releasing factor induces rectal hypersensitivity after repetitive painful rectal distention in healthy humans Nozu T and Kudaira M Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF, also known as corticotropin-releasing hormone) was characterized in 1981 as a novel 41-amino-acid hypothalamic peptide that stimulates the synthesis and release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and β-endorphin from the pituitary.1 Activation of CRF pathways in the brain has been shown to reproduce the overall endocrine, autonomic, visceral, and behavioral response to stress.2,3 Recently, the CRF family has been expanded by the addition of three novel mammalian CRF-related peptides, urocortin 1 (also known as urocortin), urocortin 2 (also known as stresscopin-related peptide), and urocortin 3 (also known as stresscopin).4 CRF ligands interact with CRF receptor subtype 1 (CRF1) and/or subtype 2 (CRF2), cloned from two distinct genes.3 Several CRF1 receptor splice variants, producing at least eight isoforms, and three functional isoforms of CRF2 receptors have been identiï¬ed in humans. One of the important characteristics of CRF receptor subtypes is their distinct afï¬nity for mammalian CRF family ligands. CRF has higher afï¬nity (10- to 40-fold) for CRF1 than for CRF2
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