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Transcriptional activity by cocaine–amphetamine-regulated transcript

Molecular Psychiatry volume 12, pages 223–224 (2007)Cite this article

Cocaine–amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) gene was identified in 1995 in a search for mRNAs in the striatum acutely upregulated by psychostimulants.1 CART is highest expressed in the hypothalamus and widely expressed in the central and peripheral nervous systems, as well as in endocrine cells.1, 2 CART peptides have received much attention as mediators of stress, reward and reinforcement, appetite control, addiction and neuroendocrine regulation.2 Recent studies link a mutation in the CART gene to obesity, type-II diabetes, anxiety and depression, and the mutation leads to CART deficiency or altered CART peptide levels, indicating a genetic cause for these human diseases or disorders.3, 4, 5, 6

Although CART peptides have versatile functions, the mechanisms that mediate CART's effects are still poorly understood. Interestingly, intracerebroventricular injections of CART not only influenced food intake but also induced c-Fos expression in areas of the rat brain that are involved in feeding behavior.7 Furthermore, CART knockout mice displayed increased body weight, and marked reduction of the expression of some important genes, such as pancreatic duodenal homeobox 1 (PDX-1) and glucose transporter-2 (GLUT-2) in pancreatic islets.8 Thus, we tested the hypothesis that CART may have transcription function by a putative approach9 in mammalian cells.

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  1. Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine, Portland, OR, USA

    P Mao & R Jacks

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  2. R Jacks
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Correspondence to P Mao.

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Mao, P., Jacks, R. Transcriptional activity by cocaine–amphetamine-regulated transcript. Mol Psychiatry 12, 223–224 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001928

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