The Revolutionary
Search for Alarin
How Alarin and its Relation to GALP
May Impact Society
Paulina Phomvongsa
Dr. Fraley’s Lab
Framework
 Overview
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What is GALP?
What are the effects?
How is alarin related to GALP?
Why is this significant?
 The Research Aspect
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 Hypothesis
 Methods & Techniques
 Observations
What is GALP?
 Stands for Galanin-Like Peptide
 Neuropeptide composed of 60 amino acids
 Member of the galantide family
 2 members: galanin & GALP
 Aren’t found on same chromosomes
 Have different effects in the brain
 Found in neurons located in Arcuate
nucleus of hypothalamus
 Regulated by leptin and insulin
What are the Effects?
 Stimulates the hypothlamic-pituitarygondal axis
 Effects the release of reproductive
hormones
 Body weight and feeding behavior  
GALP production   stimulates
reproduction
 Diseases affiliated with GALP: anorexia
nervosa/exercise-induced anorexia & Type
I diabetes
Anorexia
http://www.lostiempos.com/lecturas/0701-07/fotos/anorexia.jpg
Diabetes
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How is Alarin Related to GALP?
 GALP discovered in 1998
 Is an alternate transcript of GALP gene
 Found in brain tumor cells:
neuroblastomas
 Both found on the same gene
 GALP has 5 exons, alarin is missing
exon 3 and therefore has 4 exons
What We’re Looking For
 Can the alarin
protein be isolated
in the normal
brain?
 What does it
control?
 What are the
effects?
Hypotheses
 Alarin has functions similar to GALP’s
 Regulates body weight, food intake and
reproductive behaviors
Methods & Techniques
 Lateral Ventricle Cannulations
 In Vivo injections
 PCR
 Look for alarin cDNA
 ICC
 Look for cell bodies where alarin is
produced and where their axons project
Observations
 Alarin increases hunger
 Opposite effect of GALP
 Rats injected with alarin display
tranquil behavior
 Rats injected with alarin were found
laying down more often than normal
3
**
PB
Food Intake (grams)
1.0 nmol
2
5.0 nmol
*
1
0
30
60
120
180
Minutes After Injection
240
Summary
 Alarin exists naturally in mammalian
brain
 Although alarin increases food intake,
its action appears to be very different
from GALP
Acknowledgements
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Dr. Gregory. S. Fraley
Co-Workers
Hope College Biology Department
Hope College REACH Program
NIH