Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript

CART was originally discovered as a transcript upregulated in the rat nucleus accumbens in response to cocaine and amphetamine, and the mRNA is extensively detected in the central, peripheral, and enteric nervous systems, and in endocrine tissues such as pancreatic islet cells. Variable processing by prohormone convertase enzymes gives rise to multiple CART fragments. Among them, CART55-102 and CART62-102 are thought to be the putative active peptides. The CART system has been suggested to play a role in a number of physiological and pathophysiological functions, including regulation of feeding, stress, pancreatic islet function, and many others. The most important goal is to identify the cognate receptor of the CART peptide. A recent finding suggests that CART55-102 is a ligand of GPR160. A detailed pharmacological analysis is needed to determine whether the ligand-receptor interaction is specific.