Neurotensin receptor 2 (NTS2) is one of three receptors that mediate the effects of the tridecapeptide neurotensin. Neurotensin is synthesized and secreted from neurons in the central neural system (CNS) and from endocrine cells in the gastrointestinal tract.
NTS2 and NTS1 belong to the 7-transmembrane domain, G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily while the third neurotensin receptor NTS3 (also called Sortilin) is a type I membrane protein with a large extracellular domain. Both NTS1 and NTS3 bind neurotensin with high affinity while NTS2 binds it with low affinity.1
NTS2 signals preferentially through Gaq, resulting in the activation phopholipase C and intracellular Ca2+ mobilization. However, the exact signaling mechanisms subsequent to NTS2 activation appear to depend on the species and on the cellular system in which the receptor is studied.
NTS2 is expressed mainly in the central nervous system and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons but has been also observed in peripheral tissues such as gastric parietal cells where it probably mediates the neurotensin-induced effects on gastric acid secretion.2
The most established physiological role of NTS2 is its role in pain transmission as NTS2-defficient mice showed that NTS2 is the likely mediator of the neurotensin-induced analgesic responses.3
Alomone Labs is pleased to offer a highly specific antibody directed against an epitope at the intracellular C-terminal domain of the rat NTS2. Anti-Neurotensin Receptor 2 antibody (#AG1173) can be used in Western blot analysis, immunohistochemical and immunocytochemical applications, and recognizes NTS2 receptor from rat and mouse samples.
