Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:1.6.99.3 (diaphorase)
 5,903 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We previously reported that nuclei isolated from ovaries of premenopausal women contain binding sites for hCG/human LH (hLH). This study was undertaken to determine the possible functional significance of these nuclear binding sites. Upon addition to isolated ovarian (mostly luteal cells) nuclear membranes, hCG and hLH stimulated nucleoside triphosphatase (NTPase), an enzyme involved in nucleocytoplasmic transfer of mRNA, but not Mg2+-ATPase or NADH cytochrome c reductase activities, in a concentration-dependent manner. Heat-denatured hCG, isolated alpha- and beta-subunits of hCG, human FSH, PRL, and porcine relaxin had no effect on the enzyme. Addition of hCG antiserum blocked hCG's ability to stimulate NTPase activity. cAMP, which is a second messenger in hCG- and hLH-stimulated steroidogenesis, had no effect on NTPase activity. These results, which demonstrate that hCG acts on human ovarian nuclei directly, raise the possibility that internalized hCG might influence nuclear function(s) before it is eventually degraded in the lysosomes of ovarian cells.
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PMID:Direct stimulation of nucleoside triphosphatase activity in human ovarian nuclear membranes by human chorionic gonadotropin. 303 4

The differentiative functions, lactose synthetase activity and casein synthesis, can be induced in mammary gland explants from intact mice when insulin, cortisol, and PRL are present in the medium. By contrast, the tissue from mice castrated for 1--2 months does not differentiate in vitro. Explants from these ovariectomized animals retain their sensitivity toward insulin, as evidenced by the ability of this hormone to stimulate DNA synthesis, alpha-aminoisobutyric acid accumulation, and glucose-6-phosphate/gluconate-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities. This tissue also remains sensitive to cortisol, as evidenced by the ability of this steroid to stimulate NADH-cytochrome c reductase activity. However, the tissue from ovariectomized mice has lost biological responsiveness to PRL. Such insensitivity may be due to a deficiency of PRL receptors, which are reduced in the glands from castrated mice to 20--25% of control values. However, a second defect between the receptor and the genome is also likely, since PRL unresponsiveness is still present in the tissue of ovariectomized animals whose mammary PRL-binding has been partially maintained by elevating serum PRL levels with a pituitary transplant. Therefore, this system may be useful for the study of cellular processes related to PRL action beyond the receptor level.
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PMID:Loss of differentiative potential of the mammary gland in ovariectomized mice: identification of a biochemical lesion. 678 89