Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.24.3 (collagenase)
 18,340 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The steroidogenic potential of various physiological compartments within the ovary of the hen were examined using in vitro systems. Three-hour incubations of individual whole small follicles (less than 1 mm-1 cm) or 100,000 collagenase-dispersed theca cells of the five largest ovarian follicles (F1-F5) were conducted in 1 ml of Medium 199 at 37 degrees C in the presence and absence of luteinizing hormone (LH) (0.39, 0.78, 1.56, 3.13 and 6.25 ng), progesterone (5 ng), and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA, 5 ng). Steroid output was measured by radioimmunoassay of incubation media. Progesterone was not produced by small follicles although they are a major source of DHEA and estradiol and a significant source of androstenedione. Output of DHEA, androstenedione and estradiol was highly stimulated by LH. The substrate for androstenedione and estradiol in small follicles is probably DHEA. Output of DHEA and androstenedione in theca cells of F2-F5 was stimulated by LH in a dose-related manner. A dose-response relationship between estradiol output and the concentration of LH in media was not apparent in theca cells from F2-F5. Steroidogenesis in theca tissue of large follicles occurs predominantly via the delta 4 pathway. The ability of these theca cells to metabolize progesterone to androstenedione is lost between 36 and 12 h before ovulation. Their ability to metabolize DHEA to androstenedione is still present 12 h before ovulation. Aromatase activity is significantly reduced between 36 and 12 h before ovulation. These data indicate that both large and small follicles can be stimulated by LH. The small follicles are the major source of estrogen. As the large yolky follicles mature, steroidogenesis shifts from the delta 5 to the delta 4 pathway. By 12 h before ovulation, the F1 follicle has lost the ability to convert progesterone to androstenedione. The inability of the largest ovarian follicle to convert progesterone to androstenedione contributes at least in part to the preovulatory increase in the plasma concentration of progesterone that generates the preovulatory LH surge by positive feedback.
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PMID:Ovarian steroidogenesis during follicular maturation in the domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus). 295 Sep 35

Hens in their sixth month of lay were injected with a series of doses of ovine LH, either following the oviposition of a mid-sequence egg (which is closely associated with an ovulation), or following the oviposition of the last egg of a sequence. The concentrations of steroid hormones were subsequently measured by radioimmunoassay in blood withdrawn at intervals after injection. No changes were observed in the concentrations of either testosterone or 17 beta-oestradiol, irrespective of the dose of LH or the stage of the ovulatory cycle. An increase in delta-4-androstenedione was observed in all cases. This increase was minimal and unrelated to the dose of LH at the mid-sequence stage, but a dose-response relationship was observed in hens injected following the terminal oviposition of a series. Consistent, dose-related changes in the concentrations of progesterone in plasma were found at both stages of the ovulatory cycle, and the magnitude of these changes was 3.5-5 times greater than those observed for androstenedione. Granulosa cells from the first, second and third ovarian follicles were dispersed by collagenase and stimulated with ovine LH either immediately or following a 24 h pre-incubation in medium 199. The amount of progesterone released into the medium after 3 h was assessed by radioimmunoassay. A progressive decrease in this response was observed in cells derived from the first to the third follicles in all cases. Cells challenged after 24 h always showed increased responses, cells from the second follicle secreted similar amounts of progesterone as cells from the first follicle that were challenged immediately, without pre-incubation. The responses obtained after 24 h were attenuated if no bovine serum albumin was present in the medium, or if ovine LH had been present in the medium continuously. These results are interpreted as evidence for an increase in the secretion of progesterone by the granulosa cells of the hen which is linked to the maturation of the follicle. The final stages of this maturation may proceed in the absence of LH.
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PMID:Plasma levels of progesterone in the domestic hen related to the maturation of ovarian follicles, and changes in the secretion of progesterone by granulosa cells cultured for 24 hours. 324 2

From PMSG-pretreated immature rats, dispersed ovarian cells were prepared with collagenase and DNase and incubated at 37 degrees C in McCoy's 5a medium under 95% air-5% CO2 atmosphere for 4 h. The activities of C17-C20 lyase measured in the 10,000 x g supernatant fluid of the cell homogenates decreased spontaneously with the lapse of time of the incubation. N,N'-Diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine (DPPD, an antioxidant) and actinomycin D inhibited the decrease most effectively. Cycloheximide was also an effective protector. Accordingly, the spontaneous decrease of the lyase activity was caused partly by an oxygen radical-mediated process and partly by a mechanism involving de novo synthesis of RNA and protein. Addition of hCG to the cells further decreased the lyase activity to about half of the control group at 4 h. DPPD itself did not affect the hCG-induced decrease of the lyase activity. However, actinomycin D and cycloheximide prevented the effect of hCG. These results indicate that de novo synthesis of RNA and protein is involved in the latter mechanism, while oxygen radical is not concerned in this process. The decrease of the enzyme activity by hCG during incubation is in agreement with the in vivo effect of hCG upon the lyase activity. On the contrary, at the end of incubation the activity of delta 5-3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (coupled with delta 5-delta 4 isomerase) was more than 89% of that before incubation, and the change of the enzyme activity according to the various treatments was less than 16%.
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PMID:In vitro decrease of lyase activity in rat ovarian cells during incubation: effect of hCG. 345 47

After intracardial injection of [1,2-3H]dehydroepiandrosterone ([3H]DHA) into female rats, [3H]DHA was found to accumulate and was metabolized in the preputial gland, but not in the diaphragm. The identified metabolites of [3H]DHA in the preputial gland were delta 4-androstenedione-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol. Cells were isolated from the preputial gland after treatment with trypsin and collagenase III, and centrifugation in Ficoll gradients. Activity of the enzyme complex delta 5-3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase delta 4-5-isomerase (3 beta-HSD) responsible for transforming DHA into delta 4-androstenedione was found mainly in the 105,000 g pellet (microsomal fraction) of homogenates of the isolated cells. It used preferentially NAD over NADP as a coenzyme, with a pH optimum at 8.5. The apparent Km for DHA was 5.5 X 10(-5) M, and the Vmax was 1.72 nmol/min/mg microsomal protein. These findings indicate that DHA is preferentially taken up by the preputial gland where it undergoes metabolism to form more potent androgens, and suggest that DHA may have important androgenic influence on the preputial gland.
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PMID:delta 5-3 beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase delta 4-5-isomerase activity and metabolism of dehydroepiandrosterone in rat preputial gland. 623 67

The effects of insulin on porcine thecal steroidogenesis were examined in long-term cultures of hyaluronidase-collagenase dispersed thecal cells. The thecal cultures made significant amounts of progesterone (P) and androstenedione (delta 4 A). Testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, estrone, and estradiol could not be detected in the media. Luteinizing hormone (LH) alone significantly increased P and delta 4 A accumulation. Insulin alone increased P accumulation on days 2 to 4 of culture. Insulin alone did not stimulate delta 4 A accumulation. Insulin plus LH resulted in a significantly greater accumulation of P and delta 4 A than LH alone. These results suggest that insulin may be a regulator of ovarian thecal steroidogenesis.
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PMID:Effects of insulin on steroidogenesis in cultured porcine ovarian theca. 634 23

The aim of this study was to establish a monolayer culture system for human ovarian thecal cells and to investigate their morphological and functional characteristics. Theca layers were isolated and digested with collagenase-hyaluronidase solution, and dispersed thecal cells were cultured for 10 days in plastic dishes. Histological examination indicated that there were no contaminating granulosa cells in isolated theca layers. Various histochemical studies revealed abundant lipid droplets and 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in cultured cells. The major steroids secreted were delta 4-androstenedione (delta 4) and progesterone(P). delta 4 secretion was very high during the first 2 days (31.6 +/- 1.9 ng/1 X 10(5) cells/2 days) and declined thereafter. P was secreted in moderate amounts throughout the 10 day culture period (9.0-21.3 ng/1 X 10(5) cells/2 days), while estradiol secretion was very low. Subsequently, the responsiveness of cultured thecal cells to gonadotropins and dibutyryl cyclic AMP (Bu2cAMP) was investigated. LH/HCG and Bu2cAMP stimulated delta 4 and P secretion in a dose-related manner. The maximal effective doses of LH and HCG were both 10 ng/ml, and that of Bu2cAMP was 10(-3)M. In conclusion, it was evident that these monolayer-cultured human thecal cells could maintain their morpho-functional characteristics during culture. Therefore, this culture system will provide an excellent model for further studies on the functional properties of thecal cells.
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PMID:[Monolayer culture of human ovarian thecal cells. A study on morphological and functional characteristics]. 658 14

To identify genes that were altered by spinal cord injury (SCI), we used complementary DNA microarray consisting 1176 rat genes. Rats were subjected to contusive injury of the thoracic spinal cord. Sham animals received only a laminectomy. Twenty-four hours later, spinal cord was dissected out, a 32P labeled probe was prepared and hybridized to the microarray. We identified three genes that showed a greater than 2-fold increase in SCI tissue, heat shock 27-kDa protein, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 and epidermal fatty acid-binding protein. Seven genes, lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase, dipeptidyl aminopeptidase related protein, phospholipase C delta 4, plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase isoform 2, G-protein GO alpha subunit, GABA transporter 3, and neuroendrocrine protein 7B2 were down-regulated greater than 50% in SCI tissue. Changes in expression of these genes were confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. These genes may play a role in the response to tissue damage or repair following SCI.
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PMID:Analysis of gene expression following spinal cord injury in rat using complementary DNA microarray. 1209 53

Tibolone and its metabolites were evaluated on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression in human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) under the hypothesis that these steroids would act as progestins on MMP-1, -2, and -3 expression. After 7 days of priming and 24h experimental incubation of confluent cultured HESCs, 10(-7) M medroxyprogesterone acetate (P) reduced MMP-1 to 49+/-34% (p<0.05) and MMP-3 to 33+/-22% of basal levels (mean+/-S.E.M., p<0.05, n=5). Although HESCs were unaffected by 10(-8) M estradiol (E), E+P reduced MMP-1 and MMP-3 levels an additional 2.5-fold from P alone. Tibolone and Delta-4 tibolone were equivalent to E+P in inhibiting MMP-1 and MMP-3 output, whereas 10(-6)M of 3alpha-OH or 3beta-OH tibolone was required to elicit significant inhibition of both MMPs (p<0.05). By contrast, none of the treatments affected HESC-secreted MMP-2 output. The ELISA results were confirmed by Western blotting and by substrate gel zymography. Quantitative RT-PCR demonstrated corresponding changes in MMP-1 and MMP-3 mRNA levels. Inhibition of MMP-1 and MMP-3 expression by tibolone and Delta-4 tibolone is consistent with the metabolism of tibolone to Delta-4 tibolone, and subsequent binding of Delta-4 tibolone to the progesterone receptor. Since 3alpha-OH and 3beta-OH tibolone bind exclusively to the estrogen receptor, their inhibition of MMP-1 and MMP-3 suggests metabolism by HESCs to Delta-4 tibolone. These observations help to explain the paradox that the endometrium becomes atrophic after tibolone administration despite the persistence in the circulation of 3alpha-OH and 3beta-OH tibolone, but not tibolone or Delta-4 tibolone.
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PMID:Tibolone exerts progestational inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase expression in human endometrial stromal cells. 1680 36