Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P01178 (oxytocin)
 15,767 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We studied prospectively eight healthy postpartum breast-feeding women for 6 months during early, middle, and late lactation. Blood for measurement of oxytocin (OT), PRL, and arginine vasopressin was drawn before and every 3 min from each women during 15 min of infant suckling for two consecutive feedings during each stage of lactation. Basal plasma OT was not different in breast-feeding [0.7 +/- 0.1 (+/- SEM) microU/ml] and nonbreast-feeding women (0.8 +/- 0.2 microU/ml). OT increased significantly in response to infant suckling (P less than 0.00001) to 5.9 +/- 0.5 microU/ml and remained elevated throughout a feeding. OT was released during infant suckling in an episodic pattern in some, but not all, women; peak OT varied among women (5.0-23.3 microU/ml). There was no significant difference in the mean stimulated OT or the pattern of release comparing the first and second feedings of the same day. The mean OT (n = 8) released during 15 min of infant suckling was not significantly different in early (3.9 +/- 0.3 microU/ml), middle (4.5 +/- 0.3 microU/ml), and late (5.8 +/- 0.4 microU/ml) lactation. In the four women who breast fed exclusively, the mean stimulated OT was significantly higher (P less than 0.01) during late lactation (8.6 +/- 0.4 microU/ml) vs. early (4.6 +/- 0.4 microU/ml) or middle (6.1 +/- 0.4 microU/ml) lactation. In the other four women who provided formula supplements, OT did not change. Plasma arginine vasopressin did not increase in response to infant suckling. Plasma PRL increased in response to infant suckling, reaching a peak at 15 min. Mean basal PRL decreased progressively from weeks 1-24 postpartum. Mean peak PRL decreased significantly from early (162 +/- 29) to middle (130 +/- 15) to late (77 +/- 10) ng/ml lactation (P less than 0.05). OT release in response to infant suckling continues throughout the first 6 months postpartum in breast-feeding women, and the pattern is reproducible. The maximum release of OT is dependent upon continuous regular nipple stimulation. In contrast to basal and suckling-induced levels of PRL, which decreased with time postpartum, basal and suckling-induced OT release did not decrease from early to late lactation.
 ...
PMID:A prospective longitudinal study of the release of oxytocin and prolactin in response to infant suckling in long term lactation. 394 49

Using three antisera to oxytocin (OT Pitt Ab-1, OT Pitt Ab-2, and TOR OT Ab), we found comparable levels of OT in response to infant suckling and during infusion of synthetic OT, and identical standard curves with biological and synthetic standards of OT. Pitt Ab-1, but not Pitt Ab-2 or TOR OT Ab, measured increased OT in response to estrogen. Using an arginine vasotocin RIA (TOR AVT Ab), we found an increase in AVT immunoreactivity after estrogen treatment. Mean basal OT levels measured with OT Pitt Ab-2 in plasma of men [0.75 +/- 0.06 (+/- SEM) microU/ml] and women (0.8 +/- 0.09 microU/ml) were lower than OT measured with Pitt Ab-1 (1.7 +/- 0.09 microU/ml in men and 1.7 +/- 0.07 microU/al in women; P less than 0.001). Mean OT measured with Pitt Ab-2 in the plasma of women given estrogen chronically (0.8 +/- 0.04 microU/ml) and acutely (0.6 +/- 0.15 microU/ml) were not significantly different from basal levels. OT levels measured with Pitt Ab-1 in the same samples were 4.6 +/- 0.5 and 4.3 +/- 0.5 microU/ml, respectively, both significantly increased from basal levels (P less than 0.001) and significantly higher than OT measured with Pitt Ab-2 (P less than 0.001). Mean OT measured with Pitt Ab-1 in the plasma of pregnant women was 8.6 +/- 1.02 microU/ml, significantly higher than OT measured with Pitt Ab-2 (1.0 +/- 0.3 microU/ml; P less than 0.001). Men given 25 mg diethylstilbestrol had significant increases in OT measured with Pitt Ab-1 and in AVT measured with TOR AVT (P less than 0.01), but not in OT measured with Pitt Ab-2. Plasma from a man given diethylstilbestrol was prepared for high performance liquid chromatography and applied to a C18 muBondapak reverse phase column. The plasma contained two peaks of immunoreactivity detected as OT with Pitt Ab-1 and as AVT using TOR AVT Ab. The material was not detected by Pitt Ab-2 or TOR OT Ab and did not coelute with standards of OT, AVT, or AVP. Pregnancy plasma, thioglycolic acid, chymotrypsin, and trypsin reduced Pitt Ab-1, Pitt Ab-2, and TOR OT immunoreactivity of synthetic OT. The percent recovery of OT immunoreactivity was not significantly different with Pitt Ab-1 vs. Pitt Ab-2. A novel peptide, which is increased in response to administered estrogen, is present in human plasma and is detected by some antisera to OT and AVT. The observation explains the wide variability in OT levels in the estrogen-primed state and provides a new mechanism to study estrogen-related physiology and pathophysiology.
 ...
PMID:A novel oxytocin-like and vasotocin-like peptide in human plasma after administration of estrogen. 396 93

The posterior pituitary response to immobilization was studied in male and female rats. Plasma levels of arginine vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OT) were measured both in control rats and in rats immobilized in an acrylic restrainer for 1 min. In male rats immobilization did not result in any change in AVP (control: 1.3 +/- 0.2 pmol/liter, mean +/- SEM; immobilized: 2.3 +/- 0.6 pmol/liter), although there was a small but significant increase in OT (control; 4.1 +/- 0.5 pmol/liter; immobilized: 10.2 +/- 2.2 pmol/liter; P less than 0.005). In female rats a marked rise was observed in AVP (control: 1.4 +/- 0.3 pmol/liter; immobilized: 5.5 +/- 1.3 pmol/liter; P less than 0.005), and the rise in OT was considerably greater (P less than 0.01) than that found in males (control: 4.7 +/- 0.8 pmol/liter; immobilized: 26.0 +/- 5.6 pmol/liter; P less than 0.001). Further groups of male and female rats were gonadectomized 2 weeks before immobilization. Basal levels of AVP and OT were unchanged. Orchidectomized males had an increased OT response to immobilization compared with sham-operated males (P less than 0.05) whereas the AVP response was not significantly changed. Ovariectomy did not significantly affect either the AVP or OT responses. Although the neural pathways responsible for the neurohypophyseal response to immobilization are not known, this data demonstrate that the response is dependent on the sex of the rat.
 ...
PMID:Sexual dimorphism in the posterior pituitary response to stress in the rat. 396 25

Levels of a novel oxytocin (OT)- and arginine vasotocin (AVT)-like peptide detected by one antiserum to OT (Pitt Ab-1) and one antiserum to AVT (Tor AVT) were recently found to rise in human plasma in response to administration of estrogen. The novel peptide rose in parallel with the estrogen-stimulated neurophysin (ESN). The mean level (+/- SEM) of ESN in plasma of 11 individuals with altered renal function (nondialyzed) was significantly higher than the level in individuals with normal renal function (4.2 +/- 0.9 vs. 1.1 +/- 0.04 ng/ml; P less than 0.01). In patients treated with hemo- or peritoneal dialysis, mean (+/- SEM) levels of ESN were 18.1 +/- 3.2 and 16.8 +/- 3.7 ng/ml, respectively. Levels of estradiol and estrone were not elevated and did not correlate with high levels of ESN. Levels of OT Pitt Ab-1, AVT, and ESN immunoreactivity were measured in plasma form nine patients undergoing hemodialysis and eight patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis. Mean (+/- SEM) levels of all three peptides were elevated (12.9 +/- 1.5 microU/ml, 32.1 +/- 6.7 pg/ml, and 13.5 +/- 4.0 ng/ml, respectively). ESN was significantly correlated with OT Pitt Ab-1 and AVT (R2 = 0.80; P less than 0.001). Plasma samples from the same patients were pooled, treated, and separated by reverse phase HPLC. The plasma contained a peak of immunoreactivity detected by Pitt Ab-1 and Tor AVT Ab. The position of the material was distinct from that of synthetic OT, AVT, or AVP and corresponded to the position of the novel OT-like peptide found in plasma of individuals given estrogen. The findings support parallel secretion of the OT-like peptide with ESN and represent the first disease state characterized by high levels of this OT- and AVT-like peptide.
 ...
PMID:High pressure liquid chromatographic separation of an oxytocin/arginine vasotocin-like peptide from the plasma of patients with chronic renal failure. 397 67

We previously reported a prominent diurnal rhythm of oxytocin (OT) in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) similar to the brisk CSF OT rhythm in monkeys. An OT CSF rhythm has not been found in lower species. In contrast, a pronounced arginine vasopressin (AVP) rhythm has been found in lower species, but the AVP CSF rhythm is less marked in subhuman primates. In patients (n = 7) in whom lumbar drains had been temporarily placed for treatment of CSF rhinorrhea, we obtained CSF samples every 6 h. In 6 of these 7 patients, we previously reported (1) finding a prominent CSF OT rhythm, with a peak at 1200 h, by analysis of variance of repeated measures. When the samples of CSF of these same 6 patients (plus 1 additional patient) were assayed for AVP, no AVP rhythm was found. We also measured AVP, OT, and arginine vasotocin (AVT) by RIA in single samples of CSF obtained from 23 other patients. In these single samples of CSF, mean AVP was 0.9 +/- 0.11 (+/- SEM) pg/ml, and OT was 3.7 +/- 0.5 microU/ml. CSF AVT immunoreactivity was 0.6 pg/ml or less in the 23 patients. Two pools of CSF were separated by reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography. The peak OT and AVP, as determined by RIA, coeluted exactly with synthetic and human posterior pituitary OT and AVP, respectively. No immunoreactive AVT was found in the position of synthetic AVT in the eluates. Thus, OT and AVP are present in human adult CSF, but AVT is not. The lack of a prominent rhythm of AVP in human CSF is in marked contrast to the brisk OT rhythm. The rhythm of neurohypophysial peptides in human and subhuman primates is different from the rhythm in lower species, suggesting different functions for OT and AVP in the central nervous system of various species.
 ...
PMID:Neurohypophysial hormones in cerebrospinal fluid of adults: absence of arginine vasotocin and of a diurnal rhythm of arginine vasopressin. 404 Sep 25

We investigated the production of oxytocin (OT) and oxytocin-neurophysin (bNpI) by bovine granulosa cells cultured in presence of 10% foetal calf serum, a condition known to induce spontaneous luteinization of these cells. The production of immunoreactive OT was significantly higher in the cultures of granulosa cells harvested from large follicles than in those derived from small follicles. Chromatography on Sephadex G-25 showed similar elution sites of ovarian and synthetic OT, while high performance liquid chromatography revealed two peaks of OT-immunoreactivity, one of which (+/- 65% of the total immunoreactivity) coincided with synthetic OT. In another experiment, we could observe a gradual increase of OT, bNp I and progesterone production by granulosa cells derived from large follicles, in relation with the incubation time. The mean molar ratio OT: bNp I was 2.2 +/- 0.5 (SEM), and we found a significant positive correlation between the production of OT and bNp I (r = 0.77; P less than 0.01) and between the production of OT and progesterone (r = 0.80; P less than 0.01). Furthermore, the cellular OT and bNp I content of large follicles-derived granulosa cells before culture was 4-5 times lower than the total amount of OT and bNp I produced during a 72-h incubation, suggesting an active synthesis of these peptides. These data show that bovine granulosa cells are able to produce OT and bNp I, probably by an active biosynthesis as observed in the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system and that the granulosa productions of OT, bNp I and progesterone are closely related.
 ...
PMID:Release of immunoreactive oxytocin and neurophysin I by cultured luteinizing bovine granulosa cells. 406 Sep 74

Neurophysins are "carrier proteins" associated with vasopressin and oxytocin in the neurohypophyseal system. The release of these hormone associated proteins may serve as an indicator of posterior pituitary function. This report describes the measurement of neurophysin in human and monkey plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by radioimmunoassay. Tissue neurophysin is also localized in monkey brain by the immunoperoxidase technique. CSF from 68 patients and five monkeys had easily measurable neurophysin in every sample. The concentration of neurophysin in CSF and in plasma of man is 5.4+/-0.30 ng/ml (mean and SEM) and 0.69+/-0.04, respectively. The two means were significantly different (P < 0.001). In paired plasma and CSF specimens which were obtained simultaneously from each of 13 human and five monkey donors, the concentrations of neurophysin in CSF were greater than those of plasma in every case (paired t test, P < 0.001). Neurophysin administered intravenously to dogs did not enter CSF. Using the immunoperoxidase technique, we found neurophysin not only in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei, their tracts, and the posterior pituitary, but also in the specialized ependymal tanycytes of the infundibular recess of the third ventricle and in the external layer of the median eminence where capillaries drain into hypophyseal portal vessels. Neurophysin may pass from CSF to portal vessels via tanycytes in a manner similar to that postulated for releasing factors.
 ...
PMID:Cerebrospinal fluid and ependymal neurophysin. 463 77

The effect of hypoxemia on arginine vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OT) release was investigated in the chronically catheterized fetus and ewe. During 30 min of 10% maternal oxygen delivery, mean (+/- SEM) arterial PO2 decreased from 105 +/- 10.6 to 48 +/- 3.5 mm Hg in the ewe and from 21 +/- 1.3 to 12 +/- 0.8 mm Hg in the fetus (each P less than 0.001). Arterial PCO2 decreased from 35 +/- 4.4 to 29 +/- 1.0 mm Hg in the ewe, whereas fetal PCO2 decreased from 43 +/- 2.3 to 35 +/- 3.5 mm Hg (P less than 0.05). Blood pH increased from 7.44 +/- 0.03 to 7.56 +/- 0.04 in the ewe (P less than 0.01) and from 7.36 +/- 0.004 to 7.40 +/- 0.006 in the fetuses (P less than 0.01). Baseline mean AVP levels were identical in ewes and fetuses (0.7 +/- 0.1 microU/ml). After 30 min of hypoxia, plasma AVP levels remained unchanged in the ewes (0.9 +/- 0.1), but increased dramatically in the fetuses (47 +/- 21 microU/ml) (P less than 0.001). There was a highly significant correlation between the duration of hypoxia and log fetal AVP concentrations (r = 0.85). The log fetal plasma AVP also was inversely correlated to the log fetal PO2 values (r = 0.83). Mean baseline fetal and maternal plasma OT levels were 2.6 +/- 0.5 microU/ml and 2.2 +/- 0.5 microU/ml, respectively. After 30 min of hypoxia fetal and maternal OT values were 2.9 +/- 0.8 microU/ml (not significant).
 ...
PMID:The effect of hypoxia on neurohypophyseal hormone release in fetal and maternal sheep. 642 35

A sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay for measuring urinary kinins was developed. Antibodies against bradykinin were induced in rabbits by injecting bradykinin coupled to bovine albumin. One of the antisera generated was used at a final dilution of 1:18,000 to obtain a 30% total binding of bradykinin-(8-tyrosine)-[125I]-triacetate. Synthetic bradykinin (5-1,000 pg) was used as standard in the curves. The sensitivity of the assay was 5 pg. The recovery of bradykinin added to urinary samples was 86.85 +/- 6%. The intraassay and interassay coefficients of variation were 3.3% (n = 12) and 4.4% (n = 5), respectively. The antiserum showed no cross-reactivity with oxytocin or low molecular weight kininogen and cross-reacted with kallidin (lys-bradykinin), met-kallidin, and angiotensin I, but cross-reaction with angiotensin I (2.5%) was low enough to be disregarded. The mean urinary levels of total kinins in 12 normal subjects were 23.2 +/- (SEM) 2.2 micrograms/day.
 ...
PMID:A radioimmunoassay method for measurement of urinary kinins. 648 28

The concentrations of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGFM) and oxytocin were measured by radioimmunoassay in the peripheral plasma of 21 women with low Bishop scores in whom cervical ripening and labour were induced with a cervical cap containing 1.5 mg of prostaglandin (PG) E2, left in place for 6 h. Blood samples were taken before and at 3, 6, 9 and 24 h after the cap was applied. Four women (control group) had a cap without PGE2. Labour began in 13 women receiving PGE2, 12 of whom were delivered within 24 h. In these women plasma PGFM rose progressively to levels seen during spontaneous labour, paralleling the changes in cervical dilatation. The increase became significant at 6 h, when cervical dilatation was 4.5 cm (SEM 0.5). Plasma oxytocin also increased significantly while the cap was in place and then decreased. Plasma PGFM and oxytocin did not change in the control subjects, and in the eight women needing further induction of labour the initial rises were transient and not statistically significant.
 ...
PMID:Effect of cervical application of prostaglandin (PG) E2 on plasma 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF2 alpha and oxytocin in pregnant women at term. 657 11


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next >>