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

Leptin, a product of the obese (ob) gene, is secreted by adipocytes and appears to act as a hormone to regulate food intake, metabolism and body weight. Subcutaneous administration of leptin causes reductions in food intake and body and fat-depot weights in both lean and genetically obese (ob/ob) mice, and leptin infusion into the lateral cerebral ventricles decreases feeding with short latency, suggesting a central site of action. A gene defect in the Zucker obese rat causes an amino acid substitution in the leptin receptor and reduced leptin binding at the cell surface. An antiserum to a portion of the mouse leptin receptor (AA 877-894) located within the intracellular domain was used to label Zucker lean (Fa/?) and obese (fa/fa) rat brain sections. At optimal dilution (1:8000), only cells in the basal forebrain, preoptic area, hypothalamus and brainstem were moderately or intensely labeled. The most intensely-labeled nuclei, the anterior commissural, magnocellular paraventricular, supraoptic, circularis in the anterior hypothalamus and fornical in the lateral hypothalamus contain large neurons that synthesize and secrete vasopressin or oxytocin and their respective neurophysins. Diminished leptin transport into the central nervous system or defective signal transduction in Zucker obese rats may sufficiently compromise leptin regulation of the HPA axis, NPY-immunoreactive neurons or other hypothalamic elements to cause obesity.
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PMID:Localization of leptin receptor immunoreactivity in the lean and obese Zucker rat brain. 952 52

Gonadotropin secretion by the pituitary gland is under the control of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) and the putative follicle-stimulating hormone-releasing factor (FSHRF). Lamprey III LHRH is a potent FSHRF in the rat and appears to be resident in the FSH controlling area of the rat hypothalamus. It is an analog of mammalian LHRH and may be the long-sought FSHRF. Gonadal steroids feedback at hypothalamic and pituitary levels to either inhibit or stimulate the release of LH and FSH, which is also affected by inhibin and activin secreted by the gonads. Important control is exercised by acetylcholine, norepinephrine (NE), dopamine, serotonin, melatonin and glutamic acid (GA). Furthermore, LH and FSH also act at the hypothalamic level to alter secretion of gonadotropins. More recently, growth factors have been shown to have an important role. Many peptides act to inhibit or increase release of LH, and the sign of their action is often reversed by estrogen. A number of cytokines act at the hypothalamic level to suppress acutely the release of LH but not FSH. NE, GA and oxytocin stimulate LHRH release by activation of neural nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). The pathway is as follows: oxytocin and/or GA activate NE neurons in the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) that activate NOergic neurons by alpha1 receptors. The NO released diffuses into LHRH terminals and induces LHRH release by activation of guanylate cyclase (GC) and cyclooxygenase. NO not only controls release of LHRH bound for the pituitary, but also that which induces mating by actions in the brain stem. An exciting recent development has been the discovery of the adipocyte hormone, leptin, a cytokine related to tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). In the male rat, leptin exhibits a high potency to stimulate FSH and LH release from hemipituitaries incubated in vitro, and increases the release of LHRH from MBH explants by stimulating the release of NO. LHRH and leptin release LH by activation of NOS in the gonadotropes. The NO released activates GC that releases cyclic GMP which induces LH release. Leptin induces LH release in conscious, ovariectomized estrogen-primed female rats, presumably by stimulating LHRH release. At the effective dose of estrogen to activate LH release, FSH release is inhibited. Leptin may play an important role in induction of puberty and control of LHRH release in the adult as well.
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PMID:Hypothalamic control of FSH and LH by FSH-RF, LHRH, cytokines, leptin and nitric oxide. 973 Jun 86

Gonadotropin secretion by the pituitary gland is under the control of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) and the putative follicle stimulating hormone-releasing factor (FSHRF). Lamprey III LHRH is a potent FSHRF in the rat and seems to be resident in the FSH controlling area of the rat hypothalamus. It is an analog of mammalian LHRH and may be the long sought FSHRF. Gonadal steroids feedback at hypothalamic and pituitary levels to either inhibit or stimulate the release of LH and FSH, which is also affected by inhibin and activin secreted by the gonads. Important control is exercised by acetylcholine, norepinephrine (NE), dopamine, serotonin, melatonin, and glutamic acid (GA). Furthermore, LH and FSH also act at the hypothalamic level to alter secretion of gonadotropins. More recently, growth factors have been shown to have an important role. Many peptides act to inhibit or increase release of LH and the sign of their action is often reversed by estrogen. A number of cytokines act at the hypothalamic level to suppress acutely the release of LH but not FSH. NE, GA, and oxytocin stimulate LHRH release by activation of neural nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). The pathway is as follows: oxytocin and/or GA activate NE neurons in the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) that activate NOergic neurons by alpha, (alpha 1) receptors. The NO released diffuses into LHRH terminals and induces LHRH release by activation of guanylate cyclase (GC) and cyclooxygenase. NO not only controls release of LHRH bound for the pituitary, but also that which induces mating by actions in the brain stem. An exciting recent development has been the discovery of the adipocyte hormone, leptin, a cytokine related to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha. In the male rat, leptin exhibits a high potency to stimulate FSH and LH release from hemipituitaries incubated in vitro, and increases the release of LHRH from MBH explants. LHRH and leptin release LH by activation of NOS in the gonadotropes. The NO released activates GC that releases cyclic GMP, which induces LH release. Leptin induces LH release in conscious, ovariectomized estrogen-primed female rats, presumably by stimulating LHRH release. At the effective dose of estrogen to activate LH release, FSH release is inhibited. Leptin may play an important role in induction of puberty and control of LHRH release in the adult as well.
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PMID:Hypothalamic control of gonadotropin secretion by LHRH, FSHRF, NO, cytokines, and leptin. 978 37

The present studies were designed to examine the regulation of leptin release in primary cultures of adipocytes from fed hypothyroid rats incubated with hormones for 24 hours. Leptin release was increased in the presence of dexamethasone, while the decrease in leptin mRNA content over a 24-hour incubation was reduced by dexamethasone. Dexamethasone did not affect the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) mRNA or 18S RNA content of adipocytes. Insulin increased leptin release by adipocytes in both the absence and presence of dexamethasone. Although insulin also prevented the loss of leptin mRNA, this effect was less than that observed for GAPDH mRNA or 18S RNA content. In isolated adipocytes, the loss of almost half the 18S RNA content over a 24-hour incubation was prevented in the presence of insulin but not oxytocin or epidermal growth factor (EGF). The specific beta3 catecholamine agonist CI 316,243 inhibited the effects of dexamethasone on leptin release and leptin mRNA accumulation, as did EGF, without affecting 18S RNA content. Oxytocin inhibited the increase in leptin release due to dexamethasone without affecting leptin mRNA levels. These data indicate that although dexamethasone and insulin are positive regulators of leptin release, only dexamethasone specifically prevented the loss of leptin mRNA in cultured rat adipocytes. In contrast, insulin, but not dexamethasone, prevented the marked loss in 18S RNA observed over a 24-hour incubation of rat adipocytes.
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PMID:Hormonal regulation of 18S RNA, leptin mRNA, and leptin release in adipocytes from hypothyroid rats. 986 73

A group of 17 consecutive regularly menstruating women who gained at least 5 kg the previous year (Group 1) was compared with a control group of similar age, parity and social class (Group 2). Galactorrhea was observed in 6/17 women from group 1 and in 1/16 women from group 2 (chi 2 4.571; p < .05). Average morning prolactin levels were higher in group 1 (8.15 +/- 4.92 micrograms/l) than in group 2 (5.29 +/- 2.48 micrograms/l; p < .05). The two groups were similar in their morning thyroxin, triiodothyronine, TSH, estradiol, cortisol, gastrin, cholecystokinin, somatostatin, oxytocin, insulin and IGF-1 levels. Leptin levels were significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2 (18.85 +/- 10.63 micrograms/l vs. 10.15 +/- 6.38 micrograms/l; p < .02) but this difference could be attributed exclusively to the higher body mass index (BMI) of group 1 (MANCOVA). Analysis of the distribution of basal prolactin levels in group 1 revealed a skewed distribution due to the presence of six outliers (Barnett and Lewis test associated with Mahalanobis distance) whose values were higher than the highest value found in group 2. These outliers were henceforth considered as subgroup 1a, and the remnant patients in group 1 as subgroup 1b. Besides the expected difference in basal prolactin levels between subgroups 1a and 1b (13.72 +/- 3.69 and 5.12 +/- 1.81 micrograms/l, respectively) and the higher frequency of galactorrhea in group 1a (4/6 vs. 2/11; p < .05) no other differences were observed in clinical or basal biochemical parameters. Following domperidone (10 mg, i.v.) the percentual increase in prolactin (delta Prl 20'/Prl 0') was significantly lower in group 1 than in group 2 (23.9 + 15.2 vs. 37.0 +/- 21.2; p < .05). In absolute values, the prolactin rise in subgroup 1a (100.7 +/- 45.5 micrograms/l) was significantly lower (p < .02) than that of subgroup 1b (157.3 +/- 50.3 micrograms/l) and group 2 (152.7 +/- 34.5 micrograms/l). Group 1 (and each one of its two sub-groups) also differed from group 2 in a higher incidence of meaningful life-events the year preceding the study. This study confirms previous observations that recent weight gain in women is preceded by important life-events and is associated with galactorrhea and increased prolactin levels in a number of them. Besides, it provides evidence that the increased prolactin levels are due to reduced hypothalamic dopaminergic tone.
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PMID:Rapid weight gain, at least in some women, is an expression of a neuroendocrine state characterized by reduced hypothalamic dopaminergic tone. 992 49

To establish whether the regulatory mechanism of leptin secretion is sensitive to oxytocin (OT), seven healthy nonobese men were tested with dexamethasone (dex; 4 mg, iv, at 0730 h) in feeding (2000 Cal given at 3 meals over 7 h) conditions either in the absence (iv normal saline infusion) or in the presence of a constant iv infusion of OT (1, 2, or 4 mIU/min from 0730 h for 10 h). In six additional subjects under similar experimental conditions, normal saline or OT (1, 2, or 4 mIU/min from 0730 h for 10 h) were infused iv without the previous treatment with dexamethasone. Serum leptin concentrations were measured in samples taken at 60-min intervals during infusion. Leptin levels remained constant during the infusion of normal saline or OT (1, 2, or 4 mIU/min) alone. In contrast, serum leptin concentrations rose significantly from the baseline after dex administration. The leptin response to dex was not modified by the concomitant infusion of 1 mIU/min OT, whereas it was completely abolished by the administration of 2 or 4 mIU/min OT. These findings led us to evaluate the secretory pattern of leptin in 12 obese patients in similar experimental conditions. In all patients basal leptin levels were significantly higher than those in normal weight subjects. In 6 obese subjects, the infusion of OT alone (1, 2, or 4 mIU/min) was unable to change serum leptin levels. In the remaining 6 obese subjects, dex administration significantly increased serum leptin levels; however, the leptin response to dex was not modified by the concomitant infusion of 1, 2, or 4 mIU/min OT. These data show inhibition by elevated circulating OT levels of glucocorticoid-induced, but not basal, leptin secretion in normal weight subjects, suggesting a possible role for OT in the regulatory control of leptin. Furthermore, the results obtained in obese subjects indicate that this regulation is disrupted in obesity.
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PMID:Effect of systemic oxytocin administration on dexamethasone-induced leptin secretion in normal and obese men. 1106 23

Leptin is secreted from adipocytes and is thought to enter the brain to regulate and coordinate metabolism, feeding behaviour, energy balance and reproduction. It is now clear that there are many additional sites of leptin production, including human placenta, ovary, stomach, skeletal muscle, mammary gland, pituitary gland and brain. In the present work, we employed double-label immunofluorescent histochemistry to establish the neuronal localization of leptin immunoreactivity (IR). To accomplish this, we used the neuron-specific marker NeuN to label cells in the arcuate nucleus (ARC), piriform cortex and hippocampus. In the supraoptic nucleus (SON) and paraventricular nucleus (PVN), we used antisera to oxytocin and vasopressin as neuronal markers. Double labelling revealed leptin IR in neurons of the ARC and piriform cortex. Leptin IR was confined to the nucleus and to distinct perinuclear sites. In contrast, neurons in the CA 2/CA 3 region of the hippocampus showed little nuclear staining. Leptin IR was clustered around the nucleus in these cells. Neurons of the dentate gyrus exhibited both nuclear and perinuclear localization of leptin IR. In the SON/PVN, most oxytocin- and vasopressin-IR neurons also contained leptin IR, often in perinuclear sites. In conclusion, the neuronal, perinuclear localization of leptin IR in rat brain corresponds closely to that of leptin receptor (OB-R) IR, which has also been detected intracellularly. Our observation of leptin IR associated with cell nuclei suggests the existence of an OB-R distinct from the well-described membrane forms.
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PMID:Leptin immunoreactivity is localized to neurons in rat brain. 1197 57

Maternal plasma leptin concentration is significantly increased during pregnancy. However, its roles in pregnancy, especially in labor, have not been fully clarified. We measured plasma leptin concentrations in pregnant women during the course of induced labor, just after spontaneous vaginal delivery and Cesarean section at term. We also studied the regulation of leptin secretion from term placental tissue and BeWo cells, a trophoblastic cell-line. Plasma leptin concentrations increased significantly during labor (58.9 +/- 9.2 ng/ml) compared to those before labor induction (37.5 +/- 5.8 ng/ml, P<0.05), then decreased 3-6 days postpartum (14 +/- 3 ng/ml, n = 6, P<0.0001) to the levels of normal nonpregnant women. Leptin concentrations within an hour and 24 hours after spontaneous vaginal delivery were significantly higher than those after Cesarean section (P<0.05 for both comparisons). Similarly, leptin mRNA expression in placental tissues obtained after spontaneous vaginal delivery was significantly greater than that in those obtained after Cesarean section without labor (P<0.05). IL-1alpha and TNF-alpha treatment significantly stimulated leptin secretion and leptin mRNA expression in explant culture of human term placental tissue and in BeWo cells as compared with those in vehicle controls (P<0.05, for all comparisons). By contrast, oxytocin and prostaglandin F(2alpha) treatment had no effects on leptin secretion from explant culture of human term placental tissue or from BeWo cells. These data indicate that pro-inflammatory cytokines might stimulate placental leptin secretion, thus finally contributing to the increase in plasma leptin concentration during labor.
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PMID:Significant increase in maternal plasma leptin concentration in induced delivery: a possible contribution of pro-inflammatory cytokines to placental leptin secretion. 1511 68

Leptin plays a major role in coordinating the integrated response of the CNS to changes in nutritional state. Neurons within the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus express leptin receptors and receive dense innervation from leptin receptor-expressing neurons in the arcuate nucleus. To obtain new insights into the effects of circulating leptin on PVN function, we compared global transcriptional profiles of laser-captured PVN from ad libitum fed mice versus 48 h fasted mice receiving either sham or leptin treatment intraperitoneally. Five hundred twenty-seven PVN-expressed genes were altered by fasting in a manner that was at least partially reversible by leptin. Consistent with previous reports, thyrotrophin releasing hormone mRNA levels were decreased by fasting but restored to fed levels with leptin treatment. mRNA levels of oxytocin, vasopressin, and somatostatin were also reduced by fasting and restored by leptin. Given the known effects of leptin on synaptic remodeling, it is notable that, among the top 15 genes that were positively regulated by leptin, five have been implicated in synaptic function and/or plasticity (basigin, apolipoprotein E, Gap43, GABA(A) receptor-associated protein, and synuclein-gamma). Pathway analysis identified oxidative phosphorylation, in particular, genes encoding complex 1 proteins that play a role in ubiquinone biosynthesis, to be the predominant gene set that was significantly regulated in a leptin-dependent manner. Thus, in addition to its effects on the expression of a broad range of neuropeptides, leptin may also exert more general influences on synaptic function in, and the bioenergetic state of, the PVN.
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PMID:Novel leptin-regulated genes revealed by transcriptional profiling of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. 1902 34

The neural control and mutual interrelationships among individual factors involved in the regulation of food intake and simultaneously related to reproduction are far from being understood. We have suggested that at least some of the effects of orexigenic and anorexigenic peptides might be mediated via noradrenaline release in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN). The main hypothesis was that leptin has an inhibitory action on oxytocin secretion and hypothalamic release of noradrenaline. Non-pregnant female rats in their diestrus were subjected to cannulation of the carotid artery and a microdialysis procedure with the probes in the hypothalamic PVN. Intra-arterial administration of cholecystokinin-8 (CCK) at the dose of 50 mg/kg was used to induce oxytocin and noradrenaline release. Leptin (10 mg/5 ml) was intracerebroventricularly injected in addition to CCK. Blood and microdialysis samples were collected at 20-min intervals for 80 min. Central administration of leptin significantly reduced both plasma oxytocin and hypothalamic noradrenaline responses to CCK at 20 min following the treatments. In conclusion, leptin may inhibit oxytocin secretion by lowering noradrenergic neurotransmission in the PVN. The modulator effect of leptin on noradrenaline release in the PVN may be related to feeding behavior.
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PMID:Leptin modulates noradrenaline release in the paraventricular nucleus and plasma oxytocin levels in female rats: a microdialysis study. 2003 47


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