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)

Central neural activity was assessed by measuring relative cytochrome oxidase (CO) activity in the ventromedial nucleus (VMN; thermogenesis regulation), the parvocellular paraventricular nucleus (PVN; feeding regulation), and the magnocellular PVN (secretion of vasopressin and oxytocin) in 10 age-matched pairs of 39- to 42-day-old Zucker rats. When obese (fa/fa) were compared to lean (Fa/Fa) rats, relative CO activity was significantly lower (approximately 10 percent) in the VMN and parvocellular PVN, but not in the magnocellular PVN. Cell diameters did not differ. To determine if there were corresponding differences in levels or release of hypothalamic monoamines, we compared 7 pairs of 90- to 94-day-old lean (Fa/?) and obese (fa/fa) rats at rest and after 2 h of 9 degrees C. Tissue punches from frozen PVN, VMN, and preoptic area (the latter being a site of thermosensitive units modulating VMN output) were assayed. In obese vs. lean noncold-exposed rats, we observed lower concentrations of: 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5HIAA; metabolite of serotonin, 5HT) in the VMN; 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG; metabolite of norepinephrine, NE) and NE + MHPG (index of total NE) in the preoptic area; and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC; metabolite of dopamine, DA) in the PVN. Additionally, in the VMN, cold exposure resulted in: elevated concentrations of MHPG and MHPG + NE in both lean and obese rats; elevated concentrations of 5HT, 5HIAA, and 5HT + 5HIAA in obese rats, with no significant changes in these variables in lean animals; decreased ratio of 5HIAA/5HT in obese rats and increased ratio in leans. In the preoptic region, cold exposure led to increased concentrations of MHPG, NE + MHPG, 5HT, and 5HT + 5HIAA in obese but not lean rats. In the PVN, 5HT concentrations were increased in cold-exposed obese but not lean rats. Our data support the hypothesis that neuronal activity in obese rats differs from that of lean rats at rest and during cold exposure and suggest that several monoamine systems play a role in such differences.
 ...
PMID:Neuronal activity in hypothalamic nuclei of obese and lean Zucker rats. 217 50

Intracranial dialysis was used to measure the release of oxytocin (OXY), monoamines and their metabolites and uric acid (UA) from the substantia nigra (SN) and olfactory bulb (OB) of sheep during parturition, suckling, separation from lambs and eating. Results showed that OXY concentrations increased significantly during parturition, suckling and eating in the SN and during parturition and suckling in the OB. Concentrations of dopamine (DA) increased significantly in the SN during suckling and eating and in the OB during parturition and suckling. The dopamine metabolite, homovanillic acid, also increased significantly in the SN during parturition. Concentrations of the noradrenaline metabolite, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylethan-1,2-diol (MHPG) and the purine metabolite, UA, were significantly raised during parturition, suckling and separation from the lambs in the SN and increased UA levels were also found during eating. In a separate experiment it was confirmed that OXY was detectable in homogenates of both the SN and the OB. These results show that, in the sheep, OXY and DA release in the SN is associated with maternal and ingestive behaviour whereas similar release in the OB may only be related to maternal behaviour. Release of MHPG in the SN may be associated with maternal behaviour and/or stress.
 ...
PMID:Intracranial dialysis measurement of oxytocin, monoamine and uric acid release from the olfactory bulb and substantia nigra of sheep during parturition, suckling, separation from lambs and eating. 335 76

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and concentrations of monoamines, monoamine metabolites and oxytocin (OT) were measured in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of sheep during late pregnancy, labour, parturition, vaginocervical stimulation, lamb separation and suckling. Concentrations of AChE, 4-hydroxy-3 methoxyphenylethan-1,2-diol (MHPG) and OT were significantly elevated during labour and parturition. OT levels were also significantly raised in cycling ewes given vaginocervical stimulation. Separation of the ewes from their lambs (0.5-2 h) caused significant increases in AChE and MHPG, but not in OT. During suckling, following reunion of the ewes and lambs, concentrations of AChE and OT were significantly raised. The dopamine metabolites 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid were significantly lower in CSF during late pregnancy than during parturition and post-partum. Intravenous injections of OT which produced high circulating levels of this hormone in plasma produced significant, but very small, increases in concentrations of OT in the CSF. Our results show that in the sheep, labour, parturition, suckling and vaginocervical stimulation provoke a release of OT in the brain similar to that in the peripheral circulation. Changes in CSF levels of AChE and MHPG during labour, parturition and lamb separation, but not during vaginocervical stimulation, may be related to stress or hypertension.
 ...
PMID:Cerebrospinal fluid levels of acetylcholinesterase, monoamines and oxytocin during labour, parturition, vaginocervical stimulation, lamb separation and suckling in sheep. 379 90