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Query: UNIPROT:P01178 (oxytocin)
 15,767 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Prostaglandins are highly potent derivatives of unsaturated fatty acids with multiple biological activities. They are synthesized and metabolized in almost all tissues studied so far. The E- und F-type prostaglandins may be regarded as local modulators of hormonal effects on cell function and--in some cases (kidney, uterus-corpus luteum)--as regional or tissue hormones. Thus they seem to be involved in the regulation of neurotransmission, kidney function, triglyceride metabolism in adipose tissue and progesterone biosynthesis. Apart from their influence on renal blood flow prostaglandins of the A-type possibly have an additional function as circulatory hormones regulating blood pressure. Second messenger-systems (cAMP, Ca++-cGMP) which mediate the effects of most non-steroidal hormones are also involved in the action of prostaglandins, at least of the E-and F-types. Disturbances in prostaglandin metabolism (increased or decreased biosynthesis) are discussed to play a role in the pathogenesis of inflammation, pain, fever, hypertension, bronchial asthma and gastric or duodenal ulcer formation. Drugs with antiinflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activity have been shown to be potent inhibitors of prostaglandin formation. The correlation of a local prostaglandin deficit or the therapeutic use of single effects of prostaglandins by administration of exogenous compounds (natural prostaglandins or modified derivatives) has so long been less satisfactory because of their large number of biological actions which lead to undesired side effects. Extensive experience have been obtained in the successful induction of therapeutic abortion. This effect is based on the stimulatory action of E- and F-type prostaglandins on the smooth muscles of the pregnant uterus which is resistent to the influence of other stimuli, e. g. oxytocin. Here the incidence of side effects could be reduced by local administration of low doses of prostaglandins into the uterine cavity. A general improvement of the therapeutic usefulness of prostaglandins will however only be achieved, if modified derivatives with more specific actions on the desired "target" tissues are available.
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PMID:[Biology of prostaglandins with reference to therapeutic aspects]. 16

Myometrial activity was recorded in vivo in unrestrained pregnant rats from day 19 of gestation using radiotelemetry. The effects of short-term infusions of theophylline, dibutyryl cyclic AMP and 8-bromo-cyclic GMP were investigated. All three compounds caused a decrease in oxytocin-induced, prostaglandin F2alpha-induced and spontaneous uterine activity. After cessation of the infusion of these compounds uterine activity returned to near pre-infusion levels within approximately 15 min in most animals. The possible roles of cyclic nucleotides in the control of myometrial contraction are discussed in the light of these observations.
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PMID:Modification of myometrial activity in vivo by administration of cyclic nucleotides and theophylline to the pregnant rat. 17 77

In lactating rats, vasoactive prostaglandin (PG) doses of F2 alpha (4 and 8 microgram/kg), E1, and E2 (2 and 4 microgram/kg each) reduced the intramammary pressure response to standard iv doses of 300 microU oxytocin by 50--80%. Adrenergic blockers, phenoxybenzamine and/or propranolol (1 mg/kg each sc) did not influence the blood pressure response to PGF2 alpha, PGE1, or PGE2. The oxytocin-antagonistic action of a single iv PGF2 alpha dose (4 microgram/kg) could not be altered by adrenergic blockers. In contrast, the oxytocin-antagonistic effects of PGE1 and PGE2 (2 microgram/kg each) were completely eliminated after alpha-receptor blockade, while the activity of oxytocin was augmented. Under beta-receptor or alpha- and beta-receptor blockade, the oxytocin-antagonistic effects of PGE1 and PGE2 were almost abolished. alpha-Receptor blockade reduced the oxytocin-antagonistic action of infused PGF2 alpha (8 microgram/kg.min for 15 min) by 38%. beta- or alpha- and beta-receptor blockade had no effect. The oxytocin-antagonistic actions of PGE1 and PGE2 (4 microgram/kg.min for 15 min each) were greatly reduced under alpha-receptor blockade. beta-Receptor blockade had no influence on the oxytocin-antagonistic activities of PGE1 or PGE2; under alpha- and beta-receptor blockade, the inhibitory actions of PGE1 and PGE2 were reduced by 60--70%. Mechanisms of PG-induced inhibition of the oxytocin response may involve mammary vasoconstriction and/or alterations in myoepithelial activity of cAMP and cGMP.
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PMID:Effect of prostaglandins (F2 alpha, E1, and E2) on blood pressure and oxytocin-induced intramammary pressure responses in rats. 43 72

1. The central ganglia of a number of gastropod molluscs (including the marine snail Aplysia californica and the terrestrial snail Helix pomatia) contain neurones which exhibit endogenous patterns of oscillatory activity. 2. This oscillatory activity can be modulated for long periods of time by synaptic and hormonal stimulation. 3. Stimulation of appropriate pre-synaptic nerves causes long-lasting hyperpolarization in these neurones, with complete abolition of oscillatory activity. This synaptic response is mediated by an increase in K+ conductance, together with a decrease in inward (Na+/Ca2+) conductance. The ionic conductances affected by synaptic stimulation are those responsible for producing the rhythmic oscillations. 4. The oscillatory activity can also be modulated by the vertebrate neurohyophyseal peptides, vasopressin and oxytocin, and by an endogenous peptide-containing extract of molluscan ganglia. In contrast to synaptic stimulation, these agents cause an increase in oscillatory activity. 5. The endogenous molluscan factor which produces an increase in oscillatory activity can be purified by affinity chromatography on bovine neurophysin linked to Sepharose. This indicates that the molluscan nervous system may contain a neurohypophyseal-like peptide. 6. Oscillatory activity can be modulated by manipulation of cyclic nucleotide metabolism in these neurones. Increases in cAMP alone are associated with abolition of oscillatory activity; this mimics long-lasting synaptic hyperpolarization. Increases in cAMP and cGMP together are associated with an increase in oscillatory activity and mimic the effects of the vertebrate and molluscan peptides. Thus, it is possible that cyclic nucleotides play a role in these physiological responses.
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PMID:Synaptic and hormonal modulation of a neuronal oscillator: a search for molecular mechanisms. 51 75

Granulosa cells isolated from ovaries of non-cycling, cycling and pregnant rabbits of the same age were cultured in vitro either without or with pFSH (1 micrograms/ml), bLH (1 IU/ml), LH-RH (25 ng/ml) or arginine-8-vasotocin (100 ng/ml). The production of immunoreactive progesterone, estradiol-17 beta, oxytocin, arginine-8-vasopressin and cGMP was analyzed. The gonadotropins did not show any significant effects on the cells isolated from non-cycling and cycling rabbits, but not from these of pregnant ones. LH-RH inhibited and vasotocin stimulated progesterone production. All hormones used stimulated estradiol release from cells of non-cycling rabbits, while in a case of cycling animals no change was found. In the cell from pregnant females the release of estradiol was enhanced after LH treatment only. The treatment with FSH and LH (but not with LH-RH or vasotocin) resulted in a remarkable rise of granulosa vasopressin surge irrespectively to the reproductive stage. Oxytocin production by granulosa cells incubated either without or with LH, LH-RH or vasotocin was undetectable. However, FSH strongly stimulated oxytocin release. FSH and in lesser extent, LH or LH-RH (but not vasotocin) activated granulosa cGMP production in the cells from cycling and pregnant (but not from non-cycling) animals. It was also found that, in contrast to other reproductive stages, basal progesterone release from the cells of pregnant rabbits was increased, while in a case of non-cycling animals the basal estradiol release was decreased and that of cGMP was increased.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Effect of FSH, LH, LH-RH and arginine-vasotocin on the production of steroids, nonapeptide hormones and cGMP by rabbits granulosa cells isolated at different stages of reproductive cycle. 133 99

Oxytocin, bradykinin, melittin and A23187 increased cyclic GMP levels through activation of soluble guanylate cyclase in cultured porcine kidney epithelial cells, LLC-PK1. NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, an inhibitor of endothelium-derived relaxing factor/nitric oxide formation, decreased both basal and stimulated levels of cyclic GMP in a concentration-dependent manner. L-Arginine, but not D-arginine, augmented basal as well as stimulated levels of cyclic GMP and prevented the inhibition induced by NG-monomethyl-L-arginine. Similar effects of L-arginine were also observed with L-argininamide, L-arginine ethyl ester, L-arginine methyl ester and the dipeptide L-arginyl-L-aspartic acid. NG-monomethyl-L-arginine did not affect cyclic GMP accumulation induced by sodium nitroprusside, an activator of soluble guanylate cyclase, and atrial natriuretic factor, an activator of particulate guanylate cyclase. Stimulatory effects of oxytocin, glyceryl trinitrate, sodium nitroprusside, bradykinin, melittin and A23187 on cyclic GMP accumulation were enhanced with superoxide dismutase and diminished with oxyhemoglobin. However, atrial natriuretic factor-induced cyclic GMP accumulation was not affected. Furthermore, endothelium derived relaxing factor-like activity was detected in the conditioned medium from LLC-PK1 cells stimulated with oxytocin. Based on these data, we conclude that endothelium-derived relaxing factor is produced in this cell type and participates in the regulatory mechanism of cyclic GMP formation as an intra- and intercellular messenger for activation of soluble guanylate cyclase.
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PMID:Formation of endothelium-derived relaxing factor in porcine kidney epithelial LLC-PK1 cells: an intra- and intercellular messenger for activation of soluble guanylate cyclase. 167 Oct 98

Oxytocin increased cyclic GMP levels in LLC-PK1 porcine kidney epithelial cells through activation of soluble guanylate cyclase. NG-Monomethyl-L-arginine and N omega-nitro-L-arginine inhibited oxytocin (10 microM) induced cyclic GMP accumulation with IC50 values of 2.3 microM and 140 nM, respectively, and the inhibition was prevented with L-arginine. Both inhibitors at 100 microM lowered the basal levels of cyclic GMP, but did not affect those induced by 1 microM sodium nitroprusside and 100 nM atrial natriuretic factor. These data support our hypothesis that an endothelium-derived relaxing factor-like substance is formed as the endogenous activator of soluble guanylate cyclase in an L-arginine-dependent fashion in various cell types. N omega-Nitro-L-arginine is 16 times more potent than NG-monomethyl-L-arginine as a specific inhibitor of this pathway in LLC-PK1 cells.
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PMID:N omega-nitro-L-arginine: a potent inhibitor of the L-arginine-dependent soluble guanylate cyclase activation pathway in LLC-PK1 cells. 197 29

1. Effects of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) on tension development, particulate guanylate cyclase activity and guanosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic GMP) concentrations of uteri from oestrogen-treated, progesterone-treated, ovariectomized and pregnant rats were determined in vitro. 2. ANP inhibited the tension development by myometrial tissues from oestrogen-treated virgin rats and the sterile horn of 10 to 14 day pregnant rats but not of the uterus from pregnant and progesterone-treated rats. 3. Inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxygenase activities did not restore the tocolytic activity of ANP on gravid uterus. ANP exerted a tocolytic effect on nongravid uterus submaximally stimulated by prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha), oxytocin, vasopressin, angiotensin II or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). 4. Ovariectomy decreased the tocolytic effects of ANP, which could be restored by oestrogen treatment. 5. The refractoriness to the tocolytic effect of ANP in pregnant rats was not accompanied by a decrease in its relaxant effects on isolated aortic strips. 6. Tocolytic effects of isoprenaline, isobutylmethyl xanthine and hydroxylamine were not influenced by pregnancy or progesterone treatment. Up to a concentration of 3 mM, sodium nitroprusside did not affect myometrial tension development. 7. Pregnancy and progesterone treatment markedly inhibited ANP-induced increases in myometrial particulate guanylate cyclase activity and cyclic GMP concentrations but did not influence the effects of ANP on aortic cyclic GMP concentrations. 8. It is concluded that exposure of the myometrium to circulating and placentally-produced progesterone is responsible for the pregnancy-induced decrease in the effects of ANP on myometrial particulate guanylate cyclase activity and cyclic GMP concentrations and in turn on myometrial tension development.
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PMID:Refractoriness of the gravid rat uterus to tocolytic and biochemical effects of atrial natriuretic peptide. 197 61

Recently, it was shown that in LLC-PK1 kidney epithelial cells hormones such as vasopressin or oxytocin increase cyclic GMP in a receptor-mediated and L-arginine-dependent manner. In the present study, the possible existence of cross-tolerance to vasopressin and oxytocin was investigated in nitrate-tolerant LLC-PK1 cells. Pretreatment with 1 mM glyceryl trinitrate for 3 h decreased cyclic GMP stimulation by 1 microM vasopressin and 1 microM oxytocin by 49% and 54%, respectively. Under the same conditions, cyclic GMP stimulation at 1 microM sodium nitroprusside was diminished by 56% whereas the cyclic GMP response to 100 microM glyceryl trinitrate was virtually abolished. Our results demonstrate that a substantial degree of cross-tolerance to L-arginine-dependent guanylate cyclase activators occurs in nitrate-pretreated nonvascular cells which may be due to glyceryl trinitrate-induced desensitization of soluble guanylate cyclase.
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PMID:Cross-tolerance to L-arginine-dependent guanylate cyclase activators in nitrate-tolerant LLC-PK1 kidney epithelial cells. 197 70

Uterine contractions in labour are influenced by endogenous substances such as oestrogens, progesterone, cortisol, oxytocin, prostaglandins, relaxin, adrenergic and cholinergic secretions, cyclic nucleotides and calcium ions. Effects of progesterone and oestrogens are complimentary as well as antagonistic to each other. They regulate formation of gap junctions, influx of calcium ions, synthesis of oxytocin, adrenergic receptors and of prostaglandins and cyclic nucleotides. Cortisol shares a role in a more complex endocrine trigger but is ineffective alone in the initiation of human labour. Adrenaline inhibits and noradrenaline promotes uterine contractions. Cholinergic stimulation increases cyclic GMP promoting uterine contractions. Calcium ions play a key role in uterine contractility. Oxytocin, prostaglandins E and F are powerful stimulants of uterine contractions. Prostaglandins stimulate pregnant uterus from early gestation unlike oxytocin which has little effect in the first and second trimester. They are extensively used for initiating labour and to arrest intractable atonic postpartum haemorrhage. In experiments and in vivo, their effects are modulated by other hormones and substances. With discovery of new drugs, knowledge of how they act on the uterus becomes important. The pharmacology of parturition that may help to understand the interaction of various agents on the pregnant uterus has been discussed.
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PMID:Pharmacology of parturition. 202 68


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