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)

Oxytocin (OT) has been shown to be the dominant peptide of the neurohypophysial family expressed by thymic epithelial and nurse cells (TEC/TNC) in various species. Thymic OT is not secreted but, after translocation of a hybrid neurophysin/MHC class I protein, is integrated within the plasma membrane of TEC, thus allowing its presentation to pre-T cells. In order to further demonstrate that thymic OT behaves like a membrane antigen, we assessed the effect of mAbs to OT on cytokine productions by cultures enriched in human TEC. 75-85% pure TEC cultures were prepared from human thymic fragments. Using immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy, ir-OT, ir-interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), ir-interleukin-6 (IL-6) and ir-leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) could be detected in these TEC cultures. ir-OT was restricted to TEC, while some ir-IL-6 and ir-LIF were also seen in occasional fibroblasts. In basal conditions, ir-IL-6 and ir-LIF (but not ir-OT and ir-IL-1 beta) were detected in the supernatants of human TEC cultures. MAbs to OT induced a marked increase of ir-IL-6 and ir-LIF secretion in TEC cultures. No significant effect was observed using mAbs against vasopressin, mouse immunoglobulins, or control ascitic fluid controls. These data show that OT is fully processed and recognized by specific mAbs at the outer surface of TEC plasma membrane. They further support that thymic OT behaves as the self-antigen of the neurohypophysial family.
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PMID:Cytokine production by human thymic epithelial cells: control by the immune recognition of the neurohypophysial self-antigen. 895 4

Early porcine conceptus development is characterized by rapid trophoblastic elongation between Days 11 and 12 of pregnancy, a period of embryonic loss in the pig. Growth factors and steroids secreted by the conceptus and uterus, as well as ligand receptors produced by the conceptus, are thought to regulate trophoblastic elongation. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to characterize conceptus gene expression for the steroidogenic enzymes 17alpha-hydroxylase and aromatase and the mesodermal marker brachyury, as well as the expression of receptors for fibronectin (integrin beta-1), progesterone, estrogen, oxytocin, prostaglandin F2alpha, and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), prior to and during trophoblastic elongation. Total RNA was extracted from individual conceptuses from Day 10 to Day 12 of pregnancy. Gene expression was determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction on conceptuses having 2- to 4-, 5-, 6-, 7-, 8-, 9-, and 10- to 12-mm spherical, 13- to 25-mm tubular, and > 100-mm filamentous morphologies. There was a stage of development effect on both 17alpha-hydroxylase (p < 0.001) and aromatase (p < 0.003) gene expression. Initial 17alpha-hydroxylase gene expression was detected in early spherical conceptuses (2-4 mm), increasing abruptly through to 7-mm conceptuses. Aromatase gene expression increased dramatically in 6- to 7-mm conceptuses, with increased expression throughout development. Gene expression for LIF receptor (LIFR) (p < 0.02) was similar to that for 17alpha-hydroxylase, while brachyury gene expression began in 6-mm conceptuses and increased (p < 0.001) throughout development. Integrin beta-1 was expressed at all stages of development. Conceptus gene expression was not detected for progesterone, estrogen, oxytocin, and prostaglandin F2alpha receptors. Prior to elongation, dynamic changes in gene expression are occurring that appear to be associated with estrogen production and preparation of the conceptuses for elongation. LIFR expression is highly associated with steroidogenic enzyme production with an initial peak preceding rapid trophoblastic elongation, suggesting that LIF may be involved in early conceptus development in the pig.
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PMID:Ontogeny of elongation and gene expression in the early developing porcine conceptus. 936 95

The expression of the polysialic acid neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) in the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal system has been correlated with morphofunctional plasticity. In this study, we investigated the role of PSA-NCAM in the survival of oxytocin (OT)- and vasopressin (VP)-producing magnocellular cells of this system. We used a recently developed organotypic slice culture model of the rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) in which ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) are potent survival factors for magnocellular neurons. We demonstrate by means of confocal microscopy that cultured magnocellular VP and OT neurons express strong immunoreactivity for PSA-NCAM. Removal of PSA from NCAM by the enzyme Endo N leads to a significant loss of both VP and OT neurons in the presence of low concentrations of CNTF. Endo N treatment did not change cell survival in the presence of LIF. These results suggest that, in addition to its role in neuro-glial plasticity, PSA-NCAM might also influence the trophic factor responsiveness of hypothalamic VP and OT neurosecretory cells.
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PMID:Removal of PSA from NCAM affects the survival of magnocellular vasopressin- and oxytocin-producing neurons in organotypic cultures of the paraventricular nucleus. 1278 78