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)

The distribution of leucine-enkephalin, methionine-enkephalin, neurotensin, somatostatin, substance P, oxytocin, vasopressin, neurophysin II, and serotonin in nerve terminals and fibers of sympathetic autonomic areas of the thoracolumbar (T-L) spinal cord was studied immunohistochemically in cats. Densities of these immunoreactive terminals and fibers were estimated in the intermediolateral nucleus pars principalis (IMLp) and pars funicularis (IMLf), the nucleus intercalatus (IC), and the central autonomic area (CA). Results for leucine- and methionine-enkephalin-like immunoreactivity (ENK) were similar and immunoreactivity for vasopressin was not observed. The greatest numbers of terminals and fibers in the IMLp region contained ENK, neurotensin-(NT), and serotonin-like immunoreactivity (5HT); terminals and fibers containing substance P-(SP) and neurophysin II-like immunoreactivity (NP2) were intermediate in number, and those containing somatostatin-(SS) and oxytocin-like immunoreactivity (OXY) were generally sparse. In the IC and CA, terminals and fibers containing ENK and NT were dense, those containing SP were moderate, and those containing OXY, NP2, and 5HT were sparsely represented. In the IMLp, where the largest proportion of sympathetic preganglionic neurons (SPN) is found, the greatest concentration of terminals and fibers containing ENK was found in segments T1-T8; for NT these segments were T1-T5 and T11-L1, for SP-C8-T2 and T11-L1, for NP2-T4-T7 and L2 to L3, and for 5HT-T1-T5. Terminals and fibers containing SS and OXY were present in segments C8-T10 and segments C8, T2-T8, T13, and L2 to L3, respectively. These results indicate that while ENK, NT, SP, NP2, and 5HT fibers and terminals are widely distributed throughout the T-L cord, they may influence to a greater degree the SPN in segments where they are present in greater numbers. As SS and OXY were not found at all levels of the IMLp, their functions may be more organ specific.
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PMID:Segmental distribution of peptide- and 5HT-like immunoreactivity in nerve terminals and fibers of the thoracolumbar sympathetic nuclei of the cat. 241 41

This paper presents data showing that the sympathetic autonomic areas of the cat thoracolumbar spinal cord contain nerve terminals and fibres with immunoreactivity for at least seven neuropeptides. The distribution in the intermediolateral cell column of the terminals and fibres which contain enkephalin-, neuropeptide Y-, neurotensin-, substance P-, and neurophysin II-like immunoreactivity (ENK, NPY, NT, SP, and NP2, respectively) suggests that these peptides are involved in more generalized functions of the autonomic nervous system. On the other hand, peaks in density of immunoreactivity at certain levels suggest that different levels of influence of sympathetic preganglionic neurons by the various peptides may occur along the length of the thoracolumbar cord. The distribution of terminals and fibres containing somatostatin- and oxytocin-like immunoreactivity (SS and OXY) suggests that these peptides may be part of specific pathways to particular sympathetic preganglionic neurons. The possible sources of the terminals and fibres containing ENK, NPY, NT, SS, and SP include the spinal cord and supraspinal areas, whereas the source of these structures with OXY and NP2 is most likely supraspinal. The data suggest that coexistence of peptides and interactions between structures containing different neuropeptides occur in the spinal autonomic areas. It is speculated that neuropeptides have an important role to play in the regulation of the cardiovascular division of the autonomic nervous system.
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PMID:Peptidergic inputs to sympathetic preganglionic neurons. 331 10

Spontaneous prematurity is more frequent in multiple than singleton pregnancies. It is estimated that 72% of the multiple pregnancies delivered before 33 weeks are spontaneous births, compared with 58% among singletons (NP3). As in singleton pregnancies, uterine contractions, close together, often precede preterm delivery by several days (NP2). The benefits of home tocodynamometry for patients who have already been hospitalized for threatened preterm delivery (TPD) (NP4) is difficult to assess from the data currently available, but it has not been shown to provide any benefits in a population of asymptomatic twin pregnancies (NP1). Cervical ultrasound appears to have good predictive value for preterm delivery when performed for TPD (NP3), although again few data are available. The efficacy of tocolysis appears similar to that for singleton pregnancies (NP3). Although the lack of data prevents us from judging the efficacy of tocolytics such as calcium channel blockers or oxytocin antagonists, it seems logical to use them as first-line drugs, especially because of the increased risk of pulmonary edema in multiple pregnancies with Bmimetics (NP3). Antenatal corticosteroid therapy appears to be less beneficial in multiple than singleton pregnancies (NP3). Pharmacological studies suggest that the dose currently used may be insufficient for multiple pregnancies (NP3). While awaiting results from clinical studies comparing the efficacy of higher doses, we must for now recommend antenatal corticosteroid therapy only at the usual doses. While the rate of in utero transfers to level III facilities is nearly 85% in the case of severe TPD (NP4), this practice must be encouraged still more in view of the benefits of inborn status compared with postnatal transfer. Finally, delayed-interval delivery is a relatively rare obstetrical practice that should be considered on a case-by-case basis when the first fetus is born before 26 weeks. This approach requires tocolysis and antibiotic therapy. The usefulness of cerclage in this situation has yet to be demonstrated. A delayed-interval delivery can prolong the pregnancy by an average of 15 to 30 days (NP4).
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PMID:[Special management for threatened preterm delivery in multiple pregnancies]. 1245 33