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)

Rabbits were anesthetized with urethane and were given intracisternal injections of the following substances: adrenocorticotropin, beta-melanocyte stimulating hormone, choroid plexus peptide IIF, epinephrine, serotonin, histamine, oxytocin, lysine and a arginine vasopressins, acetylcholine and melatonin. The effects on the concentration of 3', 5' cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) in cerebrospinal fluid were then measured. Only melatonin and acetylcholine caused a significant (p less than 0.05) effect on cGMP concentration. Both agents increased the nucleotide's concentration within 30 min. Melatonin was about 1,000 times more potent than acetylcholine; the mininal effective doses were 1 mug and 1,000 mug, respectively.
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PMID:Injection of melatonin into cisterna magna increases concentration of 3', 5' cyclic guanosine monophosphate in cerebrospinal fluid. 18 65

A microcellular dispersion procedure for the rat neurohypophysis was developed, comprising tissue softening and dissociation using a special sieving sytringe. In preparatory studies the influence of mesh width, and treatment with trypsin, pronase or collagenase-hyaluronidase was investigated using light and electron microscopy, as well as with microchemistry by means of protein and lactate dehydrogenase activity determinations. Trypsinization gave the best results. In the final adopted procedure, 3 incubated neurohypophyses were sequentially sieved through a 200- and a 50-mum mesh. The resulting 50-mul dispersion was found to contain numerous ultrastructurally well-preserved pinched-off axonal endings (neurosecretosomes), and pituicytes often revealing processes. On the basis of DNA and oxytocin assays 11% of the pituicytes and 28% of the axonal cytoplasm were recovered. Oxytocin immunofluorescence microscopy showed hormone within the neurosecretosomes, but often also in the cytoplasm of pituicytes. Microdensity gradient centrifugation was performed on neurohypophyseal disperions, in order to obtain fractions enriched for neurosecretosomes and pituicytes. Fractions were characterized by means of phase contrast, oxytocin immunofluorescence and electron microscopy, as well as by oxytocin and DNA assays as respective markers. With a 10:14:22% (w/v) Ficoll gradient, fractions were obtained for which the relative purification was by a factor of 4 on the basis of DNA/oxytocin ratios.
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PMID:Enzymic preparation of neurosecretosome- and pituicyte-enriched fractions from the rat neurohypophysis. 18 63

A continuous cell line was previously obtained by Simian Virus (SV) 40 transformation of primary cultures of dissociated mouse fetal hypothalami. One clone from this cell line has been previously shown to possess some of the ultrastructural features, immunological properties and synthesizing capacities of magnocellular hypothalamic neurons which secrete vasopressin and neurophysins. The present paper reports on the morphological characterization of 14 other clones or subclones of the original cell line, using the following criteria: phase contrast microscopy, electron microscopy, Gomori's aldehyde fuchsin staining, cytochemical detection of beta-glucuronidase, immunochemical staining with antisera against bovine neurophysin I, bovine neurophysin II, lys-vasopressin, oxytocin, LH-RH and TRH. The results allowed the conclusion that the clones as well as the subclones can be distributed into two groups: 1) neurosecretory neurons which all possess several of the ultrastructural and cytochemical features of the neurophysin-vasopressin synthesizing clone, and 2) primitive nerve cells which are devoid of such features but display numerous bundles of filaments. In addition some clones were found to display intermediate features between groups 1 and 2. A similar diversity was observed within clones of the original strain and subclones of a neurosecretory clone. It is suggested that the primitive clones could represent precursors of the neurosecretory clones.
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PMID:Ultrastructural and cytochemical features of SV 40 transformed hypothalamic cell lines. 18 90

Lactation is controlled by hormones from several endocrine glands. An undisturbed function of the anterior pituitary, of the adrenals, and of the ovaries is a prerequisite for a normal morphogenesis of the mammary gland. The epithelial ducts proliferative under the combined influence of estrogens, glucocorticoids and growth hormone, whereas the lobuloalveolar development depends on progesterone and prolactin in addition to the fore-mentioned hormones. During pregnancy pituitary prolactin may be substituted by placental lactogen. Milk synthesis begins in the second half of pregnancy. It is supported by prolactin and cortisol, which directly act on enzyme activities and processes of differentiation of the alveolar cells. The sudden surge in the secretion of milk after parturition is most likely due to the rapid decline of the serum levels of progesterone. The ejection of milk from the lactating mammary gland is controlled by a neuroendocrine reflex mechanism. Suckling is the appropriate stimulus for the release of oxytocin from the posterior pituitary. Oxytocin increases intramammary pressure by inducing contraction of the myoepithelial cells and thus aids in expelling the milk from the mammary glands. Maintenance of normal postpartum lactation depends on frequent and intensive suckling. Suckling does not only stimulate the release of oxytocin, but also provokes secretion of prolactin and ACTH. This increase in prolactin caused by suckling guarantees galactopoesis. Influencing secretion of prolactin has been proven to be a useful tool for regulating lactation. The experimental ergot derivative 2-Brom-alpha-ergocryptine is a potent suppressor of prolactin secretion from the anterior pituitary. In contrast to estrogens, alone or in combination with progestagens or androgens, this drug is not only effective in suppressing the onset of lactation, but also in inhibiting lactation once milk secretion had started. As to stimulating lactation in the human there is no effective drug available up to now.
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PMID:[Hormonal regulation of lactation (author's transl)]. 18 42

In a continued effort to relate the three-dimensional structure of a peptide hormone to its biological activity, the dose-response relationships of [3-phenylalanine] oxytocin (oxypressin), with an aromatic amino acid residue in position 3, and [3-beta-cyclohexylalanine]oxytocin, with an aliphatic amino acid residue to position 3, were determined in the rat uterine assay in vitro and compared to that of oxytocin. Oxypressin has not only a lower affinity for the smooth muscle receptor than the natural hormone, but also a decreased maximal response (efficacy). [3-beta-Cyclohexylalanine]oxytocin exhibits an even lower affinity than oxypressin, but retains the same maximal response as oxytocin. A reorientation of the tyrosine sidechain, caused by the presence of a neighboring aromatic sidechain in position 3, away from the surface of the 20-membered ring is though to remove the phenolic hydroxyl group from its optimal position in the "active center" of oxytocin and give rise to the reduced efficacy of oxypressin.
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PMID:Importance of the third amino acid residue of oxytocin for its action on isolated rat uterus: study of relationship between hormone conformation and activity. 18 56

Endometrial and myometrial tissues, obtained from Merino ewes on 5 different days of the estrous cycle, were incubated at 37 C in 30 ml of gassed (95% O2:5% CO2) Krebs-bicarbonate buffer containing, 0, 10, 100 or 1,000 muU/ml oxytocin. Aliquots of the medium were removed at 10 min intervals and examined for prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha) content by radioimmunoassay. Fresh-frozen (-70 C) samples of endometrial and myometrial tissue were homogenized in Tyrode's solution. Particulate fractions from each tissue, sedimenting between 1,000 X g for 10 min and 165,000 X g for 30 min, were prepared and assayed for [3H]oxytocin-binding activity. Endometrium incubated in vitro released PGF2alpha spontaneously and oxytocin enhanced this release in a dose-dependent manner. The degree of enhancement with low doses of oxytocin appeared to increase as estrus approached, reaching a maximum on the day of estrus. High-affinity binding sites (Kd = 5 to 7 X 10(-10) M) were found in both myometrium and endometrium. The number of high-affinity sites rose to a peak at estrus in both tissues but the binding capacity of endometrium was twice that of the myometrium at this time. Although both tissues released PGF2alpha during incubation, oxytocin enhanced release from endometrial tissue only. The results suggest that (i) the endometrium is a target for oxytocin, (ii) synthesis of PGF2alpha by the uterus may involve interaction between oxytocin and its endometrial receptors and (iii) ovarian steroids may influence uterine PG synthesis by regulating the availability of these receptors.
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PMID:Oxytocin-stimulated release of prostaglandin F2alpha from ovine endometrium in vitro: correlation with estrous cycle and oxytocin-receptor binding. 18 47

The question as to whether calcium can be considered to be a mediator of oxytocin-induced myometrial contraction has been investigated. Assuming that the contraction is linearly proportional to the myoplasmic calcium concentration, several possible molecular mechanisms leading to its increase (calcium release from the cell membrane, acceleration of calcium transport from extracellular space by a 'gate' mechanism, release from intracellular organelles, blockade of calcium pumps) were modelled on an analog computer. The oxytocin intervention in the calcium distribution was mimicked by a discontinuous change of the appropriate rate constants. The computed transient simulating the myoplasmic calcium concentration was then compared with an experimental time profile of uterine tension. The result of screening the models shows that oxytocin must act predominantly via release of calcium bound to the cell membrane. A quantitative comparison, however, requires that the kinetics of oxytocin distribution in myometrium also be considered in the model. The problem treated in this paper demonstrates the possibilities and limitations of a screening procedure based upon direct comparison of time profiles of experimental processes with several computed model alternatives.
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PMID:The use of dynamic models to study the role of calcium in the oxytocin-induced contractions of the uterus. 19 65

A continuous cell culture line was established from a bone marrow metastasis of small cell anaplastic carcinoma of the lung. The cultures were characterized by light and electron microscopy, and an unusual concentric arrangement of cells was observed, both in sectioned material from the patient's tumor and from the cell cultures. The cells had two types of specialized cell junctions and contained secretory-like granules of the type described in neuroendocrine cells. Lactic dehydrogenase isozyme patterns were the same as those observed in normal human serum, and the karyotype revealed the presence of several marker chromosomes. Vasopressin was present in the cells and secreted into the culture medium in the absence of neurophysin, as shown by the immunoperoxidase technique and radioimmunoassay. Oxytocin was also absent from cells.
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PMID:Isolation and characterization of a hormone-producing cell line from human small cell anaplastic carcinoma of the lung. 19 Apr 10

The stimulating effect of different pituitary hormones on longitudinal bone growth was determined with tetracycline as intravital marker in hypophysectomized rats. Growth hormone was found to be the most effective growth stimulating pituitary hormone. At considerably higher doses, thyrotrophic hormone (TSH) and prolactin also showed growth stimulating pituitary hormone. At considerably higher doses, thyrotrophic hormone (TSH) and prolactin also showed growth stimulating activity. TSH exerts its effect via the production of thyroxine, whereas the growth stimulation by prolactin seems to be a direct effect of this hormone, similar to the effect of growth hormone. The LH, FSH, ACTH, MSH, vasopressin and oxytocin preparations did not stimulate longitudinal bone growth.
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PMID:Stimulation of longitudinal bone growth by hypophyseal hormones in the hypophysectomized rat. 19 Aug 39

Choroid plexus of rabbit and rat was incubated for 2-30 min at 37 degrees C under 95% O2-5% CO2 in Tyrode solution containing 10 mM glucose and 1 mM theophylline with these agents: epinephrine, norepinephrine, isoproterenol, dopamine, histamine, serotonin, arginine, and lysine vasopressins, oxytocin, angiotensin, adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), beta-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, and choroid plexus peptide IIF. After incubation, tissue and medium were analyzed for 3', 5' -cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) content. Each amine or peptide was tested initially at 1,000 microng/ml. Only ACTH and serotonin affected cAMP content of rabbit choroid plexus. At 1,000 microng/ml, these agents caused a 10 and 4 times (respectively) increase in cAMP content of tissue + medium at 2-10 min with decline in content at 10-30 min. More than 90% of the increment was located in tissue, less than 10% in medium. Minimal effective dose (MED) to cause a significant (P less than .05) accumulation of cAMP was 0.1 microng/ml (2.2 x 10(-8) M) for ACTH and 10 microng/ml (5.7 x10(-3) M) for serotonin. Only isoproterenol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine influenced cAMP content of rat choroid plexus. MED's for this effect by isoproterenol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine were .001, .01, and 10 microng/ml (4.7 x 10(-9), 5.5 x 10(-8), and 5.9 x 10(-5) M), respectively.
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PMID:Effects of hormones on 3', 5' -cyclic adenosine monophosphate in choroid plexus. 19 84


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