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)

The hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system synthesizes and releases arginine vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OXT) with physiological stimulation. In the present study, we investigated localization of a chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG), phosphacan/RPTPbeta, in the supraoptic nucleus (SON) and paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of adult rats at both the light and electron microscopic levels. Immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated stronger phosphacan/RPTPbeta immunoreactivity within the SON and PVN compared with adjacent hypothalamic areas. Double labeling experiments showed phosphacan/RPTPbeta immunoreactivity constituting punctate networks to surround the somata and dendrites of AVP- and OXT-secreting magnocellular neurons. Electron microscopic examination further revealed strong phosphacan/RPTPbeta immunoreactivity at extracellular membrane surface of some axons, somata, and dendrites of the SON, but not of synaptic junctions. Interestingly, phosphacan/RPTPbeta immunoreactivity was also observed at extracellular surface membrane between astrocytic processes and neurons rather than between magnocellular neurons. The present results indicate the high expression of the CSPG, phosphacan/RPTPbeta at the extracellular space in the hypothalamic AVP- and OXT-secreting magnocellular neurons.
...
PMID:Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan phosphacan/RPTPbeta in the hypothalamic magnocellular nuclei. 1221 6

The hypothalamic magnocellular neurons, synthesizing arginine vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin, are well known to show structural plasticity during chronic physiological stimulation. We have previously reported that 6B4 phosphacan/receptor-type protein-tyrosine phosphatasebeta (RPTPbeta), a chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan is highly expressed in the supraoptic nucleus (SON) of adult hypothalamus. Here, we undertook to study the activity-dependent regulation of 6B4 phosphacan/RPTPbeta in this system. Double labeling confocal microscopy demonstrated in the SON that 6B4 phosphacan/RPTPbeta-immunoreactive perineuronal nets were seen around AVP-containing somata and dendrites and its distribution pattern was well coincided with that of TAG-1. Quantitative immunohistochemical and Western analyses showed that 1-week salt loading, known as the chronic physiological stimulation for inducing the structural changes such as synaptic remodeling and direct neuronal membrane apposition, decreased 6B4 phosphacan/RPTPbeta levels in the SON, but did not alter TAG-1 levels. The 6B4 phosphacan/RPTPbeta levels were returned to control basal values within 3 weeks after the cessation of the chronic stimulation. Activity-dependent decreases in 6B4 phosphacan/RPTPbeta levels of the SON were confirmed when Western and immunohistochemical samples were digested with chondroitinase ABC, indicating that the decrease in 6B4 phosphacan/RPTPbeta levels was due to disappearance of 6B4 phosphacan/RPTPbeta core protein rather than increase in chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycans. With electron microscopy, the electron-dense immunoproducts for 6B4 phosphacan/RPTPbeta were found on the membrane surface of axons and glial processes, but not at synaptic junctions in control SON, and its immunoreactivity was eliminated with the chronic salt loading. The present results indicate that the levels of 6B4 phosphacan/RPTPbeta are regulated with activity-dependent manner and may be concerned with the structural plasticity seen in the SON.
...
PMID:Activity-dependent regulation of a chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 6B4 phosphacan/RPTPbeta in the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus. 1526 Nov 12

The hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system (HNS) consisting of arginine vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OXT) magnocellular neurons shows the structural plasticity including the rearrangement of synapses, dendrites, and neurovascular contacts during chronic physiological stimulation. In this study, we examined the remodeling of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs), main extracellular matrix (ECM), in the HNS after salt loading known as a chronic stimulation to cause the structural plasticity. In the supraoptic nucleus (SON), confocal microscopic observation revealed that the immunoreactivity of 6B4 proteoglycans (PG) was observed mainly at AVP-positive magnocellular neurons but that of neurocan was seen chiefly at OXT-positive magnocellular neurons. The immunoreactivity of phosphacan and aggrecan was seen at both AVP- and OXT-positive magnocellular neurons. Electron microscopic observation further showed that the immunoreactivity of phosphacan and neurocan was observed at astrocytic processes to surround somata, dendrites, and terminals, but not synaptic junctions. In the neurohypophysis (NH), the immunoreactivity of phosphacan, 6B4 PGs, and neurocan was observed at AVP-positive magnocellular terminals, but the reactivity of Wisteria floribunda agglutinin lectin was seen at OXT-positive ones. The immunoreactivity of versican was found at microvessel and that of aggrecan was not detected in the NH. Quantitative morphometrical analysis showed that the chronic physiological stimulation by 7-day salt loading decreased the level of 6B4 PGs in the SON and the level of phosphacan, 6B4 PGs, and neurocan in the NH. These results suggest that the extracellular microenvironment of CSPGs is different between AVP and OXT magnocellular neurons and activity-dependent remodeling of CSPGs could be involved in the structural plasticity of the HNS.
...
PMID:Activity-dependent remodeling of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans extracellular matrix in the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system. 2010 32