Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P01185 (vasopressin)
 23,126 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Fetal growth in utero demands a continuous flow of water and solutes across the placental barrier. We investigated the membrane parameters that control the influx of solutes that are not actively transported and the influx of water. The osmotic conductivity, and the Na+ and Cl- permeabilities of the membrane were measured in chronically instrumented fetal sheep. Transplacental salt flow and water flow were augmented by drainage of fetal urine to the exterior over extended periods of time. Calculation showed that the membrane parameters are: deltaNaCl = 0.83, P.SNaCl = 8.0 10-3 ml.sec-1 kg-1, and LPS = 4.7 10-8 cm5.dyne-1.sec-1.kg-1 (placental surface area S being expressed per kg fetal weight). The chronic infusion of vasopressin into the fetuses at 8 to 11 units per day per kg fetal weight reduced the reflection coefficient deltaNaCl to a mean of 0.63 (P less than 0.03). We concluded that the characteristics of the influx of NaCl and water are compatible with those of a diffusion filtration process, that fetal growth is constrained by the diffusional permeability of the placenta for inert electrolyte and that in the long run fetal growth can only accelerate because placental electrolyte permeability increases. Vasopressin appears to reduce the salt reflection coefficient of the placenta thus enabling the fetus to exert some short term control over its acquisition of water and electrolyte.
 ...
PMID:Fetal homeostasis in relation to placental water exchange. 61 9

1. The effects on blood pressure and on pressor responses to noradrenaline (NA), of NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) and NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), inhibitors of the L-arginine/nitric oxide pathway, were investigated in anaesthetized rats receiving an infusion of bacterial endotoxin (E. coli lipopolysaccharide, LPS). 2. Infusion of LPS (10 mg kg-1 h-1) for 50 min had no effect on mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) but induced a reduction in responsiveness to noradrenaline (100 ng-1 micrograms kg-1). L-NMMA (30 mg kg-1), but not D-NMMA, caused an increase in MABP of approximately 30 mmHg and restored responses to NA. This effect was reversed by L- but not D-arginine (100 mg kg-1). 3. In LPS-treated rats, blood pressure responses to NA were only marginally increased by the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin (5 mg kg-1). L-NAME (1 mg kg-1) caused a similar increase in MABP and restored pressor responses to NA both in the presence and absence of indomethacin. 4. Co-infusion of vasopressin (100 ng kg-1, for 10 min) with LPS (10 mg kg-1 h-1) in order to reproduce the hypertensive effect of L-NMMA and L-NAME increased pressor responsiveness to 100 and 300 ng kg-1 NA but not to 1 microgram kg-1 NA. 5. Infusion of sodium nitroprusside (30 micrograms kg-1 min-1) decreased responsiveness to NA even when the hypotension was corrected by co-infusion of vasopressin (50 ng kg-1 min-1). 6. These results demonstrate that the restoration of vascular responsiveness to NA in LPS-treated anaesthetized rats by inhibitors of the L-arginine/nitric oxide pathway is stereospecific and reversible. Furthermore, the experiments involving indomethacin suggest that although cyclo-oxygenase products of arachidonic acid may contribute to the development of LPS-induced hyporeactivity, the effect of L-NAME is unlikely to involve inhibition of the cyclo-oxygenase pathway. Comparison of NA responsiveness during vasopressin and L-NMMA/L-NAME-induced hypertension shows that increasing the blood pressure may modify LPS-induced hyporeactivity, but cannot account for the complete restoration of responses to NA by L-NMMA and L-NAME. These observations suggest that activation of nitric oxide formation from L-arginine makes a direct contribution to the production of vascular hyporeactivity by LPS in vivo.
 ...
PMID:The effect of inhibitors of the L-arginine/nitric oxide pathway on endotoxin-induced loss of vascular responsiveness in anaesthetized rats. 190 34

Prepubertal pigs (n = 8) treated with bacterial endotoxin (20 micrograms lipopolysaccharide; LPS) exhibited a sustained (4 h) hyperthermia, increased plasma concentrations of cortisol, prolactin, growth hormone and vasopressin, but no change in adrenaline or noradrenaline levels was observed. All these effects were prevented or attenuated when the animals were pretreated intravenously with the cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor indomethacin (IND; 2 mg/kg). Similarly, in pigs (n = 3 per treatment) given IND, LPS or IND + LPS, parallel changes in the neuronal expression of c-Fos were observed in hypothalamic regions concerned with thermoregulation, neurohypophysial secretion, and the control of pituitary-adrenocortical function. The stimulatory action of LPS in the median preoptic, supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei was prevented by IND, whereas IND given alone was without effect. These findings suggest that inducible cyclo-oxygenase pathways are responsible for the febrile and neuroendocrine effects of endotoxin in this species.
 ...
PMID:Cyclo-oxygenase mediation of endotoxin-induced fever, anterior and posterior pituitary hormone release, and hypothalamic c-Fos expression in the prepubertal pig. 757 5

Hypotension during endotoxic shock is related to reduced vascular responsiveness to vasoconstrictors. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is known to potentiate the pressor response to some agonists, and NPY infusion has been shown to improve hemodynamics and survival in endotoxemic rats. We therefore studied the effect of NPY infusion on the suppressed pressor effect of norepinephrine (NE), angiotensin II (AII), vasopressin (VP), and endothelin (ET) in conscious endotoxemic rats. Chronically cannulated conscious rats were infused with a non-hypotensive dose of endotoxin (LPS, 10 micrograms/10 microliters/min) throughout the experiment. Infusion of NPY, 40 pmol/10 microliters/min was started 15 minutes before the LPS infusion, and continued for 65 minutes. Five minutes after the termination of NPY infusion, increasing agonist doses were administered i.v. to construct dose-response curves. Each experiment included one control group where saline replaced LPS, and one control group where saline replaced NPY. LPS infusion caused suppression of the pressor responses to all four agonists, as expressed by ED50 and by decreased pressor response to the individual agonist doses. In addition, LPS infusion altered the bradycardic response to AII and ET. NPY infusion prior to the administration of NE, AII and VP resulted in partial reversal of the LPS-induced suppressed responsiveness to these agonists. NPY infusion had no effect on the response to ET in either control or endotoxemic rats. Partial reversal of the suppressed responsiveness to the three agonists by NPY infusion may contribute to the observed NPY-induced improvement of blood pressure and survival rate during endotoxic shock.
 ...
PMID:Effect of neuropeptide Y on endotoxin-induced suppression of the response to various agonists in conscious rats. 759 29

To identify brain neurons that participate in the acute phase response, rat brains were examined immunocytochemically for Fos protein following the intravenous administration of bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS). Two to three hours after the injection of LPS, 150 micrograms/kg body weight, to adult male Long-Evans rats, a consistent anatomic pattern of Fos immunostained cell nuclei is seen. In the brain stem, prominant Fos immunostaining is induced in tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive neurons of the caudal ventral-lateral medulla (the A1 cell group), in both tyrosine hydroxylase positive and negative neurons of nu. tractus solitarius, in the parabrachial nu., and in a few neurons of the locus ceruleus. In the hypothalamus, endotoxin induces Fos expression in magnocellular neurons of the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei and internuclear cell groups. A higher percentage of oxytocin-immunoreactive cells is double labeled for Fos nuclear immunostaining than vasopressin-immunoreactive cells. A minority of somatostatin immunoreactive periventricular hypothalamic neurons are Fos positive. Other hypothalamic nuclei that contain endotoxin-induced Fos nuclear immunostaining include the parvocellular neurons of the paraventricular nu., the dorsomedial and arcuate nuclei, the lateral hypothalamus, the dorsal hypothalamic area (zona incerta), and the median nucleus of the preoptic area. LPS induces numerous Fos-positive neurons in regions known to respond to a variety of stressful stimuli; these regions include the preoptic area, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, lateral septum, and the central and medial nuclei of the amygdala. Moreover, Fos nuclear immunostaining is seen in neurons of circumventricular organs: the organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis, the subfornical organ, and the area postrema. The maximum intensity of Fos nuclear immunostaining occurs 2-3 h after endotoxin administration and declines thereafter. It is attenuated by pretreatment with indomethacin, 25 mg/kg body weight Sc, or dexamethasone, 1 mg/kg IP. These observations are consistent with the participation of a variety of brain neuronal systems in the acute phase response and elucidate the functional neuroanatomy of that response at the cellular level.
 ...
PMID:Anatomic patterns of Fos immunostaining in rat brain following systemic endotoxin administration. 771 98

Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a sympathetic and platelet-derived vasoconstrictor, acts both directly and by potentiating adrenergic responsiveness and therefore may be beneficial in endotoxic shock, where suppressed vascular responsiveness to adrenergic agents is a key factor. This was studied in anesthetized rats. First, infusion of a nonhypotensive dose of endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) markedly suppressed the pressor response to increasing doses of norepinephrine (NE), angiotensin II, and vasopressin but did not suppress the response to NPY. Second, in rats rendered hypotensive by intravenous LPS, continuous NE infusion (0.1-1.0 microgram.kg-1 x min-1 started 5 min after LPS for 1 h) did not alter hemodynamics. In contrast, 5 nmol.kg-1 x min-1 of NPY (equipotent to 0.1 microgram.kg-1 x min-1 of NE in normal rats) increased mean arterial pressure (MAP, from 64 to 114% of baseline), total peripheral resistance index (TPRI, from 64 to 154% of baseline), and left ventricular stroke work index (from 36 to 73% of baseline), without changing cardiac index (CI). Third, in a similar experimental protocol, pretreatment of the hypotensive rats with phentolamine blocked the pressor effect of NE infusion, but only partially attenuated the response to NPY. Finally, addition of low-dose NPY to NE infusion improved survival following a lethal dose of LPS compared with treatment with NE alone (P < 0.01). Thus, unlike other vasoconstrictors tested, NPY-mediated vasoconstriction is preserved during endotoxemia. The beneficial effect of NPY is mediated by increased TPRI without reduction in CI; both NPY receptor-mediated vasoconstriction and potentiation of adrenergic responsiveness may be involved.
 ...
PMID:Neuropeptide Y infusion improves hemodynamics and survival in rat endotoxic shock. 790 7

Previously, we have reported that intravenous administration of bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) in rats kept at a subthermoneutral ambient temperature of 24 degrees C results in a fall in colonic temperature that involved the release of antipyretic products by peripheral macrophages. Here, we demonstrate that treatment of rats with a biologically active antiserum to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) markedly attenuates the hypothermia in response to administration of LPS (0.5 mg/kg). Moreover, this hypothermia was prevented by central injection of a selective antagonist of V1 vasopressin receptors, dPTyr(Me) arginine vasopressin (AVP; 2 micrograms icv). AVP is thought to act as an antipyretic in the ventral septal area (VSA) of the brain. Because the AVP content of this area has been shown to be eliminated after long-term castration, we have tested the hypothesis that castration would attenuate the hypothermia in response to administration of LPS. Castrated rats displayed a markedly less hypothermic response than age-matched controls in response to administration of LPS. We conclude that hypothermia in response to intravenous injection of LPS involves the release of TNF from peripheral macrophages. Moreover, our results are consistent with the possibility that androgen-dependent vasopressinergic neurons in the VSA are mediating the hypothermia in response to intravenous administration of LPS.
 ...
PMID:Hypothermia to endotoxin involves the cytokine tumor necrosis factor and the neuropeptide vasopressin in rats. 830 60

1. In some tissues, a decrease in the number of cell surface receptors and alterations of the receptor coupling have been proposed as possible mechanisms mediating the deleterious effects of bacterial endotoxin in septic shock. 2. The effects of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (Escherichia coli 0111-B4; LPS) on vascular angiotensin II and vasopressin receptors have been examined in cultured aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC) of the rat by use of radioligand binding techniques. 3. In vascular SMC exposed to 1 micrograms ml-1 endotoxin for 24 h, a significant increase in angiotensin II binding was found. The change in [125I]-angiotensin II binding corresponded to an increase in the number of receptors whereas the affinity of the receptors was not affected by LPS. In contrast, no change in [3H]-vasopressin binding was observed. 4. The pharmacological characterization of angiotensin II binding sites in control and LPS-exposed cells demonstrated that LPS induced an increase in the AT1 subtype of the angiotensin II receptors. Receptor coupling as evaluated by measuring total inositol phosphates was not impaired by LPS. 5. The effect of LPS on the angiotensin II receptor was dose-, time- and protein-synthesis dependent and was associated with an increased expression of the receptor gene. 6. The ability of LPS to increase angiotensin II binding in cultured vascular SMC was independent of the endotoxin induction of NO-synthase. 7. These results suggest that, besides inducing factors such as cytokines and NO-synthase, endotoxin may enhance the expression of cell surface receptors. The surprising increase in angiotensin II binding in LPS exposed VSM cells may represent an attempt by the cells to compensate for the decreased vascular responsiveness. It may also result from a non-specific LPS-related induction of genes.
 ...
PMID:Effect of endotoxin on the angiotensin II receptor in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells. 858 Dec 94

1. Male (350-450 g) Long Evans rats were chronically instrumented to permit regional haemodynamics to be monitored in the conscious state. In the first experiment, either saline (0.4 ml h-1) or dexamethasone (3 mg kg-1, 125 micrograms kg-1 h-1) was infused continuously for 24 h, before co-infusion of lipopolysaccharide of (LPS, 150 micrograms kg-1 h-1) for 24 h. Dexamethasone prevented the delayed (5-24 h) fall in mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and the renal and hindquarters vasodilatation seen with LPS infusion alone, but not the initial (about 2 h) fall in MAP or renal vasodilatation. However, at this dose, dexamethasone itself caused a significant rise in MAP and regional vasoconstrictions. 2. In the second experiment, dexamethasone at a lower dose (12.5 micrograms kg-1 h-1) had only slight pressor and vasoconstrictor effects. However, in its presence, infusion of LPS caused a substantial and progressive rise in MAP (maximum at 8 h, +32 +/- 3 mmHg) together with persistent mesenteric and hindquarters vasoconstriction and a transient renal vasodilatation. 3. In the third experiment, the non-selective endothelin antagonist, SB 209670 (600 micrograms kg-1 h-1), blocked the slight pressor and regional vasoconstrictor effects of the lower dose of dexamethasone. Furthermore, in the presence of dexamethasone and SB 209670, infusion of LPS caused marked, but transient hypotension (nadir at 5 h, -24 +/- 2 mmHg) and renal and mesenteric vasodilatation. 4. At the end of all experimental protocols, sequential administration of the AT1-receptor antagonist, losartan, followed by the V1-receptor antagonist, (+)-(CH2)5-O-Me-Tyr, vasopressin, caused effects indicating a variable involvement of angiotensin and vasopressin in the maintenance of cardiovascular status. 5. Collectively, the results indicate that, in the conscious rat, dexamethasone interacts with vasoconstrictor and vasodilator mechanisms, and hence its influence on the haemodynamic responses to LPS cannot be attributed, simply, to inhibition of the activity of inducible nitric oxide synthase and/or cyclo-oxygenase-2.
 ...
PMID:Effects of dexamethasone and SB 209670 on the regional haemodynamic responses to lipopolysaccharide in conscious rats. 873 87

Studies of cardiovascular physiology are frequently performed under barbiturate anesthesia even though the effect of barbiturates on the pressor response to catecholamines is controversial, and their effect on the response to other agonists is unknown. The effect of pentobarbital (PB) anesthesia on the pressor and heart rate (HR) dose responses to norepinephrine (NE), angiotensin II (AII), vasopressin (VP) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) was studied in vivo in normal and endotoxemic rats. Four groups of rats (5-6 rats/group) were studied for each agonist: 1) anesthetized/endotoxemic, 2) anesthetized/control, 3) conscious/endotoxemic, and 4) conscious/control. Anesthesia was maintained with 10 mg/kg of PB i.v. q 45 minutes. Endotoxemia was established by infusion of a non-hypotensive dose of E. coli lipopolysaccharide 0127:B8, (LPS, 10 micrograms/10 microliters/min) throughout the experiment. One hour after the LPS (or saline control) infusion was started, dose response curves of the pressor and HR responses to agonists were established. LPS infusion resulted in marked suppression of the pressor response to NE, AII, and VP in both conscious and anesthetized rats. LPS infusion suppressed the response to NPY in conscious, but not in anesthetized rats. LPS did not affect the baroreceptor reflex. In both normal and endotoxemic rats, PB anesthesia suppressed the pressor response and attenuated the baroreceptor reflex to AII and NPY, enhanced the pressor response without affecting the heart rate response to NE, and attenuated the baroreceptor reflex to VP. The pressor response to VP was suppressed by anesthesia in normal, but not in endotoxemic rats. PB anesthesia interferes with the cardiovascular effects of different agonists in a variable manner, depending on the agonist tested and the presence or absence of endotoxemia, indicating their different modes of action. These effects should be considered when planning in vivo experiments with these and other agonists.
 ...
PMID:Effect of pentobarbital anesthesia on the pressor response to agonists in vivo in normal and endotoxemic rats. 874 96


1 2 3 4 Next >>