Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P01189 (beta-endorphin)
 21,003 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Cerebrospinal fluid hormones, monoaminergic metabolites, and dynorphin A (1-8 sequence) were examined in 43 children with severe, primary obsessive-compulsive disorder. Cerebrospinal fluid levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were positively correlated with one of eight obsessive-compulsive disorder severity ratings and three of seven measures of improvement following 5 weeks of treatment with clomipramine hydrochloride. Arginine vasopressin concentration was significantly and negatively correlated with several ratings of obsessive-compulsive disorder symptom severity, while oxytocin concentration was positively correlated with depressive symptoms. The ratio of arginine vasopressin to oxytocin was also negatively correlated with obsessive-compulsive disorder and depressive symptoms. Comorbid affective disorder was associated with decreased arginine vasopressin concentrations, while concomitant anxiety disorder was associated with increased oxytocin. Dynorphin A (1-8 sequence), homovanillic acid, corticotropin, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol, and corticotropin releasing hormone were not significantly related to obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms. These results seem to indicate that arginine vasopressin may be related to obsessive-compulsive disorder symptom severity, while 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid might be associated with drug response.
 ...
PMID:Cerebrospinal fluid neurochemistry in children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder. 137 Jan 97

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is known to potentiate corticotropin (ACTH) secretion by human corticotropin-releasing hormone (hCRH), and a combined administration of hCRH and AVP appears useful as a pituitary ACTH reserve test. This study was designed to evaluate the appropriate dose of AVP and its route of administration, for better estimation of pituitary ACTH reserve in humans, when used in combination with a conventional hCRH stimulation test. First, intravenous (IV) doses of hCRH (100 micrograms) and AVP (0, 0.1, and 0.3 U) were administered simultaneously in six normal subjects. Second, IV hCRH was administered with intramuscular (IM) AVP (0, 1.0, 3.0, and 5.0 U) in 10 normal subjects. Blood samples for measurement of plasma ACTH were obtained at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after the hCRH with and without AVP administration. The order of AVP doses was randomly chosen in each subject. The peak plasma ACTH level was 65.0 +/- 16.0 pg/mL (30 minutes) with hCRH alone and 139.5 +/- 35.6 pg/mL (15 minutes) with hCRH plus 0.3 U IV AVP in six normal subjects. Similarly, the peak plasma ACTH level was 43.5 +/- 5.6 pg/mL (30 minutes) with hCRH alone and 116.0 +/- 19.6 (15 minutes) and 96.6 +/- 24.0 pg/mL (15 minutes) with hCRH plus 3.0 and 5.0 U IM AVP in 10 normal subjects, respectively. The hCRH-induced ACTH responses (delta ACTH) with both IV and IM AVP were significantly (P less than .05) greater than the respective control values with hCRH alone. The responses (delta ACTH) were comparable between the two phases of 3.0 and 5.0 U IM AVP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
 ...
PMID:Corticotropin response to combined administration of human corticotropin-releasing hormone and small-dose arginine vasopressin in normal subjects. 165 46

Arginine vasopressin stimulates the secretion of adrenocorticotropin. A direct stimulatory effect of AVP on cortisol as well as aldosterone secretion has been postulated by several investigators. To study the possible role of a direct stimulatory action of AVP on the adrenal cortex, normal volunteers were treated with incremental injections of ACTH or with incremental infusions of AVP which raised plasma AVP levels to a maximum of 256 +/- 16 pmol/l. In both situations, a significant (p less than 0.001) linear correlation between plasma ACTH and plasma cortisol was observed. The regression coefficients were not different (p greater than 0.5). Plasma aldosterone was stimulated by both treatments, but the weakly positive correlation between plasma ACTH and plasma aldosterone was not significant for either stimulus. Thus, in man, a direct stimulatory effect of AVP on cortisol secretion cannot be demonstrated. A direct effect of AVP on aldosterone cannot be definitely excluded, but is certainly of minor importance.
 ...
PMID:Stimulation of steroid secretion by adrenocorticotropin injections and by arginine vasopressin infusions: no evidence for a direct stimulation of the human adrenal by arginine vasopressin. 165 63

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) and beta-endorphin are present within the testis where they could act as paracrine effectors of steroidogenesis. In this study we investigated the effect of naloxone, an opioid receptor antagonist on Leydig cell AVP receptor. Intratesticular injection of increasing doses of naloxone (0.1-100 micrograms) resulted 24 h later in a dose-dependent increase in Leydig cell AVP binding capacity. This effect occurred locally since s.c. injection of similar doses of naloxone did not alter the testicular AVP receptor content and intratesticular injection enhanced AVP receptor density only in the naloxone-treated testis but not in the contralateral vehicle-treated testis. Scatchard plot analysis of the data revealed that naloxone locally injected altered AVP binding capacity without change in affinity. These results suggest that in addition to their known paracrine effects in the testis, endogenous opioid peptides may locally control the testicular AVP system by modulating AVP receptor capacity.
 ...
PMID:Local control of Leydig cell arginine vasopressin receptor by naloxone. 193 35

We evaluated the role of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) in control of ACTH secretion in fetal sheep. Dexamethasone (DEX, 700 micrograms) (n = 6) or cholesterol (CHOL, 700 micrograms) (n = 5) implants were placed bilaterally 2 mm lateral to PVN of fetal sheep at 108 to 111 days of gestation (dga). After 5 days recovery, fetuses were challenged with: 1) hypotension (50% drop of blood pressure), 2) hypoxemia (fall of greater than 5 mm Hg in fetal PaO2), and 3) corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) (10 micrograms iv, single injection to fetus). Hypotension and hypoxemia were repeated after 125 dga. Compared with CHOL, DEX fetuses had lower average concentrations of ACTH in plasma after hypotension [23 +/- 0.5 vs. 149 +/- 83.8 and 31 +/- 13.1 vs. 101 +/- 31.3 pg ml-1 at less than 125 and more than 125 dga, respectively (mean +/- SEM, P less than 0.05)] and during hypoxemia [11 +/- 1.6 vs. 292 +/- 152.8 and 33 +/- 9.4 vs. 304 +/- 91.3 pg ml-1 at less than 125 and more than 125 dga, respectively (P less than 0.05)]. DEX and CHOL responses to CRH at 122 to 127 dga (10 micrograms iv) were not different (38 +/- 23.9 vs. 92 +/- 26.7 pg ml-1, respectively). Immunocytochemistry demonstrated that CRH was decreased in PVN and eliminated from median eminence in DEX, but not in CHOL fetuses. Arginine vasopressin (AVP) immunostaining of PVN of DEX and CHOL fetuses was similar; however, unlike CHOL, DEX fetuses showed no AVP immunostaining of the external zone of median eminence. These results show that, in fetal sheep, high concentrations of glucocorticoid near the fetal PVN prevent increases in plasma ACTH secretion seen in controls in response to hypotension and hypoxemia, and exert at least part of their effect at the level of the CRH- and AVP-producing neurons located in the PVN.
 ...
PMID:Hypothalamic glucocorticoid implants prevent fetal ovine adrenocorticotropin secretion in response to stress. 217 38

The purpose of this study was to learn whether enriched populations of corticotropes could be grown without the other pituitary cell types. Corticotropes populations were enriched to 80-90% by counterflow centrifugation in an elutriator with the Sanderson chamber. After initial separation into small, medium, and large fractions, the cells were stimulated for 3 h with 0.5 nM corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and then re-eluted to remove the enlarged corticotropes. More ACTH (6- to 10-fold) was released in media with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) than was released in media with no serum. The effects of FBS could not be mimicked by 0.3% BSA. Corticotropes grew in serum-containing media as long as they were plated at a density of at least 2500 cells per well. The corticotropes expanded in size and assumed two major morphological subtypes. Both stored ACTH and beta-endorphin. One subtype was flattened and pleomorphic. The other subtype was stellate with multiple processes. Cell counts showed a 2.5- to 3.8-fold increase in the number of labeled corticotropes during the first 21 days of culture. Then the numbers of cells declined rapidly. Basal secretion of ACTH rose 1.6-fold during the first week, plateaued after 14 days and then declined to less than 30% of first week levels. CRH stimulation produced dose-dependent increases in media ACTH. In 7 day cultures, both basal and stimulated levels of ACTH were similar to those in 7 day cultures of mixed pituitary cells (containing equivalent numbers of corticotropes). Stimulatory effects of CRH were evident for up to 42 days of culture. Arginine vasopressin enhanced CRH-mediated secretion in most cultures in the first week. Pretreatment with glucocorticoids (100 nM corticosterone) for 15 h blocked CRH-mediated secretion in all cultures. The studies showed that corticotropes do not need the other pituitary cell types for basic plating and basal and CRH-mediated secretory responses. Further tests of specific growth factors are needed to learn whether they will maintain function for longer periods.
 ...
PMID:Growth and secretory responses of enriched populations of corticotropes. 255 56

Synthetic ovine corticotropin-releasing hormone (oCRH) is a potent and specific ACTH secretagogue in man. Threshold and maximal i.v. doses are 0.01-0.03 and 3-10 micrograms/kg or less, but increase in frequency, severity, and duration at higher doses. oCRH produces a biphasic plasma immunoreactive (IR)-ACTH response and has a prolonged duration of action that is probably due to its long circulating half-life. Other pro-opiomelanocortin IR-peptide are secreted concomitantly in equimolar amounts. Plasma IR-cortisol concentration tends to follow that of ACTH, but also reflects cortisol's longer circulating half-life and the fact that acutely the maximally-stimulating plasma IR-ACTH level is about 45 pg/ml. oCRH is as effective given s.c. as i.v., but intranasal administration is only 1% as effective. Sex and age have no effect on the plasma IR-ACTH and IR-cortisol responses to oCRH. The time of day of oCRH administration has little influence on the plasma IR-ACTH response, but the plasma IR-cortisol response is much greater to oCRH given later in the day than early in the morning. Plasma IR-ACTH response to oCRH is more dependent on the basal plasma IR-cortisol level than the time of day. Arginine vasopressin given at the same time as oCRH potentiates 4-fold the plasma IR-ACTH response to oCRH alone, almost to levels obtained with insulin-induced hypoglycemia. However, oCRH administered at the onset of insulin-induced hypoglycemia does not cause higher plasma IR-ACTH levels, indicating that endogenous CRH levels are maximally-stimulating during the hypoglycemic response.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
 ...
PMID:Corticotropin-releasing hormone: stimulation of ACTH secretion in normal man. 283 99

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is a potent secretagogue for adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) release from normal corticotropes and from ACTH-secreting pituitary adenoma cells. To explore the mechanism underlying this action, we investigated the effects of AVP on Ca2+-dependent action potentials and Ca2+ currents in cultured human ACTH-containing pituitary tumor cells (hACTH adenoma cells). Pituitary adenoma fragments removed at surgery from two patients with Cushing's disease were dispersed, and the isolated cells were grown in monolayer culture. Most of the cells showed ACTH immunoreactivity that persisted even after as much as 2 months in culture. Current clamp and voltage clamp recordings were carried out using the patch-clamp technique in the whole cell configuration. AVP produced an increase in the amplitude and duration of action potentials in these cells, and substantially enhanced the transient after-hyperpolarization after each spike. Under voltage the transient after-hyperpolarization after each spike. Under voltage clamp, hACTH adenoma cells showed two Ca2+ current components: a low-threshold, rapidly inactivating (T-type) current; and a higher threshold, slowly inactivating (L-type) current. AVP markedly increased the amplitude of the L-type current without affecting the T-type current. These data suggest that AVP may enhance Ca2+ entry associated with action potentials by potentiating the activity of L-type Ca2+ channels. The resulting rise in cytosolic free Ca2+ may be a key link in the process by which AVP stimulates ACTH release in the pituitary.
 ...
PMID:Vasopressin enhances a calcium current in human ACTH-secreting pituitary adenoma cells. 284 18

Arginine vasopressin may play a role in the control of adrenocorticotropic hormone release during stress in the adult animal. Arginine vasopressin is also considered an important stress hormone in the fetus. The effect of arginine vasopressin infusion on adrenocorticotropic hormone release in the fetus was investigated in 14 chronically cannulated ovine fetuses with normal blood gas and pH values between 103 and 137 days' gestation. There was a significant increase in adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol levels during a 30-minute infusion of arginine vasopressin. Plasma renin activity was unchanged. The corticotropin-releasing activity of arginine vasopressin was not blocked by pretreatment with a V1-receptor antagonist and was not significantly different when the pressor response was attenuated by sodium nitroprusside infusion.
 ...
PMID:Arginine vasopressin infusion stimulates adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol release in the ovine fetus. 284 87

Ovine corticotropin-releasing factor (oCRF) stimulates increased plasma immunoreactive adrenocorticotropin (IR-ACTH) and IR-cortisol at threshold, half-maximal, and maximal doses of 0.01-0.03, 0.3-1, and 3-10 micrograms/kg, respectively. Side effects occur with increasing frequency, severity, and duration at doses above 1 microgram/kg. oCRF has a prolonged duration of action, at least in part because of the long circulating half-life of intact oCRF in plasma. Increasing doses of oCRF given in late afternoon progressively diminish the next morning's circadian rise in plasma IR-ACTH in normal subjects, but not in Addisonian patients or subjects receiving metyrapone, indicating that prolonged oCRF-induced hypercortisolemia is the cause. Plasma IR-lipotropins and IR-beta-endorphin rise and fall concomitantly with IR-ACTH after oCRF injection. Arginine vasopressin increases the IR-ACTH response to oCRF fourfold when given simultaneously with oCRF. Cushing's disease patients respond variably, suggesting that oCRF may not be a very useful diagnostic agent in Cushing's syndrome. However, the combination of oCRF with growth hormone-releasing factor, gonadotropin-releasing hormone, and thyrotropin-releasing hormone appears to provide a rapid and useful test of combined anterior pituitary function.
 ...
PMID:Clinical studies with synthetic ovine corticotropin-releasing factor. 298 41


1 2 3 4 Next >>