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

In membranes of the rat frontal cortex, acetylcholine (ACh) and other cholinergic agonists were found to potentiate the stimulation of adenylyl cyclase activity elicited by corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). Oxotremorine-M, carbachol and methacholine were as effective as ACh, whereas oxotremorine and arecoline were much less effective. The facilitating effect of Ach was potently blocked by the M1 antagonists R-trihexyphenidyl, telenzepine and pirenzepine and by the M3 antagonists hexahydro-sila-difenidol and p-fluorohexahydro-sila-difenidol, whereas the M2 and M4 antagonists himbacine, methoctramine, AF-DX 116 and AQ-RA 741 were less potent. The mamba venom toxin MT-1, which binds with high affinity to M1 receptors, was also a potent blocker. The pharmacological profile of the muscarinic potentiation of CRH receptor activity was markedly different from that displayed by the muscarinic inhibition of forskolin-stimulated adenylyl cyclase, which could be detected in the same membrane preparations. Moreover, the intracerebral injection of pertussis toxin impaired the muscarinic inhibition of cyclic AMP formation and reduced the Ach stimulation of [35S]GTPgammaS binding to membrane G proteins but failed to affect the facilitating effect on CRH receptor activity. The latter response was also insensitive to the phospholipase C inhibitor U-73122, the protein kinase inhibitor staurosporine and to the inhibitors of arachidonic acid metabolism indomethacin and nordihydroguaiaretic acid. These data demonstrate that in the rat frontal cortex, muscarinic receptors of the M1 subtype potentiate CRH transmission by interacting with pertussis toxin-insensitive G proteins.
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PMID:Identification and characterization of muscarinic receptors potentiating the stimulation of adenylyl cyclase activity by corticotropin-releasing hormone in membranes of rat frontal cortex. 969 30

Corticotropin is produced by keratinocytes and may have an immunoregulatory role in oral mucosa and skin. We have investigated its effects on a human oral keratinocyte cell line and shown that corticotropin, acting via its specific receptor, stimulates a dose-dependent increase in DNA synthesis and induces cell proliferation. When cells were incubated in the presence of increasing concentrations of corticotropin, there were significant increases in intracellular cAMP levels. Corticotropin-stimulated mitogenesis and cell proliferation were attenuated by the adenylyl cyclase inhibitor SQ22,536, but were unaffected by inhibitors of protein kinase C or tyrosine kinase. These data identify corticotropin as a mitogenic regulatory peptide of keratinocytes acting via cAMP.
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PMID:Direct effects of corticotrophin on oral keratinocyte cell proliferation. 974 48

In membranes of olfactory tubercle and striatum, the selective muscarinic M4 receptor antagonist muscarinic toxin 3 completely antagonized the acetylcholine-induced inhibition of forskolin- and dopamine D1 receptor-stimulated cyclic AMP formation with Ki values of 7 and 4 nM, respectively. In olfactory bulb, where acetylcholine stimulated basal adenylyl cyclase activity and inhibited forskolin-stimulated enzyme activity, muscarinic toxin 3 caused a partial antagonism of both acetylcholine effects with high potencies (Ki values = 4-6 nM). In frontal cortex, muscarinic toxin 3 counteracted the acetylcholine-induced potentiation of corticotropin-releasing hormone-stimulated cyclic AMP with a Ki of 58 nM, which is close to the toxin affinity for the muscarinic M1 receptor. In the same brain region, the acetylcholine inhibition of forskolin-stimulated enzyme activity was not affected by muscarinic toxin 3. In microdissected regions of the hippocampus, a significant portion (33-48%) of the acetylcholine inhibition of forskolin-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity was blocked by muscarinic toxin 3 with Ki values (6-8 nM) consistent with the involvement of muscarinic M4 receptors. These data show that muscarinic toxin 3 discriminates between adenylyl cyclase-coupled muscarinic receptors and demonstrate the utility of the toxin in identifying the relative contribution by the muscarinic M4 receptor subtype.
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PMID:Identification of rat brain muscarinic M4 receptors coupled to cyclic AMP using the selective antagonist muscarinic toxin 3. 979 42

Our laboratory demonstrated that adenosine inhibits the activation of adenylyl cyclase and the secretion of the alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) from the intermediate lobe of the frog pituitary. This paper showed the bioelectric effects induced by adenosine, the ionic conductances modulated by adenosine, and the possible involvement of intracellular messengers, indicated the mechanism by which adenosine controls the secretion of alpha-MSH. The results show that adenosine acting on A1 adenosine receptor subtype reduced the Ca2+ influx necessary for the secretion, through 4 distinct mechanisms: 1) a hyperpolarization resulting from the activation of a voltage-insensitive K+ conductance, 2) a reduction of the duration of spontaneous action potentials due to an increase of the outward delayed rectifyer K+ current (lk), 3) a diminution of the cellular excitability by an activation of the transient outward K+ current (lA), and 4) an inhibition of the L- and N-type Ca2+ currents, with a predominant action on the N-type component. Cell dialysis with GTP gamma S rendered irreversible the effects of adenosine on the K+ conductances and Ca2+ channels, whereas PTX pretreatment totally abolished the response to adenosine, suggesting all bioelectric effects of adenosine were mediated by pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins. Whether the implicated G proteins regulate the K+ and Ca2+ channels by tight-coupling or via a second-messenger system remains to be solved. With our results, the involvement of adenylyl cyclase can be excluded because addition of cAMP and IBMX, an inhibitor of phosphodiesterases, in the intracellular solution, or application of dibutyryl cAMP in the extracellular solution did not modify the adenosine-induced responses.
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PMID:Patch clamp study on mechanism of adenosine-induced inhibitory effects in frog pituitary melanotrophs. 986 55

Previous work with growing chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) indicates that transient dietary protein restriction induces long-term enhancement of adrenal steroidogenic function in response to adrenocorticotropin (ACTH). The present study investigated two possible cellular functions mediating this enhanced response: (a) ACTH signal transduction and dissemination and (b) short-loop feedback inhibition of ACTH-induced corticosterone production by exogenous corticosterone. Cockerels (2 weeks old) were fed isocaloric synthetic diets containing either 20% (control) or 8% (restriction) soy protein for 4 weeks. Adrenal glands were processed for the isolation of adrenal steroidogenic cells nearly devoid of chromaffin cells ( approximately 90% adrenal steroidogenic cells). Results of experiments to assess signal transduction and dissemination indicated that protein restriction selectively enhanced ACTH-induced corticosterone production mediated by the cyclic AMP (cAMP)-dependent pathway. In addition, protein restriction substantially counteracted exogenous corticosterone-dependent inhibition of acute ACTH-induced corticosterone production (by 40.7% vs control). The proximal portion of the cAMP pathway seemed most affected by this stressor. Protein-restricted cells exhibited enhanced homologous sensitization to ACTH (136% greater than that of control cells) which appeared to be localized at a step(s) prior to or at the formation to cAMP. Also, maximal ACTH-induced cAMP production and sensitivity to ACTH in terms of cAMP production by protein-restricted cells were, respectively, 2.2 and 15.8 times those of control cells. However, variable results were obtained from other experiments designed to pinpoint the altered early steps in ACTH-transmembranous signaling. For example, with intact cells, cAMP responses to cholera toxin (CT) and forskolin (FSK) did not corroborate the results suggesting an augmentation of ACTH-signal transduction induced by protein restriction. Furthermore, basal and stimulatable (by ACTH, CT, FSK, and NaF) adenylyl cyclase activities from membranes from protein-restricted cells were, respectively, 47.2 and 40.2% less than those from control cells (normalized to 10(7) cell equivalents of crude membranes). Collectively, these findings suggest that protein restriction stress potentiates ACTH-induced corticosterone secretion by chicken adrenal steroidogenic cells in at least two ways: (1) on the proximal end, by modulating unknown factors which enhance cellular sensitivity to ACTH, ACTH receptor-adenylyl cyclase coupling, and adenylyl cyclase activity, and (2) on the distal end, by suppressing end-product corticosterone negative feedback, thus facilitating an increase in net corticosterone secretion.
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PMID:Dietary protein restriction stress in the domestic fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus) alters adrenocorticotropin-transmembranous signaling and corticosterone negative feedback in adrenal steroidogenic cells. 1008 28

Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) receptors belong to the super-family of G protein-coupled receptors. These receptors are classified into two subtypes (CRF1 and CRF2). Both receptors are positively coupled to adenylyl cyclase but they have a distinct pharmacology and distribution in brain. Two isoforms belonging to the CRF2 subtype receptors, CRF2alpha and CRF2beta, have been identified in rat and man. The neuropeptides CRF and urocortin mediate their actions through this CRF G protein-coupled receptor family. In this report, we describe the pharmacological characterization of the recently identified hCRF2, receptor. We have used radioligand binding with [125I]-tyr0-sauvagine and a gene expression assay in which the firefly luciferase gene expression is under the control of cAMP responsive elements. Association kinetics of [125I]-tyr0-sauvagine binding to the hCRF2beta receptor were monophasic while dissociation kinetics were biphasic, in agreement with the kinetics results obtained with the hCRF2alpha receptor. Saturation binding analysis revealed two affinity states in HEK 293 cells with binding parameters in accord with those determined kinetically and with parameters obtained with the hCRF2alpha receptor. A non-hydrolysable GTP analog, Gpp(NH)p, reduced the high affinity binding of [125I]-tyr0-sauvagine to both hCRF2 receptor isoforms in a similar manner. The rank order of potency of CRF agonist peptides in competition experiments was identical for both hCRF2 isoforms (urocortin > sauvagine > urotensin 1 > r/hCRF > alpha-helical CRF(9-41) > oCRF). Similarly, agonist potency was similar for the two isoforms when studied using the luciferase gene reporter system. The peptide antagonist alpha-helical CRF(9-41) exhibited a non-competitive antagonism of urocortin-stimulated luciferase expression with both hCRF2 receptor isoforms. Taken together, these results indicate that the pharmacological profiles of the CRF2 splice variants are identical. This indicates that the region of the N-terminus that varies between the receptors is probably not important in the binding of peptide CRF receptor ligands or functional activation of the receptor.
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PMID:Human CRF2 alpha and beta splice variants: pharmacological characterization using radioligand binding and a luciferase gene expression assay. 1021 82

In contraction studies corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) was found to relax ileal but not gastric and jejunal smooth muscles of the guinea-pig, precontracted with BaCl2. Under whole-cell patch-clamp conditions, CRH concentration-dependently activated Ca2+-sensitive K+ currents (IK) with ED50=20 pM at 100 nM and ED50=0. 13 pM at 500 nM intracellular Ca2+ respectively. This increase was accompanied by significant hyperpolarization of the cell membranes. CRH 9-41 peptide fragment did not affect IK amplitude, membrane potential or contraction. The CRH-induced increase of IK densities was accelerated in the presence of high intracellular Ca2+ concentrations (500 nM) and was abolished by pretreatment of cells with either ryanodine or thapsigargin, which cause depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores, as well as in cells treated under conditions prohibiting intracellular Ca2+ store refilling. The effect of CRH on IK was not affected by bath application of various selective inhibitors of membrane-bound phospholipases, protein kinase C, cGMP-dependent protein kinase or Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, but was effectively antagonized by blockers of protein kinase A (PKA) or adenylyl cyclase. Neither forskolin nor the catalytic subunit of PKA could mimic the effect of CRH on IK. Thus, it was suggested that CRH exerts its relaxing activity on ileal smooth muscle cells via PKA-dependent phosphorylation of some intracellular target coupled to sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ storage machinery.
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PMID:Corticotropin-releasing hormone acts on guinea pig ileal smooth muscle via protein kinase A. 1037 Jan 7

We have previously shown that the stimulatory effect of TRH on alpha-MSH secretion from the frog pars intermedia is associated with Ca2+ influx through voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, activation of a phospholipase C and mobilization of intracellular Ca2+ stores. The aim of the present study was to investigate the contribution of protein kinase C (PKC), adenylyl cyclase (AC), Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CAM KII), phospholipase A2, and protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) in TRH-induced alpha-MSH release. Incubation of frog neurointermediate lobes (NILs) with phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (24 h), which causes desensitization of PKC, or with the PKC inhibitor NPC-15437, reduced by approximately 50% of the effect of TRH on alpha-MSH release. In most melanotrope cells, TRH induces a sustained and biphasic increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). Preincubation with phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate or NPC-15437 suppressed the plateau phase of the Ca2+ response. Incubation of NILs with TRH (10(-6) M; 20 min) had no effect on cAMP production. In addition, the AC inhibitor SQ 22,536 did not affect the secretory response of NILs to TRH. These data indicate that the phospholipase C/PKC pathway, but not the AC/protein kinase A pathway, is involved in TRH-induced alpha-MSH release. The calmodulin inhibitor W-7 and the CAM KII inhibitor KN-93 did not significantly reduce the response to TRH. Similarly, the phospholipase A2 inhibitors quinacrine and 7-7'-DEA did not impair the effect of TRH on alpha-MSH secretion. The PTK inhibitors ST638 and Tyr-A23 had no effect on TRH-induced [Ca2+]i increase but inhibited in a dose-dependent manner TRH-evoked alpha-MSH release (ED50 = 1.22x10(-5) M and ED50 = 1.47x10(-5) M, respectively). Taken together, these data indicate that, in frog melanotrope cells, PKC and PTK are involved in TRH-induced alpha-MSH secretion. Activation of PKC is responsible for the sustained phase of the increase in [Ca2+]i, whereas activation of PTK does not affect Ca2+ mobilization.
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PMID:Involvement of protein kinase C and protein tyrosine kinase in thyrotropin-releasing hormone-induced stimulation of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone secretion in frog melanotrope cells. 1038 23

Activation of adenylyl cyclase by corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) stimulates secretion of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) in rat anterior pituitary corticotropes and in the murine AtT-20 cell line. The stimulation of secretion is mediated by cAMP and is largely dependent on Ca(2+) influx through voltage-gated L-type Ca(2+) channels. To investigate whether CRH and cAMP also increase expression of the L-type Ca(2+) channel in AtT-20 cells, an RNase protection assay was used to measure the alpha(1C) mRNA that encodes the pore-forming subunit of the L-type Ca(2+) channel. The alpha(1C) mRNA level was measured by autoradiographic densitometry and normalized to the beta-actin mRNA level in the same sample. The alpha(1C) mRNA was not changed by 24-hour treatment with CRH (10-500 nM). A 24-hour treatment with 1 mM 8Br-cAMP significantly increased the alpha(1C) mRNA by 40% over its control. The stimulatory effect was blocked by 2 microM actinomycin D and was, therefore, dependent on gene transcription. The measured half-life of the alpha(1C) mRNA, after inhibition of transcription, was 4.7 +/- 0.3 h in control and 5.2 +/- 0.6 h in the presence of 8Br-cAMP. Thus the 8Br-cAMP- induced increase in alpha(1C) mRNA could be due to an increase in alpha(1C) gene transcription or to a transcriptionally regulated increase in a protein that helps to stabilize alpha(1C) mRNA. Finally, to determine if the increased mRNA was followed by an increase in production of L-type Ca(2+) channels, the binding of [(3)H]PN200-110 to Ca(2+) channel proteins was assayed in AtT-20 membrane fragments. 8Br-cAMP increased [(3)H]PN200-110 binding sites by 32% (B(max) 36.0 +/- 1.2 fmol/mg protein in control vs. 47.4 +/- 3.2 fmol/mg protein in 8Br-cAMP-treated cells) but did not change the K(d). These studies show that both alpha(1C) mRNA and L-type Ca(2+) channel protein are increased in AtT-20 cells by cAMP.
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PMID:Expression of the L-type Ca(2+) channel in AtT-20 cells is regulated by cyclic AMP. 1042 88

Because alcoholism is a multi-factorial psychiatric disorder, with both psychosocial and biochemical/genetic factors leading to its manifestation in any one individual, the presence of biochemical/genetic factors alone may not lead to the manifestation of the disorder. There are numerous difficulties associated with identification of a trait abnormality in a disorder that requires suitable socio-cultural permissiveness with distinct behavioural characteristics to manifest a disorder that may not require that predisposing trait abnormality in order to develop. Numerous studies have been performed in the past to potentially identify a biochemical or genetic trait abnormality in alcoholism, and not all of them have addressed significant methodological flaws in this type of research. This review addresses some of the difficulties inherent in this research, and aims for a comprehensive review of the highlights of the search for a clinically useful trait abnormality. Some series of investigations hold promise that a trait marker for a particular subset of alcoholics may be developed, e.g. severe alcoholism and the dopamine D2 receptor gene; the level of reaction to alcoholism in family history-positive alcoholics; beta-endorphin abnormalities in specific family groups of alcoholics; reduced P3 wave event-related potentials as markers and predictors of development of substance abuse in predisposed youths; reduced growth hormone response to apomorphine as a predictor of relapse to alcoholism in early abstinence; abnormal adenylyl cyclase activity in certain defined subgroups of alcoholics; and abnormal platelet monoamine oxidase levels in subjects with a behavioural predisposition to addictive disorders. The review concludes that while there has not yet been an identification of a comprehensive trait marker for alcoholism, there is hope for identification subgroups of alcoholics with consistent biological markers within that subgroup that may well prove fruitful over time. It will then be up to a future generation of clinicians to take that information and develop prevention programmes that can incorporate this information to help the predisposed individual avoid alcohol problems.
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PMID:Trait markers for alcoholism: clinical utility. 1052 6


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