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)

We used co-cultures of porcine ovarian granulosa cells and mouse adrenocortical tumor cells (Y-1) to examine the kinetics of contact-dependent intercellular signal transfer and to assess the molecular mechanisms employed by this process. Exposure to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) caused cAMP-dependent protein kinase dissociation in granulosa cells and, with time, in Y-1 cells if, and only if, they contacted a responding granulosa cell. Y-1 cells close to a granulosa cell but not touching it failed to respond similarly. In reciprocal experiments, co-cultures were stimulated with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Y-1 cells dissociated protein kinase as did granulosa cells in contact with Y-1 cells; however, granulosa cells that were not in contact with Y-1 cells failed to respond to the hormone. Fluorogenic steroids were secreted by Y-1 cells cultured alone and stimulated with ACTH, but were not secreted by cultures exposed to FSH. Neither hormone caused fluorogenic steroid production by granulosa cells. On the other hand these steroids were secreted in co-cultures stimulated with ACTH and to a lesser degree in co-cultures exposed to FSH. Autoradiography revealed that I125-FSH bound only to granulosa cells, never to Y-1 cells, even if they were in contact with an ovarian cell. The possibility of cell fusion was tested by experiments in which Y-1 cell membranes were labeled with cationized ferritin. These cells were then placed in co-culture with ovarian granulosa cells that had previously been allowed to ingest latex spheres. At regions of gap junctions between Y-1 and granulosa cells ferritin remained attached to the adrenal cell membrane and was never observed to migrate to the granulosa cell membrane. From these data, we conclude that hormone specific stimulation of one cell type leads to protein kinase dissociation in heterotypic partners only if they contact a hormone responsive cell. This signal transfer is bidirectional, exhibits temporal kinetics and occurs in the absence of apparent cell fusion. The only structural feature connecting Y-1 and granulosa cells were gap junctions implying they provided the communication channels; however, alternative mechanisms cannot be excluded. We have not established the identity of the signal being transferred although cAMP is a logical candidate.
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PMID:Hormone-induced intercellular signal transfer dissociates cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. 632 20

Advances in CT scanning and digital subtraction angiography have improved the accuracy of preoperative diagnosis of pituitary disease. Modern radioimmunoassay techniques are able to evaluate "subdivisions" and "relatives" of the classic pituitary hormones, including monomeric and oligomeric growth hormones, somatomedin C, beta-lipotropin, and beta-endorphin, as well as the alpha subunit of follicle-stimulating hormone. Pituitary pathologic states can now be identified immunologically in patients in whom results of radiologic studies are normal. Bromocriptine, a centrally active dopamine antagonist and ergot derivative, is effective in the treatment of prolactinomas, but it is not effective in the treatment of acromegaly. Transsphenoidal surgery remains the treatment of choice in adults with pituitary-dependent Cushing's disease. The surgical advantages of the sublabial, transseptal, transsphenoidal approach include wide-field pituitary accessibility via a midline exposure.
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PMID:Pituitary surgery: current status, including transsphenoidal surgery. 638 85

A 32-year-old woman had seizures and coma due to severe hypoglycemia (26 mg/dL) in the 32nd week of an otherwise uncomplicated pregnancy. She responded dramatically to the administration of cortisol. Initial endocrine evaluation disclosed prolactin (PRL), corticotropin, and thyrotropin (TSH) deficiencies. The patient recovered completely with cortisol and thyroid hormone therapy and was delivered of a healthy male child at term. Endocrine reevaluations one week and six months postpartum disclosed luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, growth hormone, PRL, corticotropin, and probable TSH deficiencies. The cause of this panhypopituitarism has not been determined. This case suggests that the appropriate initial treatment for spontaneous symptomatic hypoglycemia in pregnancy, while awaiting further endocrine evaluation, is the administration of cortisol.
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PMID:Spontaneous hypoglycemic seizures in pregnancy. A manifestation of panhypopituitarism. 669 58

Detailed endocrinological studies were performed during and after the eighth pregnancy of a 38-year-old woman who had eight spontaneous pregnancies after the onset of hypopituitarism secondary to massive postpartum hemorrhage. Hormonal replacement therapy was not provided during seven pregnancies and all terminated in spontaneous abortions. Studies of pituitary function during and after the eighth pregnancy demonstrated that the patient had measurable amounts of growth hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), thyrotropin (TSH), adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), and prolactin in her plasma under basal conditions but that these hormones did not increase approximately in response to pregnancy, stress, and specific stimuli. Evaluation of placental function at 26 weeks gestation by measurement of estradiol, progesterone, human placental lactogen, and chorionic gonadotropin revealed no abnormality. Hormone replacement therapy during the eighth pregnancy was associated with the delivery of normal premature infant at 32 weeks gestation. In addition to these studies, a critical review of the literature was undertaken to more clearly define the clinical and laboratory features of pregnancy in Sheehan's syndrome.
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PMID:Pregnancy in Sheehan's syndrome. Report of a case and review. 699 98

We have characterized the estrous cycle by obtaining vaginal smears, and quantitating estradiol (E), progesterone (P), luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) plasma levels at different phases of the estrous cycle in Lewis (LEW/N) and Fischer (F344/N) rats. Comparison of the duration of the component phases of estrous showed LEW/N metestrous to be significantly longer than in F344/N rats while diestrous and estrous were significantly shorter; proestrous was identical. E levels in LEW/N rats were significantly greater than in F344/N rats only in the estrous phase of the cycle. P levels were significantly greater in LEW/N rats in all phases. LH and FSH levels in the two strains did not differ. Elevated E and P levels would be expected to be associated with increased corticosterone through inhibition of the glucocorticoid negative-feedback pathway. The data reported suggest that other modulating factors in corticotropin-releasing-factor synthesis/release could be overriding both the E and P effects upon hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis responsiveness.
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PMID:The estrous cycle and pituitary-ovarian function in Lewis and Fischer rats. 748 37

Even though it is widely known that interleukin (IL)-1 alpha acts at the local level, it is still uncertain whether IL-1 alpha is secreted into the circulation and acts at distant sites. We have tried to elucidate this by measuring 24-hour levels of total IL-1 alpha in six healthy female volunteers. Subjects had detectable and pulsatile levels of IL-1 alpha throughout the 24-hour period. The integrated 24-hour IL-1 alpha concentration was 2,367 +/- 753 min x micrograms/l (mean +/- SD), and the integrated pulsatile IL-1 alpha concentration was 553 +/- 260 (25 +/- 10% ot total integrated IL-1 alpha). The mean IL-1 alpha concentration was 1.63 +/- 0.53 micrograms/l, mean pulse frequency/24 h was 12.8 +/- 0.8, mean pulse height was 2.31 +/- 0.52 micrograms/l; mean pulse width was 80.4 +/- 2.3 min, and mean interpulse interval was 105.3 +/- 2.8 min. Total IL-1 alpha levels significantly correlated with those previously reported for IL-2 in the same samples, and IL-1 alpha pulse parameters which are concentration independent were significantly similar to those of IL-2. Furthermore, cross-correlation analysis indicated that in 83% of our subjects (5/6) there was synchronicity of IL-1 alpha and IL-2 levels. IL-1 alpha pulse parameters were in the range reported for hormones which have well-characterized pulsatility, such as growth hormone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, cortisol, beta-endorphin, and progesterone. Based on these data we speculate that a pulsatile cytokine cascade may exist in the systemic circulation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Pulsatility of 24-hour concentrations of circulating interleukin-1-alpha in healthy women: analysis of integrated basal levels, discrete pulse properties, and correlation with simultaneous interleukin-2 concentrations. 748 39

The aim of our study was to elucidate the physiological role of the neuropeptide galanin in the regulation of anterior pituitary function in human subjects. Six healthy men (age range 26-35 yr, body mass index range 20-24 kg/m2) underwent in random order 1) an intravenous bolus injection of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH)-(1-29)-NH2 (100 micrograms) + thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH, 200 micrograms) + luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH, 100 micrograms) + corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH, 100 micrograms), and 2) intravenous saline (100 ml) at time 0 plus either human galanin (500 micrograms) in saline (100 ml) or saline (100 ml) from -15 to +30 min. Human galanin determined a significant increase in serum GH (GH peak: 11.3 +/- 2.2 micrograms/l) from both baseline and placebo levels. No significant differences were observed between GH values after galanin and those after GHRH alone (24.3 +/- 5.2 micrograms/l). Human galanin significantly enhanced the GH response to GHRH (peak 49.5 +/- 10 micrograms/l) with respect to either GHRH or galanin alone. Human galanin caused a slight decrease in baseline serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH; 16.3 +/- 2.4 pg/ml) and cortisol levels (8 +/- 1.5 micrograms/dl). Galanin also determined a slight reduction in both the ACTH (peak 27 +/- 8 pg/ml) and cortisol (peak 13.8 +/- 1.3 micrograms/dl) responses to CRH. Baseline and releasing hormone-stimulated secretions of prolactin, thyroid-stimulating hormone, LH, and follicle-stimulating hormone were not altered by galanin. Our data suggest a physiological role for the neuropeptide galanin in the regulation of GH secretion in humans.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Physiological role of galanin in the regulation of anterior pituitary function in humans. 750 94

We hypothesized that increased levels of blood cytokines occur in brain-dead patients, and that these cytokines are responsible for some of the endocrine and/or acute-phase reactant abnormalities found in these patients. We measured blood levels of cytokines, hormones, and acute-phase reactants in 18 brain-dead potential organ donors at the moment of establishing the legal diagnosis of brain death and compared them with levels found in a control group. Although interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels were within the normal range, interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were clearly above the normal range in all patients (median, 1,444 pg/mL; range, 75 to 11,780). In the brain-dead group, total thyroxine (tT4), free T4 (fT4), triiodothyronine (T3), thyrotropin (TSH), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), testosterone, albumin, Zn, and osteocalcin levels were decreased, T3 resin uptake index (T3 RUI), corticotropin (ACTH), cortisol, 11-deoxycortisol (11-DOC), 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHPr), aldosterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone levels were normal, and reverse T3 (rT3), renin, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were increased. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated significant interrelations between IL-6 and T4, T3, testosterone, and CRP. We also studied the evolution of some of these parameters in four patients with severe head injury who finally developed brain death. IL-6 levels on admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) were above the normal limits, as in other patients with cranial trauma, but when the patients developed brain death, there was a pronounced increase in IL-6 levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Blood levels of cytokines in brain-dead patients: relationship with circulating hormones and acute-phase reactants. 754 Feb 49

A prospective study was made to evaluate injury caused by laparoscopic surgery, in terms of physiological response. Two groups of patients were established: Group 1 (laparoscopic surgery, n = 26) and Group 2 (open surgery, n = 18). The groups were homogeneous in terms of age, sex, body mass index (BMI), duration of surgery, and anesthetic technique. Both groups exhibited significant postoperative increases in plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), growth hormone (GH), insulin, and cortisol (p < 0.05), with a significant decrease in follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and T3 (p < 0.05). Significant increases were noted in 24-h urine cortisol and catecholamine levels in Group 2 (p < 0.05). No correlation was noted between the duration of surgery and the intensity of neuroendocrine response. Acute-phase postoperative metabolic response was greater in Group 2 and was correlated to the duration of surgery. No postoperative hydrosaline or acid-base alterations were recorded in either group. Injury was graded in terms of neuroendocrine and metabolic response and proved highest in Group 2. Complex laparoscopic surgery (e.g., sigmoid colon and esophageal hiatus) exhibited the least neuroendocrine response, whereas laparoscopic inguinal hernioplasty involved the least metabolic response. To conclude, laparoscopic surgery globally involves less neuroendocrine and metabolic response than does open surgery.
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PMID:Injury in laparoscopic surgery. 755 Dec 86

Galanin enhances both baseline and growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH)-induced GH secretion both in animals and in man. Although galanin has a clear influence on the secretion of other anterior pituitary hormones in animals, in man it increases prolactin (PRL) slightly but does not affect spontaneous thyrotropin (TSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) or adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) secretion. The aim of our study was to verify the effect of galanin on basal and releasing hormone-stimulated release of gonadotropins, PRL, TSH, ACTH and cortisol secretion. As GH release has been shown to be inhibited by corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), we also studied the effect of CRH on galanin-stimulated GH increase. The effect of porcine galanin (15 micrograms/kg iv infused in 60 min) alone and in combination with thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH, 200 micrograms iv bolus), CRH (100 micrograms iv bolus) and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH, 100 micrograms iv bolus) on GH, PRL, TSH, ACTH, cortisol, FSH and LH secretion in seven normal young women (aged 25-30 years) was studied. Galanin infusion caused an increase in serum GH levels (p < 0.02) but failed to modify significantly the spontaneous PRL, LH, FSH, TSH, ACTH and cortisol secretion. The combined administration of TRH, GnRH and CRH caused a significant increase in PRL (p < 0.02), LH (p < 0.02), FSH (p < 0.02), TSH (p < 0.02), ACTH (p < 0.02) and cortisol (p < 0.05), but not in GH levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Effect of galanin on basal and stimulated secretion of prolactin, gonadotropins, thyrotropin, adrenocorticotropin and cortisol in humans. 758 45


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