Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P01275 (glucagon)
 26,492 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Previous research on the favorable effects of mild conformational restriction in the N-terminal region of glucagon has led us to carry out analogue studies on the sequence-related 1-12 region of GRF(1-29)NH2. Replacement of each of the first 11 amino acids by its D-isomer in turn gave a total of 5 analogues exhibiting increases in potency. Other analogues containing multiple D-amino acid replacements were also examined and found to be highly potent, for instance: D-Tyr-1,D-Ala-2, 2630; His-1,D-Ala-2, 3440; Ac-His-1,D-Ala-2, 1574; D-Ala-2,Nle-27, 1840; D-Ala-2,D-Asn-8,Nle-27, 1580; D-Ala-2,D-Asp-3,D-Asn-8,Nle-27, 2000; D-Asp-3,D-Asn-8,Nle-27, 3810 (GRF(1-29) = 100%). It is possible that these results with D-isomers reflect the presence of reverse turns (beta-bends) in this region of GRF. Indeed, the qualitative predictive method of Chou and Fasman supports this theory and indicates reverse turns in the 1-5 and 6-10 sequences. Further studies were performed to test this hypothesis by introducing even more rigidity into the N-terminal region via disulfide bond formation between positions normally containing aromatic amino acids. None of the bridged peptides displayed biological activity which suggests that chain folding does not produce any proximity among N-terminal residues. We had shown previously that position 2(Ala) was extremely sensitive to both conformational and side-chain alterations. This observation was extended to analogues containing Sar and Pro, both of which were also inactive on GH release at the doses tested.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Strategies in the design of synthetic agonists and antagonists of growth hormone releasing factor. 309 97

Paget's disease of bone is characterised by overactive osteoclasts that resorb bone at a higher rate than normal. Osteoblasts attempt to repair the damage by laying down new bone which in turn is resorbed leaving a chaotic pattern of lytic and dense sclerotic bone behind. Deformed bone enlarges, becomes vascularised, bends and fractures. No bone is exempt but the skull, pelvis, vertebrae and long bones are commonly affected. Pressure from pagetic bone impinges on the auditory, facial, optic, trigeminal nerves and the spinal cord, risking paraplegia or quadriplegia. Vascular complications include cardiac failure and vertebrobasilar insufficiency. Serum alkaline phosphatase and urine N-telopeptide were used to assess response to treatment with porcine, salmon and human calcitonins, glucagon and bisphonates given alone or in combination. Glucagon has few side effects and controls the disease very rapidly. It can be given alone but because remissions last a few months, repeat courses may be necessary to achieve a long-term permanent quiescent bone state. If complete disease remission is not achieved with the hormone alone, an oral or intravenous bisphosphonate is given at the end of glucagon treatment. Other options are a second-generation bisphosphonate given orally to patients who decline parenteral medication. It remains to be seen whether glucagon affects other bone disorders.
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PMID:Possible role for glucagon in the control of Paget's disease of bone. 3068 79