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Biomedical subjects

A Shimatsu

Publications and source records attributed to A Shimatsu.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Phase-shifted diurnal rhythm of cortisol secretion in a patient with Cushing's syndrome due to adrenocortical adenoma.

A 21-year-old woman with Cushing's syndrome was found to have a marked diurnal variation in cortisol secretion. Serum cortisol concentrations and urinary excretion of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids were normal in the morning but clearly increased in the afternoon. The patient was cured by resection of an adrenocortical adenoma. ACTH and prostaglandin E1 stimulated cortisol release from incubated adenoma tissues in vitro. The cause of the abnormal diurnal rhythm of cortisol secretion is unknown.

17-Hydroxycorticosteroids↗

Nocturnal urinary growth hormone excretion in children with short stature.

Nocturnal urinary growth hormone levels in children with short and normal stature were measured by a sensitive enzyme immunoassay. Urinary GH excretion during sleep correlated positively with peak plasma GH values during pharmacological (r = 0.74, P less than 0.001) and sleep (r = 0.85, P less than 0.001) tests. The amounts of urinary GH excretion during sleep differed significantly from each other in the following groups: complete GH deficiency (mean +/- SEM: 0.1 +/- 0.1 ng/m2 of body surface area; range: less than 0.1-0.4), partial GH deficiency (1.6 +/- 0.3 ng/m2; 0.2-3.1), and short stature without GH deficiency (3.7 +/- 0.6 ng/m2; 0.7-11.5). No significant difference was found between short stature without GH deficiency and normal stature (5.0 +/- 0.5 ng/m2; 2.1-10.5). Measurement of nocturnal urinary GH excretion is a simple method for screening of GH excretion and may be helpful in the differentiation of the various etiologies of short stature in children.

Adolescent↗

Mosaic evolution of the insulin-like growth factors. Organization, sequence, and expression of the rat insulin-like growth factor I gene.

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) plays a major role in mammalian growth and regenerative processes as a mediator of many of the biological effects of growth hormone. We have demonstrated recently that the human IGF-I gene is transcribed and processed into distinct messenger RNA molecules, each of which directs the synthesis of unique IGF-I-containing peptides. As a means to determine whether a similar model of IGF-I gene organization and expression is the paradigm in mammals and as an initial step in devising experimental approaches to the study of regulation of IGF-I biogenesis, we have isolated and characterized the rat IGF-I gene. The rat gene, like its human counterpart, is very large, extending over at least 73 kilobases, and is composed of five exons subdivided by four introns. As in the human example, the rat IGF-I gene hybridizes to several messenger RNAs: 0.8-1.2, 1.6-2.1, and 7.8 kilobases. There is extensive nucleotide and amino acid sequence conservation between the two genes. The predicted mature rat IGF-I protein is identical to the human peptide in 67 of 70 residues. A comparably high degree of amino acid sequence identity is also found for both the amino- and carboxyl-terminal extension peptides, suggesting that, like mature IGF-I, the extension molecules may have physiological function.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Gynecomastia associated with isolated ACTH deficiency.

A 57-year-old man with gynecomastia associated with isolated adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency is reported. Basal levels of estrogens, luteinizing hormone and prolactin were elevated, whereas plasma testosterone levels were normal. Luteinizing hormone and prolactin showed exaggerated responses to gonadotropin-releasing hormone and thyrotropin-releasing hormone, respectively. These hormonal abnormalities were corrected and gynecomastia resolved with steroid replacement therapy. These findings suggest that gynecomastia may result from hormonal changes which were modified by glucocorticoid deficiency.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

Stimulation by gastrin-releasing peptide, neurotensin and DN1417, a novel TRH analog, of dopamine and norepinephrine release from perifused rat hypothalamic fragments in vitro.

Both dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) release from perifused rat hypothalamic fragments was increased by depolarizing concentrations of potassium (K+, 20 mM and 56 mM) in a dose-related and Ca2+-dependent manner. DA and NE release induced by high K+ (20 mM) was further enhanced by gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP, 10(-5)-10(-6) M) and DN 1417 (10(-5) M), a thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) analog. GRP (10(-5) M), neurotensin (NT, 10(-5) M) and DN 1417 (10(-5) M) also stimulated spontaneous release of DA and NE from the hypothalamus. These results suggest that GRP, NT and DN 1417 act at the hypothalamic catecholamine nerve terminals and stimulate the release of DA and NE in the rat.

Animals↗

Stimulation by serotonin of immunoreactive peptide histidine isoleucine release from rat hypothalamus in vitro.

The effect of serotonin (5-HT) on the release of peptide histidine isoleucine-like immunoreactivity (PHI-LI) from rat hypothalamus was investigated in vitro with a perifusion system. A high potassium concentration (56 mM) stimulated PHI-LI release in a calcium-dependent manner. PHI-LI release was dose-relatedly stimulated by 5-HT (10(-6), 10(-5) and 10(-4) M). PHI-LI release induced by 5-HT (10(-5) M) was abolished by cyproheptadine (10(-4) M), a 5-HT antagonist. These results suggest that 5-HT has a stimulating effect on PHI release from the hypothalamus.

Animals↗

Subcellular distribution of the immunoreactive peptide histidine isoleucine in the rat brain and release from synaptosomes in vitro.

Subcellular fractionation studies of rat brain homogenate revealed that peptide histidine isoleucine-like immunoreactivity (PHI-LI) was enriched in synaptosomal preparations. PHI-LI was released by high potassium concentrations from synaptosomal pellets incubated in vitro. These results suggest a possible physiological role of PHI in the central nervous system as a neurotransmitter or modulator of synaptic function.

Animals↗

Central effects of DN1417, a novel TRH analog, on plasma glucose and catecholamines in conscious rats.

Intracerebroventricular (icv) injection of DN1417 (0.3, 3 and 30 nmol/rat), a TRH analog, resulted in a dose-related increase in plasma glucose, epinephrine and norepinephrine levels in conscious male rats. The effects of DN1417 were more potent and longer-lasting than those of TRH on a molar basis. Intravenous injection of DN1417 (30 nmol/rat) did not change plasma glucose, epinephrine and norepinephrine levels. Pretreatment with hexamethonium (1.5 mg/100 g body wt, iv, 2 min before) inhibited plasma glucose, epinephrine and norepinephrine responses to DN1417 (3 nmol/rat, icv). DN1417 did not change plasma glucose, epinephrine and norepinephrine levels in rats after total adrenalectomy. In the animals pretreated with cysteamine (30 mg/100 g body wt, sc, 4 h before), basal plasma glucose, epinephrine and norepinephrine levels were raised, and exaggerated responses of plasma glucose, epinephrine and norepinephrine to DN1417 (3 nmol/rat, icv) were obtained. These results indicate that DN1417 has a potent and long-lasting effect in the central nervous system in stimulating the secretion of catecholamines through the autonomic nervous system, which is associated with an elevation of plasma glucose and that endogenous hypothalamic somatostatin may inhibit the action of DN1417.

Adrenalectomy↗

Inhibition by antiserum to vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) of prolactin secretion induced by serotonin in the rat.

Intraventricular (i.c.v.) injection of serotonin (5HT) or intravenous (i.v.) injection of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5HTP), a precursor of 5HT, raised plasma prolactin (PRL) levels in urethane-anesthetized rats pretreated with normal rabbit serum. When the animals were injected i.c.v. or i.v. with specific anti-VIP rabbit serum, the plasma PRL responses to 5HT and 5HTP were blunted. These findings suggest that hypothalamic VIP is involved, at least in part, in PRL secretion induced by central serotonergic stimulation in the rat.

5-Hydroxytryptophan↗

Stimulation by leumorphin of prolactin secretion from the pituitary in rats.

The effect of leumorphin (LM), one of big leu-enkephalins derived from preproenkephalin B, on PRL secretion was studied in the rat in vivo and in vitro. Intracerebroventricular injection of synthetic porcine LM (0.06-6 nmol/rat) caused a dose-related increase in plasma PRL levels in urethane-anesthetized male rats and in conscious freely moving rats. Intravenous injection of LM (3 nmol/100 g BW) also raised plasma PRL levels in these animals. The plasma PRL response to intracerebroventricular LM (0.6 nmol/rat) was blunted by naloxone (125 micrograms/100 g BW, iv). The stimulating effect of LM on PRL release was the most potent among the peptides derived from preproenkephalin B. In in vitro studies, PRL release from superfused anterior pituitary cells was stimulated in a dose-related manner by LM (10(-9)-10(-6) M), and the effect was blunted by naloxone (10(-5) M). These results suggest that LM has a potent stimulating effect on PRL secretion from the pituitary in the rat by acting, at least in part, directly at the pituitary through an opiate receptor.

Animals↗

Central inhibitory action of TRH on prolactin secretion in the rat.

Intravenous (iv) injection of FK33-824 [( D-Ala2, MePhe4, Met-(O)5-ol]-enkephalin, 8 and 16 nmole/100 g body wt), a potent Met5-enkephalin analog, and domperidone (1.2, 2.4, and 24 nmole/100 g body wt), a dopamine antagonist, resulted in a dose-related increase in plasma prolactin (PRL) levels in urethane-anesthetized male rats. PRL release induced by FK33-824 (16 nmole/100 g body wt, iv) was inhibited by intraventricular (icv) injection of TRH (0.6 nmole/rat). DN-1417 (gamma-butyrolactone-gamma-carbonyl-histidyl-prolinamide citrate, 0.6 nmole/rat, icv), a TRH analog, also blunted PRL release induced by FK33-824. PRL release induced by a smaller dose of domperidone (1.2 nmole/100 g body wt, iv) was blunted by TRH and DN-1417, whereas both peptides failed to suppress elevated PRL levels induced by larger doses of domperidone. These results suggest that TRH not only stimulates PRL secretion by acting directly at the pituitary, but has an inhibitory action on PRL release through activation of the central dopaminergic mechanism.

Animals↗

Inhibition by gastrin-releasing peptide of growth hormone (GH) secretion induced by human pancreatic GH-releasing factor in rats.

Intravenous injection of synthetic human pancreatic GH-releasing factor (1-44) [hpGRF(1-44)] (50 ng-1 micrograms/100 g BW) resulted in a dose-related increase in plasma GH levels in urethane-anesthetized male rats. Pretreatment with cysteamine (30 mg/100 g BW, sc, 4 h previously) or anti-SRIF rabbit serum (0.5 ml/rat, iv, 1 h previously) raised basal plasma GH levels and markedly exaggerated the plasma GH response to hpGRF (1-44) (80 ng/100 g BW, iv). The intraventricular injection of gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) (1 micrograms/rat) completely inhibited the increase of plasma GH induced by hpGRF (80 ng/100 g BW, iv) in control rats. However, in the rats treated with cysteamine or anti-SRIF rabbit serum, the inhibitory effect of GRP on hpGRF-induced GH release was significantly attenuated. hpGRF (10(-11)-10(-8) M) stimulated in a dose-related manner GH release from rat anterior pituitary cells superfused in vitro. GRP (10(-5) M) did not affect pituitary GH release induced by hpGRF (10(-9) M) in vitro. These results indicate that hpGRF stimulates rat GH secretion by acting at the pituitary level and the hypothalamic SRIF interacts with the action of GRF, and that GRP inhibits GH secretion, at least in part, by stimulating SRIF release from the hypothalamus.

Animals↗

Interrelation between somatostatin output from the mediobasal hypothalamus and plasma growth hormone levels in conscious rats: effects of glucagon administration.

The interrelationship between SRIF output from the mediobasal hypothalamus and plasma GH levels was studied in conscious male rats using the push-pull perfusion technique in combination with repeated blood samplings. The MBH was perfused with artificial cerebrospinal fluid at the rate of 30 microliter/min, and blood samples were collected every 20 min from 1000-1700 h. In control animals, which received injection of acidified saline at 1100 h into the lateral ventricle, two large episodes of spontaneous GH secretion occurred regularly at around 1200 and 1540 h, and troughs occurred around 1400 h. In contrast, SRIF levels from mediobasal hypothalamus perfusate fluctuated at random, ranging from 10-116 pg/ml, with a mean value of 39.2 pg/ml. Mean SRIF levels at 1200 and 1540 h (43.4 +/- 9.0 and 24.4 +/- 4.2 pg/ml, respectively; n = 8) were not different from those at 1400 h (39.9 +/- 12.2 pg/ml). When glucagon (10 micrograms/rat) was injected at 1100 h, plasma GH levels decreased and remained low until 1600 h, whereas perfusate SRIF levels were elevated and remained high for the period. In these animals, the mean plasma GH levels during 1120-1540 h were lower than those in control rats [17.2 +/- 2.4 ng/ml (n = 9) vs. 143.4 +/- 17.5 ng/ml (n = 8); P less than 0.01]. In contrast, the mean SRIF levels in glucagon-treated rats were higher than those in controls [112.5 +/- 15.9 pg/ml (n = 9) vs. control 40.1 +/- 4.3 pg/ml (n = 8); P less than 0.01]. These results suggest that SRIF plays a role in tonic inhibition of GH release in response to the intracerebroventricular injection of glucagon in conscious rats, although SRIF plays, if any, a minor role in regulating episodic GH secretion.

Animals↗

Involvement of hypothalamic vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in prolactin secretion induced by serotonin in rats.

To study the possible involvement of hypothalamic vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in regulating the secretion of prolactin (PRL), the effect of anti-VIP rabbit serum on serotonin (5-HT)-induced PRL release was examined in urethane-anesthetized male rats. Anti-VIP serum (AVS) or normal rabbit serum (NRS) was infused into a single hypophysial portal vessel of the rat for 40 min at a rate of 2 microliters/min with the aid of a fine glass cannula and 5-HT was injected into a lateral ventricle 10 min after the start of the infusion. Intraventricular injection of 5-HT (10 micrograms/rat) caused an increase in plasma PRL levels in control animals infused with NRS and 5-HT-induced PRL release was blunted in animals infused with AVS (mean +/- SE peak plasma PRL: 118.9 +/- 19.8 ng/ml vs 54.7 +/- 16.2 ng/ml, p less than 0.05). These findings suggest that the secretion of PRL induced by 5-HT is mediated, at least in part, by hypothalamic VIP release into the hypophysial portal blood in the rat.

Animals↗

Peptide histidine isoleucine- and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-like immunoreactivity coexist in rat hypophysial portal blood.

Plasma immunoreactive peptide histidine isoleucine (PHI) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) levels were measured by specific radioimmunoassays in urethane-anesthetized rats. Basal levels of plasma PHI-like immunoreactivity (PHI-LI) in the hypophysial portal blood were 414 +/- 180 pmol/l (means +/- S.E.), about 7 times higher than in the peripheral blood. VIP-like immunoreactivity (VIP-LI) was also high in the portal blood (399 +/- 139 pmol/l). The correlation coefficient between PHI-LI and VIP-LI was 0.76. These findings suggest that PHI and VIP are co-released from the median eminence into the hypophysial portal blood in rats.

Animals↗