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C H Li

Publications and source records attributed to C H Li.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Characteristics of binding of human seminal alpha-inhibin-92 to human pituitary membranes.

We investigated the binding of 125I-labeled alpha-inhibin-92 (a 92-residue peptide) to human pituitary membrane preparations. Unlabeled alpha-inhibin-92 competed effectively with the labeled peptide for binding to the membranes. Binding was also inhibited by both alpha-inhibin-52 and alpha-inhibin-31, but less effectively. Scatchard analysis of the alpha-inhibin-92 binding data indicated the presence of high-affinity binding sites (1.35 nM/mg of membrane protein) with an apparent Kd of 0.37 nM. When 125I-labeled alpha-inhibin-92 was covalently crosslinked to the pituitary membrane preparation with disuccinimidyl suberate and the solubilized labeled receptor complex was analyzed by NaDodSO4/PAGE under either reducing or nonreducing conditions, a single radioactive band at an apparent molecular weight of 90,000 +/- 5000 was observed. These data suggest that human pituitary has specific binding sites for alpha-inhibins.

Activin Receptors↗

Gonadotropin-releasing peptide from human follicular fluid: isolation, characterization, and chemical synthesis.

A gonadotropin-releasing peptide has been isolated from human follicular fluid. Its amino acid composition and sequence are completely different from the hypothalamic lutropin-releasing hormone. It is designated human follicular gonadotropin-releasing peptide and abbreviated as hF-GRP. The primary structure of this peptide (H-Thr-Asp-Thr-Ser-His-His-Asp-Gln-Asp-His-Pro-Thr-Phe-Asn-OH) has been confirmed by chemical synthesis. In the mouse pituitary incubation assay, the ED50 value for follitropin or lutropin release is estimated to be 1.2-1.6 nM.

Body Fluids↗

Synthetic peptide with inhibin-like activity preferentially inhibits follitropin secretion in comparison with lutropin-releasing hormone antagonists.

Biological activity of a synthetic peptide with inhibin-like activity under in vitro and in vivo conditions was compared with three highly potent synthetic lutropin-releasing hormone antagonists. Unlike the synthetic lutropin-releasing hormone antagonists, which effectively inhibited both lutropin and follitropin secretion from the pituitary, the inhibin-like peptide showed a preferential effect by inhibiting follitropin release both in vitro and in vivo. Thus, small peptides such as inhibin-like peptide with a sequence unrelated to lutropin-releasing hormone may provide a basis for design of selective inhibitors of gonadotropin release.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Human pituitary and placental hormones control human insulin-like growth factor II secretion in human granulosa cells.

Human granulosa cells cultured with calf serum actively proliferated for 18-20 generation and secreted progesterone into the medium; progesterone levels appeared to decline with increase in generation number. Cells cultured under serum-free conditions secreted significant amounts of progesterone and insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II). The progesterone secretion was enhanced by the addition of human follitropin, lutropin, and chorionic gonadotropin but not by growth hormone. These cells, when challenged to varying concentrations of human growth hormone, human chorionic somatomammotropin, human prolactin, chorionic gonadotropin, follitropin, and lutropin, secreted IGF-II into the medium as measured by specific IGF-II RIA. Among these human hormones, chorionic gonadotropin, follitropin, and lutropin were most effective in inducing IGF-II secretion from these cells. When synthetic lutropin-releasing hormone and alpha-inhibin-92 were tested, only lutropin-releasing hormone was effective in releasing IGF-II. The results described suggest that cultured human granulosa cells can proliferate and actively secrete progesterone and IGF-II into the medium. IGF-II production in human granulosa cells was influenced by a multi-hormonal complex including human growth hormone, human chorionic somatomammotropin, and prolactin.

Cells, Cultured↗

Elephant growth hormone. Isolation and characterization.

Growth hormone has been purified to homogeneity from elephant pituitary glands. It has 191 amino acids with two disulfide bridges and a single tryptophan residue. The somatotropin activity is only 15% when compared with the bovine hormone in the radioreceptor binding assay. From circular dichroism spectra alpha-helical content of elephant growth hormone is estimated to be 50%. Difference absorption spectra of the hormone suggest the presence of a hydrogen bond between the single Trp and a carboxylate ion.

Amino Acids↗

Beta-endorphin. Biological activity of analogs containing dermorphin and dynorphin sequences: ileum and vas deferens assays.

Biological activity of synthetic beta-endorphin (beta-EP) analogs containing dermorphin or dynorphin-A-(1-13) structure has been investigated using the guinea pig ileum and the vas deferens of the mouse, rat and rabbit. Replacement of NH2-terminal 1-7 segment of camel beta-EP [beta c-EP-(1-7)] with dermorphin caused a great increase in opiate potency of the analog. [Dermorphin (1-7)]-beta c-EP was 120 times more potent than beta c-EP in the guinea pig ileum assay, 49 times more potent in the mouse vas deferens assay; and only 4 times more potent in the rat vas deferens assay. Replacement of NH2-terminal 1-13 segment of human beta-EP [beta h-EP-(1-13)] with dynorphin-A-(1-13) caused an increase in opiate potency in both the guinea pig ileum and rabbit vas deferens assays, a complete loss of potency in the rat vas deferens assay, and no change in the mouse vas deferens assay. In comparison with dynorphin-A-(1-13), the hybrid peptide was less potent in the guinea pig ileum assay as well as in mouse and rabbit vas deferens assay. It is suggested that beta c-EP-(8-31) facilitates the dermorphin moiety to act on opiate mu and delta receptors but not on the epsilon receptor, while beta h-(14-31) reduces the action of dynorphin on mu, delta and kappa receptors.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Elephant prolactin: isolation and characterization.

Prolactin was isolated from anterior lobes of elephant pituitary glands. It consisted of 199 amino acids with three disulfide bridges and two tryptophan residues as found in prolactin from other species. The sequence of the NH2-terminal 28 amino acids was determined and shown homologous with the ovine hormone. In comparison with ovine prolactin, a marked difference was seen in the methionine content; the elephant hormone possessed only 18-34% lactogenic potency. The conformation of elephant prolactin was examined by zero order, second order and circular dichroism spectroscopy. The alpha helical content was estimated to be about 60%. In comparison with prolactins from other species, the second order spectra of elephant prolactin suggest that the local microenvironment for one or both tryptophan residues is somewhat different.

Amino Acids↗

Beta-endorphin: peripheral opioid activity of homologues from six species.

The peripheral opioid activity of six homologous beta-endorphins (beta-EPs) were assayed on the guinea pig ileum and the vas deferens of the mouse, the rat and the rabbit. In the guinea pig ileum assay, human beta-EP (beta h-EP) was less potent than camel, turkey, and ostrich beta-EPs, of the same potency as equine beta-EP and more active than des-acetyl salmon beta-EP. In the rat vas deferens, mammalian beta-EPs showed higher activity than those from the bird and the fish, whereas in the mouse vas deferens assay, beta h-EP is more active than those from other species. In the rabbit vas deferens, however, all homologous beta-EPs show very weak activity. The relative potency of beta-EP homologues obtained from rat vas deferens assay is in good correlation with the analgesic potency, while the receptor binding activity does not correlate with any of the four bioassays, but appears to be related to the charge properties of the peptides.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Conformation of equine pituitary somatotropin.

Equine pituitary somatotropin (growth hormone) has been studied by zero-order and second-order absorption spectroscopy, and by circular dichroism. Difference absorption spectra have also been generated during proteolytic digestion of the hormone. The molar extinction coefficient of the native protein was found to be 16,050 +/- 330 M-1 cm-1 at 278.1 nm. Comparison of the conformations of equine somatotropin and somatotropins isolated from several other mammalian species indicates a close structural relationship between these molecules. With the increasing number of species which have been studied, it is becoming evident that with regard to conformation, the somatotropins can be subdivided into at least three major groups.

Animals↗

Inhibin.

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Amino Acid Sequence↗

Leprechaunism: in vitro insulin action despite genetic insulin resistance.

We recently identified a female leprechaun infant with marked hyperinsulinemia [as high as 10,975 microU/ml (78,746 pmol/liter)], presumably secondary to insulin resistance. She had two physical findings suggestive of possible insulin action: cystic ovarian enlargement with gonadotropin-independent steroid secretion and persistent, severe myocardial hypertrophy. To examine the pathophysiology of this disorder we measured the in vitro sensitivity to insulin and other growth factors of erythroid progenitors and a T-lymphoblast cell line derived from her peripheral blood. Resistance to insulin was demonstrated by failure of her circulating erythroid progenitor cells to augment proliferation in response to physiologic concentrations of insulin (1-10 ng/ml). An immortalized T lymphoblast cell line was established by transforming the cells with the human retrovirus human T cell leukemia virus II. This cell line showed little or no response to physiologic concentrations of insulin contrary to consistently observed stimulation of colony formation by cell lines similarly derived from normals. The patient's T lymphoblasts, however, showed normal sensitivity to insulin-like growth factor I. In response to supraphysiologic insulin concentrations (25-1000 ng/ml), leprechaun T lymphoblasts showed significant augmentation of colony formation (peak 189% above baseline at 50 ng/ml); normal T lymphoblasts also showed responsiveness at these high insulin concentrations. Preincubation with a monoclonal antibody against the insulin-like growth factor I receptor (alpha IR-3 at 5000 ng/ml) blocked the in vitro effect of physiologic concentrations of insulin-like growth factor and supraphysiologic concentrations of insulin on leprechaun and control T lymphoblast colony formation, but had no clear effect upon the response to physiologic insulin concentrations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Tissues of the Laron dwarf are sensitive to insulin-like growth factor I but not to growth hormone.

Tissues from patients with Laron dwarfism are resistant to the actions of endogenous or exogenous GH. As a result, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) levels are low, possibly contributing to the severe growth deficiency that occurs in patients with this syndrome. In this study, we found that erythroid progenitor cells and permanently transformed T-cell lines from two patients with Laron dwarfism responded in vitro to added IGF-I in concentrations ranging between 1-10 ng/mL despite no stimulatory response to added GH in concentrations of up to 500 ng/mL. Normal or near-normal responsiveness to insulin was also demonstrated. The persistence of GH resistance in the cultured T-cell lines confirms the primary genetic nature of the defect in Laron dwarfism. The preservation of in vitro growth responsiveness to IGF-I in hematopoietic tissue from the Laron dwarfs suggests that affected individuals are sensitive to this factor and may respond to it in vivo.

Adolescent↗

Effects of beta-lipotropin, beta-endorphin, gamma 2-melanotropin and corticotropin on steroid production by isolated human adrenocortical cells.

Normal human adrenocortical cells (from multi-organ donors) were incubated with corticotropin (tetracosactide), highly purified human beta-lipotropin, synthetic human beta-lipotropin, gamma 2-melanocyte stimulating hormone and beta-endorphin. Corticotropin stimulated cortisol, aldosterone and 18-hydroxycorticosterone production starting at 10(-12)-10(-11) mol/l in normal adrenocortical cells. Purified human beta-lipotropin also stimulated steroidogenesis but 100-1000-fold higher concentrations of the peptide were needed. In contrast, synthetic human beta-lipotropin was without any effect on steroid production up to concentrations of 10(-7) mol/l. Synthetic beta-lipotropin (5 x 10(-10) mol/l) did not significantly change the dose-response curve for corticotropin (10(-13) mol/l-10(-9) mol/l) versus the three steroids measured. gamma 2-Melanotropin and beta-endorphin (10(-6) mol/l) stimulated the secretion of cortisol, but not of aldosterone. Since synthetic human beta-lipotropin has no effect on human adrenocortical cells, the purified beta-lipotropin must be contaminated with traces of corticotropin. Since pathologically elevated levels of proopiomelanocortin-derived peptides will rarely exceed plasma concentrations of 10(-10) mol/l, our findings in vitro do not support a physiological or pathophysiological role of the peptides examined in the regulation of adrenal steroid secretion.

18-Hydroxycorticosterone↗

Identification of insulin-like growth factor-II in human seminal and follicular fluids.

Antisera raised in rabbits against synthetic insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) were used to develop a specific radioimmunoassay (RIA) for IGF-II. Affinity purified antibodies showed 6% cross-reactivity with IGF-I but failed to recognize insulin even at 10 micrograms/tube. Utilizing this RIA system, immunoreactive IGF-II was identified in the pooled samples of human follicular fluid and seminal plasma. The acid-ethanol precipitates of human seminal and follicular fluids were chromatographed on Sephadex G-50 column and the IGF-II immunoreactive fractions were subjected to reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. It was found that immunoactive IGF-II was eluted in the same location as that of synthetic IGF-II. The data indicate for the first time that human seminal plasma and follicular fluid contain significant amounts of IGF-II.

Body Fluids↗

The beta-endorphin-induced secretion of growth hormone but not of prolactin is inhibited by an endogenous opioid antagonist.

The naturally occurring peptide human beta-endorphin-(1-27) (h beta-EP-(1-27) has been shown to antagonize beta-endorphin (h beta-EP)-induced analgesia. We have evaluated the effects of the fragment on h beta-EP-induced growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL) release. It inhibited beta-EP-induced GH release in a dose-related way but left beta-EP-induced PRL stimulation unchanged.

Animals↗

The conformation of monkey pituitary somatotropin.

Monkey pituitary somatotropin has been studied by zero-order, second-order, and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Difference absorption spectra have also been generated during proteolytic digestion of the hormone. The molar extinction coefficient of the native protein was found to be 23,800 +/- 550 (M-1 cm-1) at 276.6 nm. A comparison of the conformations of monkey and human pituitary somatotropins indicates a close relationship between the two molecules, including alpha-helix contents of 55 +/- 5%.

Animals↗

The primary structure of monkey pituitary growth hormone.

Monkey growth hormone (MGH) has been purified by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Tryptic digests of MGH were separated by HPLC and paper electrophoresis. From amino acid composition, from NH2-terminal residue and sequence analyses of these tryptic peptides, and from their alignment with those of human growth hormone, the primary structure of MGH was proposed. There are only four residues which are different in these two growth hormone molecules.

Amino Acid Sequence↗