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J A Parsons

Publications and source records attributed to J A Parsons.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Increased dye coupling in pancreatic islets from rats in late-term pregnancy.

Our previous studies have suggested that elevated lactogen, increased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, and increased beta-cell coupling are associated. To determine whether this association occurs under conditions of physiologically increased lactogen, we have studied the extent of dye coupling in rat islets during the later stage of pregnancy. These animals have high plasma lactogen levels in the form of placental lactogen, increased plasma insulin, and decreased plasma glucose. The fluorescent tracer, Lucifer yellow CH, was microinjected into central cells of islets from both pregnant and virgin rats, and the extent of transfer was quantitated by determining the projected area of dye spread. Two area measurements were made for each injection, one around the entire discernible fluorescent region ("outer") and another around the distinct brighter region of cells surrounding the injected cell ("inner"). Pregnancy increased dye transfer, as determined by both measurements. The outer area of dye transfer was 9047 +/- 775 microns2 for the islets from pregnant rats and 4699 +/- 391 microns2 for the islets from virgin rats (P less than .001). Similarly, pregnancy increased the inner area of dye transfer, 1447 +/- 161 microns2 for the islets from pregnant rats and 795 +/- 80 microns2 for the islets from virgin rats (P less than .001). These results support the hypothesis that elevated lactogen, increased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, and increased beta-cell dye coupling are associated under physiological conditions. The study indicates that enhanced beta-cell coupling is part of the structural and functional adaptation that the islets undergo during a subject's pregnancy and demonstrates that the extent of beta-cell coupling is regulated by a physiological condition.

Animals↗

Decreased glucose stimulation threshold, enhanced insulin secretion, and increased beta cell coupling in islets of prolactin-treated rats.

In order to determine the effect of lactogen on insulin secretion and junctional coupling among islet beta cells, ovine prolactin (oPRL) was infused by Alzet minipumps into female rats for 4 days. This treatment produced an oPRL level of 994 +/- 122 ng/ml which, combined with residual rat PRL (rPRL) (12 +/- 2 ng/ml), represented nearly a 20-fold increase from control (rPRL: 53 +/- 17 ng/ml). In addition, plasma insulin was increased nearly 50% (control: 21.9 +/- 3 microU/ml; experimental: 30.3 +/- 3 microU/ml; p less than 0.05). When pancreata from lactogen-treated and control animals were perfused with linear 30-200 mg/dl glucose gradients, the apparent glucose threshold for insulin secretion in the experimental group was nearly 33% lower than that of the controls (i.e., 70 +/- 4.6 mg/dl vs. 104 +/- 7.5 mg/dl; p less than 0.01). The oPRL treatment also increased dye coupling among beta cells. Central cells in islets isolated from lactogen-treated and control animals were injected with Lucifer Yellow CH to estimate the extent of gap junctional coupling. There was nearly a twofold increase in the projected area of dye transfer per injection in the experimental vs. the controls: 4,607 +/- 575 micron 2 vs. 2,302 +/- 474 micron 2, respectively; p less than 0.02. The effects of oPRL decreased the apparent glucose threshold for insulin release, increased the above-threshold glucose-induced insulin secretion, and increased the extent of dye coupling among beta cells. These changes in insulin secretion and dye coupling closely resemble those observed in islets from pregnant rats.

Animals↗

Prolactin enhances cell-to-cell communication among beta-cells in pancreatic islets.

To determine the role of prolactin in increasing junctional communication among islet beta-cells, we studied dye coupling in pancreatic islets exposed to elevated levels of prolactin in vivo and in vitro. Islets were isolated from rats immediately after lactation or from rats bearing mammosomatotropic tumors (MtTW15), conditions involving high levels of prolactin (either 5-fold or 1000-fold control levels, respectively). When beta-cells were microinjected with the gap junction permeant dye Lucifer yellow CH, the mean number of dye-coupled cells per injection was approximately 10-fold greater than in islets from virgin control rats. As a more direct test of the effects of prolactin on beta-cell coupling, islets isolated from virgin rats were treated for 90 min with 500 ng/ml rat prolactin in the presence of low glucose (2.8 mM) and were microinjected with dye. The mean number of dye-coupled cells per injection increased by 6.7-fold over controls with low glucose, demonstrating a direct effect of prolactin on beta-cell coupling. In vitro treatment with high glucose (16.7 mM) resulted in a 2.7-fold increase in dye-coupled cells per injection. We discuss the possible relationship between the effects of glucose and of prolactin on coupling.

Animals↗

Radiation therapy for local-regional recurrent breast carcinoma.

One hundred seven women with recurrent breast carcinoma involving the chest wall and/or regional lymph node regions were treated with radiotherapy between 1970 and 1979. Local-regional tumor was the initial and only evidence of recurrent breast carcinoma in all cases. Forty-seven patients had their disease confined to the chest wall alone and sixty (56%) patients had chest wall involvement as some component of their local-regional recurrent disease. Within five years after the initial mastectomy, 80.5% of recurrences were manifested. All patients had radiotherapy to at least the site of involvement. Eighty-four patients (78.5%) had a complete response. The absolute 5-year survival of all patients following local-regional recurrence was 34.6%. Five year survival was 29% in those patients who had recurrence within 5 years of the original mastectomy. For those patients whose local-regional recurrence occurred after a 5-year disease-free interval, the subsequent 5-year survival was 57%. For patients with recurrence confined to the chest wall, subsequent 5-year survival was 48.9%. Patients who had supraclavicular involvement as part of their local-regional recurrence had only a 16.1% 5-year survival. The majority of patients developed distant metastasis. Twenty-two patients developed carcinoma of the contralateral breast following local-regional recurrence. Five year survival following local-regional recurrence was only 4.3% for patients whose initial treatment for their primary breast carcinoma was surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. For those patients whose primary breast carcinoma was treated by surgery alone or surgery and post-operative radiotherapy, the 5-year survival following local-regional recurrence was over 40%.

Breast Neoplasms↗

Comparison between bioactivity and immunoreactivity of serum prolactin in uraemia.

The lactogenic potency of sera from 24 male uraemic patients on regular haemodialysis and 14 control subjects was measured by Nb2 node rat lymphoma cell bioassay, and was compared to serum prolactin levels measured by radioimmunoassay. Sera with immunoreactive growth hormone levels exceeding 5 ng/ml were excluded from comparisons. The uraemic patients had a higher serum immunoreactive prolactin (48.2 +/- 10.5 ng/ml) than controls (13.3 +/- 1.3 ng/ml (P less than 0.01). Similarly the lactogenic potency of uraemic serum was higher than that of the control sera (25.5 +/- 3.9 vs 12.6 +/- 1.4 ng/ml, P less than 0.02). The ratio of immunoreactive serum prolactin to the lactogenic potency of the serum was significantly higher in the uraemic group (1.80 +/- 0.14 vs 1.10 +/- 0.10, P less than 0.01) suggesting decreased bioactivity of prolactin in uraemic serum. To examine whether low molecular weight inhibitory molecules were responsible for this discrepancy, the lactogenic potency of 8 uraemic sera was studied before and after 4 h of dialysis against 1 litre of haemodialysis medium. Two of the eleven sera studied showed a significant increment in lactogenic potency after dialysis (47% and 57%). We conclude that there is a disparity between the bioactive and the immunoreactive serum prolactin concentrations in patients with chronic renal failure and that a dialysable factor may be partly responsible for this discrepancy in some cases.

Adult↗

Insulin secretion in mammosomatotropic tumor-bearing and pregnant rats. A role for lactogens.

The experiments reported here investigate the effects of two conditions of elevated lactogen activity on the threshold of glucose stimulation of insulin secretion and suprathreshold, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in the isolated, perfused rat pancreas. In both the tumor-bearing animals and pregnant animals, the glucose threshold for insulin release was markedly reduced and the suprathreshold insulin release was elevated over that observed in control pancreata. There was no change on the glucose threshold or extent of release of somatostatin secretion. Altered insulin secretion appears to be readily reversible, since the secretion profile from postlactating animals was not different from the controls. The possible mechanistic role of lactogens is discussed.

Adenoma, Islet Cell↗

Intestinal absorption of calcium in greyhounds: the response to intermittent and continuous administration of human synthetic parathyroid hormone fragment 1-34 (hPTH 1-34).

Long-term studies of gastrointestinal radio-calcium absorption were undertaken in adult greyhounds before and during two treatment regimes with human parathyroid hormone fragment 1-34 (hPTH 1-34). The results were correlated with plasma vitamin D metabolite levels and kinetic indices related to the balance of fluxes of calcium between plasma and the rapidly exchangeable calcium pools of bone. Compared with adult man, results obtained before treatment started showed lower indices of gastrointestinal calcium absorption and considerably higher concentrations of 24-hydroxycalcidiol in the dogs. Daily injections of hPTH 1-34 at 1.7 microgram day-1 kg-1 significantly increased indices of radiocalcium absorption and plasma calcitriol concentrations, while only causing transient calcaemic responses. The individual magnitudes of the calcaemic response correlated positively with indices of radiocalcium retention in the exchangeable pools of bone which in turn correlated positively with 'late-phase' absorption of radiocalcium from the gut. Subcutaneous infusions of hPTH 1-34 at 0.5 microgram day-1 kg-1 to the same dogs were just insufficient to cause hypercalcaemia, but increased plasma calcitriol concentrations. Indices of radiocalcium absorption were not increased. Continuous parathyroid hormone (PTH) infusion is now known to substantially down-regulate renal PTH receptor density, whereas recovery after a brief exposure to PTH occurs within 24 h. It is possible that the differences in response of the gut to the two regimes may in part be related to their differing effects on some PTH receptors.

Animals↗

Effects of cysteamine on pituitary, MTTW15 tumor, and serum prolactin levels measured by rat lymphoma cell bioassay and radioimmunoassay.

Cysteamine (CSH), a sulfhydryl compound, reduces both serum and anterior pituitary (AP) PRL measured by RIA. We have used the Nb2 lymphoma cell bioassay (BIO) for PRL to evaluate possible CSH-related changes in PRL levels in sera and tissues of male and MtTW15 mammosomatotropic tumor-bearing female rats. Experimental animals received a single sc injection of CSH (300 mg/kg), and samples were collected 0.5-24 h later. Since CSH and serum from CSH rats were toxic in BIO, samples were dialyzed before assay. All samples were evaluated for PRL and GH by RIA as well. A significant decrease (P less than 0.05) in BIO serum PRL was evident in male rats 0.5 h after CSH; levels remained low for 24 h. Serum PRL by RIA was significantly depressed at 4 h but not at 0.5 h or 24 h. PRL in AP extracts was decreased (60-90%) at all times by BIO and RIA. Significant decreases of BIO- and RIA-detectable PRL were recorded in serum and tissues (AP and tumors) at 4 h in tumor rats. Sequentially bled (0.5-4 h) CSH-treated tumor-bearing rats showed 50% and 80% reductions in serum PRL at 1 and 4 h by both BIO and RIA. CSH had no effect on GH levels in sera and tissues of any animal studied at any time interval. Our results substantiate earlier reports on CSH-induced decreases in RIA-detectable PRL. They show that such changes cannot be attributed to assay effects alone, as significant decreases in circulating and stored PRL (both AP and tumor) were evident by BIO. Results with tissue extracts were the most dramatic. They suggest an action of CSH or a metabolic intermediate with stored PRL which reduces both extractable PRL and hormone release. Such an effect of CSH on PRL extraction has been suggested by others. Whatever the mechanism, it appears to be relatively specific, since GH cells were not affected.

Animals↗

A new miniature, open-loop, extracorporeal insulin infusion pump.

This extracorporeal insulin infuser has been designed to be compact, simple to operate, and suitable either for clinical investigations of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or for long term treatment of the condition. A syringe driver of unconventional design is used, and the syringe will be available prefilled with insulin, specially formulated at standard strength for long term infusion. The device is electronically controlled to give variable rates of basal infusion, preset by switch and supplemented by bolus infusions demanded by pushbutton prior to meals. Sufficient insulin is carried in the syringe to meet the needs of most diabetics for at least a week without refilling, and the battery life is commensurately long. Signalling of the mealtime dose regime, and of alarm and failure conditions is by audible means. Insulin will most commonly be delivered subcutaneously, though other routes are possible.

Biomedical Engineering↗

Effect of intraportal and peripheral insulin on glucose turnover and recycling in diabetic dogs.

The effects of peripheral and portal intravenous infusions of insulin on hepatic glucose production and glucose recycling have been compared in conscious diabetic dogs. Glucose turnover (Ra) was estimated using a priming dose of [3-3H]glucose and [1-14C]-glucose followed by constant intravenous infusion. Glucose recycling was calculated from 3H-Ra - 14C-Ra. In eight normal dogs, mean 3H-Ra was 3.0 mg X kg-1 X min-1 and recycling 19%. When these dogs were made diabetic with alloxan and streptozotocin the 3H-Ra rose to 6.2 mg X kg-1 X min-1 (P less than 0.001) and recycling to 24% (P less than 0.05). Insulin infusion for 2.5 h at 0.006 U X kg-1 X h-1 intraportally decreased 3H-Ra to 4.0 mg X kg-1 X min-1 (P less than 0.01 compared with untreated diabetic), whereas peripheral infusion at this rate had no significant effect. Insulin infusion at 0.05 U X kg-1 X h-1 by the peripheral and portal circulations reduced 3H-Ra to the normal range: 3.1 and 2.8 mg X kg-1 X min-1, respectively. Glucose recycling was also normalized by portal insulin infusion (20%) but was significantly decreased by peripheral infusion (11%, P less than 0.01). Thus the liver responds to lower infusion rates of insulin by the intraportal route, and only this mode of administration normalizes both hepatic glucose output and glucose recycling.

Animals↗

Metabolic responses to intraduodenal glucose loading in insulin-infused diabetic dogs.

The hormonal and metabolic responses to an intraduodenal glucose load (0.5 g/kg) were first determined in eight normal dogs before diabetes (alloxan/streptozotocin) was induced and then comparison made of the responses to the glucose load when normal plasma glucose profiles were recreated by preprogrammed infusion of insulin via the portal or peripheral circulations. Basal intraportal and peripheral insulin infusions at 0.021 +/- 0.001 and 0.022 +/- 0.000 U . kg-1 . h-1, respectively, for 16 h to fasting diabetic dogs normalized peripheral plasma levels of glucose (5.5 +/- 0.3 and 5.6 +/- 0.6 mmol/liter, respectively), immunoreactive insulin (IRI) (11.5 +/- 1.2 and 16.4 +/- 1.6 microU/ml), glucagon (65 +/- 7 and 62 +/- 5 pg/ml), lactate (0.63 +/- 0.04 and 0.54 +/- 0.03 mmol/liter), and alanine (0.236 +/- 0.037 and 0.191 +/- 0.008 mmol/liter). However, peripheral but not intraportal infusion of insulin depressed levels of glycerol, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), and 3-hydroxybutyrate (0.074 +/- 0.006 vs. 0.109 +/- 0.013, P less than 0.01; 0.67 +/- 0.04 vs. 0.84 +/- 0.09, P less than 0.05; and 0.018 +/- 0.004 vs. 0.059 +/- 0.015 mmol/liter, P less than 0.01, respectively). With the preprogrammed insulin infusions used to normalize plasma glucose profiles to the intraduodenal glucose load, all hormonal and metabolic responses were normalized during intraportal infusion (IRI, 72.5 +/- 4.2 microU/ml; glucagon, 66 +/- 10 pg/ml; lactate, 1.06 +/- 0.10 mmol/liter; alanine, 0.251 +/- 0.042 mmol/liter; glycerol, 0.043 +/- 0.013 mmol/liter; NEFA, 0.24 +/- 0.03 mmol/liter; and 3-hydroxybutyrate, 0.012 +/- 0.007 mmol/liter) but marked hyperinsulinemia (103.2 +/- 6.1 microU/ml) and depressed glycerol, NEFA, and 3-hydroxybutyrate responses at 2 h (0.056 +/- 0.005, 0.52 +/- 0.10, and 0.019 +/- 0.010 mmol/liter, respectively) resulted during peripheral infusion. Therefore, only the portal route of insulin infusion achieved complete metabolic normalization during glucose loading in diabetic dogs.

3-Hydroxybutyric Acid↗

Effects of two treatment regimes with synthetic human parathyroid hormone fragment on bone formation and the tissue balance of trabecular bone in greyhounds.

The adult greyhound was found to be similar to adult man with respect to kinetic and histomorphometric indices of calcium metabolism. The relationship between trabecular bone tissue balance and the pattern of human PTH fragment 1-34 (hPTH 1-34) administration by daily injections or continuous sc infusions was investigated in this model and the results compared to those from a clinical trial of hPTH 1-34 in involutional osteoporosis (peptide administration by single daily injections). In the dogs, the daily injection regime elevated plasma levels of immunoreactive hPTH 1-34 for no more than 4 h/day. The greyhounds so treated showed significantly increased indices of bone formation (surface osteoid, plasma alkaline phosphatase activity, and skeletal accretion rate of calcium) and resorption (number of osteoclasts, resorption surfaces). Iliac trabecular bone volume increased significantly, as it did in the patients. The infusions did not significantly increase the trabecular bone volume or the 47Ca accretion rate, two parameters which increased in parallel in dogs and patients treated successfully by daily injections. The osteoclastic surfaces, however, were clearly increased by continuous infusions, while the increases in the osteoblastic surfaces were less statistically significant. Since hPTH 1-34 may inhibit osteogenesis in Friedenstein chambers, it is possible that the increased osteoblastic activity induced by the daily injection regime in trabecular bone is dependent on the noncontinuous nature of the PTH stimulus.

Animals↗

Changes in plasma calcium and in radiocalcium kinetics after termination of 5-week infusions of synthetic parathyroid peptide in dogs.

Nine dogs were infused at constant rates with the synthetic parathyroid peptide hPTH 1-34 (initially sc) to produce consistent hypercalcaemia. Over the final week, the infusions were iv. Radioisotopic tracers were injected iv 30 days (5 dogs) and 2 days (9 dogs) before the infusions were suddenly terminated. In 5 dogs, complete urine collections were obtained via a bladder catheter over 8 h beginning 2 h before stopping the infusions. Cessation of treatment caused small rises in the urinary Ca: creatinine ratio. Plasma calcium levels fell by a mean of 0.44 mmol/l, of which total urine calcium excretion only accounted for 55%. Immediately after the PTH infusions were stopped, consistent but transient increases were seen in the ratio of 'new' 47Ca to 'old' 45Ca label, suggesting inflow of 40Ca of high 47Ca specific activity from a fairly rapidly exchangeable bone pool. These data confirm and extend previous evidence that the immediate response of the calcium equilibrium between bone and bloodstream to rapid changes in plasma PTH concentrations in the supra-physiological range is paradoxical relative to the classical later response.

Animals↗

Effects of parathyroid hormone and the synthetic 1-34 amino-terminal fragment in rats and dogs.

Since the structural requirements for all known biological activities of parathyroid hormone (PTH(1-84)) are virtually satisfied by the amino-terminal 34 amino acid fragment, PTH(1-34), we investigated whether this fragment could elaborate the overall actions of the intact hormone in the whole animal by comparing the effects of equimolar infusions of each peptide to dogs and rats. Infusion of bovine PTH(1-84) (bPTH(1-84)) at 17 pmol/kg per h for 20 h to three dogs or at 100 and 200 pmol/kg per h to groups of six rats for 5 days produced greater hypercalcaemia (3.02 +/- 0.03, 2.52 +/- 0.07 and 3.24 +/- 0.11 mmol/l respectively) than equimolar infusions of human PTH(1-34) (hPTH(1-34)) (2.61 +/- 0.03, 2.46 +/- 0.05 and 2.71 +/- 0.09 mmol/l respectively). A significant calcium rise was not observed in dogs until after 4 h of PTH infusion. No rise in plasma calcium was apparent in rats, however, until the third day of PTH infusion. Only in parathyroidectomized rats was there a rise in plasma calcium within 24 h of starting an infusion of PTH. The hypercalciuria and plasma phosphate responses in dogs during equimolar infusions of hPTH(1-34) and bPTH(1-84) were not significantly different. However, by day 5 of infusion in rats greater hypercalciuria was produced by bPTH(1-84). Although infusion of hPTH(1-34) and bPTH(1-84) caused rises in urinary cyclic AMP excretion (measured only in the dog) of immediate onset and equal magnitude, bPTH(1-84) tended to produce greater phosphaturia than hPTH(1-34) in both species. If the assumption is correct that the half-lives of hPTH(1-34) and bPTH(1-84) in the circulation are similar and provided that hPTH does not inherently have less biological activity than bPTH, then during equimolar infusions of these peptides into dogs and rats, the greater responses observed with bPTH(1-84) suggest that intact PTH may have a direct action of its own in vivo before being metabolized into smaller biologically active fragments. In additional experiments using parathyroidectomized rats, the infusion rate of bPTH(1-84) required to restore normocalcaemia was 26 pmol/kg per h. Although near-normal calcaemia and intestinal calcium absorption could still be maintained when the infusion rate was increased to 39 pmol/kg per h, hypercalciuria and phosphaturia became apparent.

Animals↗

Effect of MtTW15 mammosomatotropic tumors on pancreatic islet hormones.

The effects of hypersecretion of growth hormone and prolactin on islet endocrine cells have been studied by radioimmunoassays, immunocytochemistry, and morphometry in randomized samples of pancreata from MtTW15 mammosomatotropic tumor-bearing and control rats. The randomized sampling procedure, validated by immunoassays, allowed evaluation of both hormone content (immunoassay) and endocrine cell population (immunocytochemistry) on samples derived from the same origin. Hyperinsulinemia (2x) and non-fasting hypoglycemia in 10-wk-tumor rats were normalized 3 wk after tumor removal. Pancreatic weight was doubled, but proportional to body weight increases. Islet/pancreas ratio was constant (1.29 +/- 0.05%) and the same in tumor, tumor-removed, and control animals, but average islet dimensions were increased by 30% and average area doubled in tumor animals. Frequency analysis showed fewer small (less than 70 micrometers) and more large (greater than 140 micrometers) islets in tumor animals, but no change in average islet shape shown by average axis ratios of 1.4 in all groups. Pancreatic content of insulin and glucagon was doubled, while that of somatostatin was constant. These changes were not completely reversed in tumor-removed animals. Similarly, a significant doubling in islet-derived mass was mainly due to a doubling of the B-cell mass as the average proportion of endocrine cells per islet shifted from 66%, 26%, and 18% to 81%, 18%, and 3% for B-, A-, and D-cells of control and tumor-bearing rats, respectively. Immunocytochemically detectable insulin was found in duct cells of tumor animals, but not controls. Whether such cells represent a functional reserve remains to be determined.

Animals↗

Relative carcinogenic activity of various synthetic and natural estrogens in the Syrian hamster kidney.

Both synthetic and natural estrogens have been studied for their ability to induce renal carcinomas in castrated male hamsters after 9.0 months of treatment. Tumor foci were detected in frozen serial sections stained histochemically for estrase activity. Both diethylstilbestrol (DES) and 17 beta-estradiol had equal ability (100%) to induce renal tumors [approximately 20.5 +/- 3 (S.E.) tumor foci] in these animals. Hexestrol induced the same incidence and number of renal carcinoma foci as DES or 17 beta-estradiol. However, alpha -dienestrol and DES 3,4-oxide showed an 86 to 88% incidence of renal tumors in hamsters (approximately 10.8 +/- 3). When equilin and d-equilenin, components of therapeutic conjugated estrogens, were tested, only equilin had a 76% incidence of renal tumor foci (5.5 +/- 0.9). The ability of these stilbene and steroidal estrogens to compete for renal tumor estrogen receptor generally correlated well with their ability to cause renal tumorigenesis in the hamster with one notable exception. Although ethinyl estradiol competed as well as did DES or 17 beta-estradiol for estrogen receptor, had similar ability to induce renal progesterone receptor, and led to similar high serum prolactin levels as either DES or 17 beta-estradiol, it had only weak carcinogenic activity (21%) in the hamster kidney (0.6 +/- 0.5 foci). These data represent the first detailed analysis of the relative carcinogenic activity of different estrogens within a given tumor-inducing system, and based on the carcinogenicity data of hexestrol and alpha-dienestrol presented herein, they suggest that epoxidation of the olefinic double bond and the p-quinone metabolite of DES probably are not involved significantly in its carcinogenic activity. Moreover, the poor carcinogenic activity of ethinyl estradiol in this system, despite strong estrogenicity, suggests that estronic activity alone may not be sufficient to effect renal tumorigenesis in the hamster.

Adenocarcinoma↗

In vitro studies on an antagonist of parathyroid hormone [Nle-8, Nle-18, Tyr-34]bPTH-(3-34)amide.

1 The actions of parathyroid hormone (PTH) are antagonized in vitro by the peptide [Nle-8, Nle-18, Tyr-34]-bPTH-(3-34)amide, an analogue of PTH. In this paper, the actions of the inhibitory peptide were investigated in vivo. 2 Native parathyroid hormone (bPTH-(1-84)), administered i.v. (0.17-1.51 nmol in volume of 0.3 ml) to 7 day old chicks produced hypercalcaemia but administration of the analogue in doses up to 173 nmol was ineffective in this respect. 3 The analogue failed to antagonize the hypercalcaemia produced by bPTH-(1-34) when injected, in 10 fold molar excess, 2 min before or simultaneously with bPTH-(1-34). 4 Normocalcaemia was restored in parathyroidectomized rats by intravenous infusion of bPTH-(1-84) at 32 pmol kg-1 h-1. Addition of the analogue to the infusion fluid in a 200 fold molar excess did not affect the concentrations of calcium and phosphate in the plasma, cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) in the urine or phosphate clearance but produced a significant (P less than 0.05) rise in urinary calcium clearance. 5 The results suggest that the peptide [Nle-8, Nle-18, Tyr-34]-bPTH-(3-34)amide does not antagonize the actions of PTH in vivo and demonstrate an important dichotomy between in vitro and in vivo biological properties of the PTH analogue.

Animals↗