Biomedical subjects

J T Russell

Publications and source records attributed to J T Russell.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1990

Effect of tetanus toxin on oxytocin and vasopressin release from nerve endings of the neurohypophysis.

The effect of tetanus toxin on neuropeptide hormone release from isolated nerve endings of the neural lobe of rat pituitaries (neurosecretosomes) was measured in a perfusion system. Tetanus toxin inhibited depolarization-evoked release of oxytocin and vasopressin in a time- and dose-dependent manner. At 1 microgram/ml, tetanus toxin blocked stimulated release by 85%. Tetanus toxin that was preincubated with a neutralizing monoclonal antibody or heated to 100 degrees C had no effect on hormone release. The ionophores A23187 and ionomycin were potent stimulators of hormone release in control nerve endings, but were not able to overcome the effect of tetanus toxin in intoxicated nerve endings. 8-Bromo-cyclic GMP, which has been reported to reverse the action of tetanus toxin in PC12 cells, had no effect on the action of tetanus toxin in neurosecretosomes. Neurosecretosomes are the first system in which tetanus toxin has been shown to block release from peptidergic nerve terminals. They appear to be a valuable in vitro system for studying the biochemical mechanism of tetanus toxin action.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Inactivation of calcium channels in rat pituitary intermediate lobe cells.

The voltage-dependent inactivation of Ca currents was explored in dissociated intermediate lobe (IL) cells from the rat pituitary. On the basis of current-voltage relations two main inward currents could be identified in this cell, a transient current, (I-t), and a sustained current, (I-s). Inactivation was explored either by changing the holding potential and testing the change in the inward currents during a brief test pulse, or, by depolarizing the membrane and following the decay of the evoked inward current. Three current decay rates were identified, each with a characteristic dependence on membrane potential. The fastest decay rate (tau 1), was attributed to the inactivation of the I-t current and had a value of 57 ms at -40 mV, decreasing to 10 ms at -10 mV (extrapolated value of 6 ms at 0 mV). The other two decay rates, tau 2 and tau 3, decreased monotonically with depolarization of the membrane potential and reflected the inactivation of the I-s current with values of 1.8 and 20 s at 0 mV. I-s inactivation and reactivation was found to occur even in the normal resting potential range of this cell. These properties of the calcium channels can explain the voltage-dependent inactivation of secretion that has been observed previously in this and other secretory cells. In addition, they suggest that calcium currents, and hence secretion, may be modulated by external factors that cause small, but sustained, changes in the resting potential of the IL cell.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1988

Dendrotoxin and 4-aminopyridine potentiate neurohypophysial hormone secretion during low frequency electrical stimulation.

The K+ channel blockers dendrotoxin (10(-9) M) and 4-aminopyridine (10(-6) M) produce similar patterns of augmentation of electrically evoked vasopressin and oxytocin secretion from isolated rat neurointermediate lobes. Both channel blockers produced a greater than two-fold increase in vasopressin release. Oxytocin release, however, was comparably increased only when endogenous opioid inhibition was abolished by the presence of naloxone. The potentiation of hormone release was dependent on the frequency of the applied stimulus. A large effect was seen with 1000 pulses at 4 Hz but not when the same number of pulses was delivered at 12 Hz. These findings suggest that a specific type of K+-channel, sensitive to dendrotoxin and low micromolar 4-aminopyridine, may play a significant role in the frequency-dependent facilitation of secretion from neurohypophysial nerve endings.

4-Aminopyridine↗

PubMed1988

Evidence for anion channels in secretory vesicles.

Secretory vesicles from bovine neurohypophysis were reconstituted into lipid bilayers. Electrical measurements on the lipid bilayers under voltage clamp demonstrated the presence of channels that are permeable to chloride ions, are blocked by 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate, and are slightly voltage dependent. When several different membrane fractions were used for the reconstitution, the probability of finding channels correlated with the fraction of secretory vesicle membrane in the membrane fraction, indicating that the secretory vesicles are the source of the channels. The observed anion channel can provide a pathway for the anion transport that has previously been described for secretory vesicles. The secretory vesicle anion channel may play a role in calcium-induced secretion.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Dynorphin A inhibits and naloxone increases the electrically stimulated release of oxytocin but not vasopressin from the terminals of the neural lobe.

Oxytocin release from the rat neurohypophysis is under endogenous opioid inhibition. It has recently been established that dynorphin precursor-derived peptides are colocalized with vasopressin (VP) in the secretory granules in nerve terminals of the neural lobe, and that the opiate receptors in the neural lobe are restricted to the kappa-subtype. Therefore, we hypothesized that dynorphin, which is copackaged and thus coreleased with VP, is the endogenous opioid that inhibits release from neighboring oxytocin (OT) terminals. To test this hypothesis we examined the effects of dynorphin-(1-8), dynorphin-(1-17), and naloxone on the electrically stimulated release of OT and VP from isolated rat neurointermediate lobes throughout a range of stimulus frequencies. Both dynorphin-(1-8) and -(1-17) (2 microM) produced a substantial reduction in OT release during a 4-Hz stimulus, and this effect was abolished by naloxone (10 microM). Neither form of dynorphin, however, affected OT secretion at a stimulus frequency of 12 or 30 Hz at concentrations up to 10 microM. Naloxone (10 microM) by itself did not affect OT release during the 4-Hz stimulus, but it produced a substantial increase in OT release at a stimulus frequency of 12 Hz. In contrast, neither form of dynorphin produced inhibition, nor did naloxone augment VP secretion at any frequency tested. Frequency-dependent secretion curves (4, 8, 12, 20, and 30 Hz) for OT and VP in the presence and absence of naloxone indicated that the degree of naloxone augmentation of OT release at a given stimulus frequency was positively correlated with the amount of VP release at that frequency. These data support the hypothesis that dynorphin released in parallel with VP during in vitro stimulations of the rat neurohypophysis simultaneously inhibits stimulated OT release.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Characterization of kappa opioid receptors in neurosecretosomes from bovine posterior pituitary.

The binding properties of opioid receptors on isolated nerve terminals (neurosecretosomes) from bovine posterior pituitaries were characterized. Both [3H]etorphine and [3H]ethylketocyclazocine ([3H]EKC) showed high-affinity binding with complex binding isotherms, consistent with the presence of multiple classes of binding sites. [D-Ala2,D-Leu5]enkephalin showed no specific binding and failed to displace [3H]etorphine at high concentrations, indicating the absence of mu, delta, or benzomorphan (kappa 2) sites. Mathematical modelling of the data suggested the presence of three classes of binding sites. The first was of high affinity with Kd values of 0.9 and 2.0 nM for etorphine and EKC, respectively. The second class of sites appeared to bind etorphine with a KD of 150 nM, and EKC with extremely low affinity (unmeasurable binding). The third class of sites was characterized by KD values of 7 and 2 microM for etorphine and EKC, respectively. These results indicate that the nerve terminals of bovine posterior pituitary contain opioid binding sites of the kappa type. Furthermore, these binding sites appear heterogeneous, consisting of at least two and possibly more subtypes or states.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Effects of stimulus frequency and potassium channel blockade on the secretion of vasopressin and oxytocin from the neurohypophysis.

The facilitation of peptide secretion from the neurohypophysis induced by increasing stimulation frequency is accompanied by action potential (AP) prolongation. One hypothesis argues that inactivation of potassium channels in the neural lobe terminal membranes, under these conditions, is the underlying mechanism which leads to AP prolongation, and, therefore, increased calcium entry and secretion per AP. Therefore, factors which are known to cause AP prolongation, such as stimulus frequency and potassium channel blocking agents, were studied and compared with regard to their ability to augment electrically evoked release of oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (VP) from isolated rat neurointermediate lobes (NILs). OT release (to a constant applied stimulus of 600 spikes) was maximally facilitated by increasing frequency up to a rate of 30 Hz, whereas VP release in the same stimulus paradigm was maximal between 12 and 20 Hz. Tetraethylammonium (TEA), 4-aminopyridine (4AP) and barium each caused a significant augmentation of AP-dependent, electrically stimulated hormone release, without affecting basal levels. The magnitude of the effect of the K channel blocking agents was inversely related to the frequency of the applied stimulus. Application of either 4AP or TEA caused a shift in the range of frequency dependence for OT such that maximal release was seen at a stimulus frequency of 12 Hz, but there was no comparable change in the pattern of VP release. The maximal effects of TEA and 4AP were additive indicating that the NIL terminals have two types of K channels which appear to be involved in the regulation of secretion. Addition of the three agents together produced maximal release at a stimulus frequency of 4 Hz, which was not facilitated further by the increase of stimulus frequency to 20 Hz. These data demonstrate the importance of potassium channels in the regulation of VP and OT secretion, and provide indirect support for the spike prolongation hypothesis of frequency facilitated secretion in the neural lobe.

4-Aminopyridine↗

PubMed1986

Opioid receptors of bovine posterior pituitary neurosecretosomes are exclusively kappa.

Intact neurosecretosomes (NSS) from bovine posterior pituitary were prepared and characterized. Ligand binding studies were performed, using 3H-[D-Ala2-D-Leu5]enkephalin (DADL), 3H-etorphine and 3H-ethylketocyclazocine (EKC). The absence of specific binding of 3H-DADL and the inability of DADL to displace 3H-etorphine, implies the absence of mu, delta, or DADL-suppressible benzomorphan ("kappa-2") sites. Self- and cross displacement studies for etorphine and EKC suggested receptor heterogeneity. EKC fails to displace - 20% of specific binding of etorphine. Mathematical modelling indicates the presence of three classes of sites. The present findings imply that bovine posterior pituitary opioid receptors are exclusively of the kappa type.

Analgesics, Opioid↗

PubMed1985

Electron transfer across posterior pituitary neurosecretory vesicle membranes.

Secretory vesicles from the neurohypophysis have a transmembrane electron carrier very similar to that found in adrenal medullary chromaffin granules. Two different tests show that ascorbic acid contained in the vesicles will reduce an external electron acceptor. First, reduction of cytochrome c or ferricyanide in the medium by a neurosecretory vesicle suspension can be followed spectrophotometrically. Second, the membrane potential (inside positive) generated by electron transfer can be monitored using the membrane potential-sensitive optical probe Oxonol VI. As in chromaffin granules, this electron transfer is probably mediated by cytochrome b561. It may function to regenerate internal ascorbic acid and to provide reducing equivalents needed by the intravesicular amidating enzyme.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

The enzymology and intracellular organization of peptide precursor processing: the secretory vesicle hypothesis.

The 'secretory vesicle hypothesis of precursor processing' states that the initial endopeptidase cleavages which excise the nascent, biologically active peptides from their protein precursors occur primarily in secretory vesicles (or granules). Hence, all the processing steps subsequent to these cleavages must also occur within these organelles. Two types of evidence are presented in support of this view: (1) cell biological studies which implicate the secretory vesicle as the site of precursor conversion to peptides, and (2) enzymological studies which locate and characterize putative processing enzymes in secretory vesicles. The processing enzymes reviewed include the 'prohormone-converting enzymes' which cleave at pairs of basic amino acids, other endopeptidases, carboxypeptidase-B-like enzymes and aminopeptidase, and N-acetylation and alpha-amidation enzymes. The properties of these enzymes in relation to the nature of the processing micro-environment in the secretory vesicles is discussed.

Adrenal Medulla↗

PubMed1985

Neurophysin in the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system. I. Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies.

Seven mouse monoclonal antibodies (IgGs) were produced against rat neurophysins (NPs). Three were specifically directed against vasopressin-associated NP (NP-AVP), and four were specific for oxytocin-associated NP (NP-OT). These specificities were observed in liquid phase assays, immunoblot, and immunoprecipitation experiments. Homozygous Brattleboro rat tissues and extracts, which do not contain vasopressin or NP-AVP, did not react with the anti-NP-AVP antibodies but reacted with high affinity to the anti-NP-OT antibodies. In immunoprecipitation assays the antibodies brought down the appropriate NPs as well as their precursor molecules synthesized in vivo with no detectable cross-reactivity. In solid phase assays where the antigens were presented in a different manner, there was a significant cross-reactivity of the anti-NP-AVP antibodies with NP-OT. The extent of this cross-reactivity in solid phase correlated with the cross-reactivities of the antibodies observed in immunocytochemical studies. These solid phase (and immunocytochemical) data demonstrated that liquid phase specificities and absorption controls of antibodies are inadequate to assess their immunocytochemical (solid phase) specificities. Posterior pituitary extracts from the mouse and frog, as well as purified NPs from the rat, cow, and human were studied for their cross-reactivities to two of the antibodies, PS 36 and PS 45. In liquid phase assays the anti-rat NP-OT antibody, PS 36, reacted only with rat and mouse NPs and did not cross-react with NPs from any of the other species. In contrast, the anti-rat NP-AVP antibody, PS 45, was cross-reactive across species lines including an NP-like antigen extracted from frog posterior pituitaries. Immunoblot staining with these antibodies showed heterogeneity of NP-AVP and NP-OT in the rat posterior pituitary. Analysis of the epitopes for PS 36 and PS 45 indicated the antigenic determinants were located near amino acid positions 80 to 81 in NP-OT and 75 to 86 in NP-AVP, respectively.

Animals↗

PubMed1984

An aminopeptidase activity in bovine pituitary secretory vesicles that cleaves the N-terminal arginine from beta-lipotropin60-65.

Secretory vesicles isolated from the neural and intermediate lobes of the bovine pituitary contained a membrane-bound aminopeptidase activity which cleaved arginine from beta-LPH60-65 (Arg-Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Met) and Arg-MCA. Neither methionine enkephalin (Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Met) nor Substance P, which has an N-terminal arginine followed by a proline, could serve as substrates for this aminopeptidase activity; nor could cathepsin B-like or chymotrypsin-like enzyme activities be detected in the vesicle preparations. Maximal enzyme activity was at pH 6.0, and the activity was inhibited by EDTA, stimulated by Co2+ and Zn2+, but was unaffected by leupeptin, pepstatin A, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonate, suggesting that the enzyme is a metalloaminopeptidase. The presence of this aminopeptidase activity in secretory vesicles suggests that it may be involved in peptide prohormone processing.

Aminopeptidases↗

PubMed1984

Delta pH, H+ diffusion potentials, and Mg2+ ATPase in neurosecretory vesicles isolated from bovine neurohypophyses.

The proton gradient (delta pH) and electrical potential (delta psi) across the neurosecretory vesicles were measured using the optical probes 9-aminoacridine and Oxanol VI, respectively. The addition of neurosecretory vesicles to 9-aminoacridine resulted in a rapid quenching of the dye fluorescence which was reversed when the delta pH was collapsed with ammonium chloride or K+ in the presence of nigericin. From fluorescence quenching data and the intravesicular volume, delta pH across the membrane was calculated. Mg2+ ATP caused a marked carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone-sensitive change in the membrane potential measured using Oxanol VI (plus 100 mV inside positive), presumably due to H+ translocation across the neurosecretory vesicle membrane. Imposition of this membrane potential was responsible for the lysis of vesicles in the presence of permeant anions. The effectiveness of these anions to support lysis reflected the relative permeability of the anion which followed the order acetate greater than I- greater than Cl greater than F- greater than SO4- = isethionate = methyl sulfate. These data showed that the neurosecretory vesicles possess a membrane H+-translocating system and prompted the study of Mg2+-dependent ATPase activities in the vesicle fractions. In intact vesicles a Mg2+ ATPase appeared to be coupled to electrogenic proton translocation, since the enzyme activity was enhanced by uncoupling the electrical potential, using proton ionophores. Inhibition of this enzyme with dicyclohexylcarbodiimide also inhibited the carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone-sensitive delta psi across the vesicle membrane caused by H+ translocation. A second Mg2+ ATPase was also found on the vesicle membranes which is sensitive to vanadate. Complete inhibition of this enzyme with vanadate had little effect on the proton ionophore-uncoupled ATPase activity or on the Mg2+ ATP-induced membrane potential change.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

PubMed1984

Measurement of delta pH and membrane potential in secretory vesicles isolated from bovine pituitary intermediate lobe.

Pro-opiomelanocortin (ACTH/endorphin prohormone) is processed within the secretory vesicles of pituitary intermediate lobe cells to alpha-melanotropin and beta-endorphin. In order to learn more about the microenvironment in which processing occurs, a method was developed to purify large quantities of bovine intermediate lobe secretory vesicles (ILSV) using isoosmolar metrizamide-sucrose gradients. Analysis of alpha-melanotropin and marker enzymes revealed that the gradients provided a 94-fold purification of secretory vesicles with respect to lysosomes and a 15-fold purification with respect to mitochondria. Pro-opiomelanocortin-converting enzyme activity in the ILSVs was assayed and found to be maximally active around pH 5. From measuring the delta pH across the intact ILSV membrane using 9-aminoacridine fluorescence quenching, the internal pH of ILSVs was determined to be less than 5.6, consistent with the operating pH range of the converting enzyme activity. The pH gradient of the ILSVs collapsed in the presence of ammonium sulfate or by using a combination of nigericin and K+, when the external medium pH was 7. Using the voltage-sensitive dye, oxanol VI, Mg2+ ATP was shown to cause a marked change in the ILSV membrane potential with the inside being positive which was reversed by the proton ionophore carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone. Thus, the ILSVs appear to have a Mg2+ ATP-dependent electrogenic proton-translocating system.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

PubMed1984

An identical cytochrome b561 is present in bovine adrenal chromaffin vesicles and posterior pituitary neurosecretory vesicles.

An identical cytochrome b561 was found to be an integral component of both chromaffin vesicles from adrenal medulla and neurosecretory vesicles from posterior pituitary by spectrophotometric and immunological techniques. The neurosecretory vesicles had 6.8 micrograms of cytochrome/mg of membrane protein versus 69 micrograms/mg in chromaffin vesicles. This cytochrome was also immunologically detected in various regions of bovine brain and was immunologically distinct from the cytochrome found in serotonin-containing vesicles from platelets. Dopamine beta-hydroxylase involved in the biosynthesis of catecholamines was not present in neurosecretory vesicles, suggesting an alternative functional role for the cytochrome in these vesicles. Neurosecretory vesicles do contain a mixed function oxidase (peptidyl alpha-amidase) which appears to be involved in alpha-amidation of the carboxyl termini of vasopressin and oxytocin. We suggest that cytochrome b561 in the two vesicles may be functionally associated with different ascorbic acid-dependent, copper-containing mixed function oxidases: dopamine beta-hydroxylase and peptidyl alpha-amidase.

Adrenal Medulla↗

PubMed1984

Phylogenetic cross-reactivities of monoclonal antibodies produced against rat neurophysin.

Previously described mouse monoclonal antibodies against rat neurophysins [Ben-Barak, Y., et al. (1985); Whitnall, M. H., et al. (1985)] were studied here for their cross-reactivities to neurophysins (NPs) from other vertebrate species. Posterior pituitary extracts from various mammals (rat, mouse, cow, human) and lower vertebrates (frog, ratfish) were studied. The monoclonal antibodies displayed several distinct patterns of cross-reactivity to the various species, indicating that the epitopes which they recognized were different. PS 67 bound strongly to rat pituitary extract in solid-phase radioimmunoassay (RIA) but showed no cross-reactivity with extracts from any of the other species tested, including the mouse. PS 36 cross-reacted with mouse and frog extracts but showed almost no cross-reactivity with cow and none to ratfish extracts. PS 41 cross-reacted with mouse, cow, and frog extracts. PS 45 was the most cross-reactive antibody and recognized an antigen in extracts from mouse, cow, frog, and ratfish pituitaries. Electrophoresis of proteins extracted from posterior pituitaries, followed by immunoblot staining with either PS 36 or PS 45, demonstrated that the NP-like molecules within each species are heterogeneous, i.e., more than two bands stained in each species. The frog NP stained by PS 45 was about twice the molecular weight of the mammalian NPs. The possible valve of the PS 45 antibody for future molecular cloning experiments on the arginine vasotocin precursor in lower vertebrates is discussed.

Animals↗

PubMed1984

Angiotensin I-generating acid endopeptidase activity in neurosecretory vesicles isolated from bovine pituitary.

Secretory vesicles purified from the neural and intermediate lobes of the bovine pituitary contain acidic endopeptidases which are capable of converting renin tetradecapeptide (RTD) substrate to Angiotensin I (AI). Preliminary characterization of the neurosecretory vesicle (NSV) endopeptidase showed that it had a pH optimum of 4.0, and unlike renin was inactive at pHs greater than 6.0. It is inhibited by 10(-6) M pepstatin A, but not by PMSF, leupeptin, PMBS, or the specific renin inhibitor H-142. This NSV endopeptidase differed from cathepsin D in that it was unable to degrade alpha-casein, but was quite active in generating AI from RTD (Vmax = 5 moles/g protein/hour). No enzyme activity that could convert AI to Angiotensin II could be detected in the NSVs suggesting that the acidic endopeptidase is involved in processing neurosecretory vesicle proteins other than those associated with the renin angiotensin system in the brain.

Angiotensin I↗

PubMed1983

Stimulation-dependent uptake of an extracellular marker to subcellular fractions of isolated neurohypophysial tissue.

Slices of ox neurohypophyses and groups of isolated rat neurointermediate lobes were incubated in a medium containing horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and stimulated by high K+ concentrations in the medium. After washing, the tissue was homogenized and subjected to subcellular fractionation in a Percoll/sucrose gradient. HRP was exclusively taken up by particles banding at a low density of the gradient. The HRP containing particles located to this region included vacuoles of a size comparable to secretory vesicles.

Animals↗