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P Needleman

Publications and source records attributed to P Needleman.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Developmental changes in the rat atriopeptin hormonal system.

We undertook a study of fetal synthesis, storage, and release of atriopeptin (AP). Plasma levels of both atriopeptin immunoreactivity (APir) and the NH2-terminal fragment of the prohormone immunoreactivity (NTFir) were very high in the fetus (4 and 20 times the maternal plasma, respectively). However, the atrial content of the AP was low, but surprisingly, ventricular content of AP was quite high (relative to the adult) in the fetus and fell postnatally. Atrial AP messenger RNA (mRNA) increased with postnatal age, whereas ventricular mRNA was extremely high in the fetus and fell rapidly after birth. High fetal plasma peptide levels may derive from the mother since infusion of exogenous atriopeptin 24 into the mother resulted in parallel increases in fetal and maternal peptide levels. Fetal plasma APir and NTFir levels partially reflect the markedly reduced total renal metabolic capacity compared with that of the adult. Plasma levels fell progressively after birth; whereas neonatal atrial content rose substantially. Plasma AP and NTF were simultaneously elevated in both the maternal and fetal circulation after vasopressin injection of the mother. The fetus can also respond to exogenous stimuli (vasopressin or indomethacin--presumably via ductal closure) and promptly release substantial amounts of peptide into its circulation. Thus, it appears that the AP hormonal system is functional during fetal life and responds avidly to increases in intracardiac pressure as does the mature animal.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

The functional significance of the regulation of macrophage Ia expression by endogenous arachidonate metabolites in vitro.

We have examined the physiological effects of both exogenously and endogenously produced arachidonic acid metabolites on the expression of class II histocompatibility molecules in murine macrophages. This report shows that both a stable PGI2 analog and PGE2 are effective at suppressing lymphokine-stimulated Ia expression in vitro, whereas indomethacin and ibuprofen potentiate Ia expression, a stable TxA2 analog, TxB2, a thromboxane synthetase inhibitor, and LTC4 were ineffective on lymphokine-induced Ia expression in vitro, the suppression of Ia expression by PGI2 and PGE2 can be partially overcome by increasing the dose of lymphokine, a lymphokine supernatant capable of inducing Ia expression has no effect on the macrophage arachidonate enzyme activities, and the modulation of arachidonate metabolism during macrophage activation occurs differently in vitro than in vivo.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗
PubMed1986

Organization of atriopeptin-like immunoreactive neurons in the central nervous system of the rat.

The atrial natriuretic peptide, atriopeptin, is a circulating hormone that plays an important role in the regulation of fluid and electrolyte homeostasis. Several recent studies have shown that atriopeptin-like immunoreactivity is present within the central nervous system as well as peripheral tissues. In the present report, we describe in detail the organization of atriopeptin-like immunoreactive (APir) perikarya and fibers in the central nervous system of the rat. The most prominent collection of APir perikarya was found in the hypothalamus, adjacent to the anteroventral tip of the third ventricle. Additional groups of APir perikarya were observed along the wall of the third ventricle and in the paraventricular and arcuate nuclei. Separate, smaller groups with distinctive morphology were seen in the lateral hypothalamic area, in the supra-mammillary, medial, and lateral mammillary nuclei, medial habenular nucleus, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and the central nucleus of the amygdala. In the pons and brain-stem, APir neurons were observed in the pedunculopontine and laterodorsal tegmental nuclei, as well as in the ventral tegmental area, Barrington's nucleus, the parabrachial nucleus, and the nucleus of the solitary tract. The densest terminal fields of APir fibers were found in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, the median eminence, and the interpeduncular nucleus. The presence of atriopeptin immunoreactivity within the central nervous system suggests that atriopeptin may function as a central neuromediator. Potential functions of this candidate neuromediator deduced from its anatomical distribution are discussed, including the possibility that atriopeptin may function as both a central neuromediator and a systemic hormone in the regulation of the cardiovascular system.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Effect of atriopeptin III on renin release in vitro.

The ability of atriopeptin III (AP) to directly inhibit renal renin release has not been resolved. This issue was examined in a series of experiments performed in a system of rat renal cortical slices (dry weight 1.91 mg) in which the goal was to explore the effects of AP on renin release induced by cyclic AMP (cAMP)-coupled stimuli or by agents which are believed to decrease intracellular calcium (Cai). Concentration response relationships were initially established for all test agents. The cAMP stimuli utilized were isoproterenol (10(-5) M), forskolin (10(-5) M), and dibutyryl cAMP (3 X 10(-4) M); each of these agents produced a significant increase in renin release in the system (with isoproterenol a 59% increase, with forskolin 37%, and with dibutyryl cAMP 52%). The addition of AP (2.09 X 10(-8) M, a minimum inhibitory concentration derived from preliminary studies) significantly blunted these increases; in the case of the dibutyryl cAMP-stimulated renin release, the inhibition was partial as a significant 25% increase in renin occurred in the presence of AP. The addition of the calcium channel blocking agent diltiazem (10(-4) M) resulted in a significant increase in renin release (364 to 567 ng X mg-1, p less than .05) which was not blocked by the addition of AP. Similarly, TMB-8 (0.6 X 10(-4) M), another agent thought to lower Cai, also resulted in increased renin release (455 to 810 ng X mg-1), p less than .01) which was also unaffected by the addition of the AP. In summary, these results show that AP is capable of partially inhibiting renin release in vitro, particularly renin release coupled to cAMP action. In contrast, renin release induced by a decline in Cai appears to be unaffected by the addition of AP.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Identification of the cardiac and circulating form of atriopeptin in rabbit.

Analysis of peptides purified from high and low molecular weight fractions of rabbit atrial extracts indicates that the sequence of the first 30 residues of rabbit atriopeptigen exhibits 80% homology with the rat peptide, and that the low molecular weight rabbit peptide (28 residues) is identical to rat atriopeptin 28 (AP 28). The effects of infused 1-deaminoarginine8-vasopressin (dAVP) and phenylephrine, volume expansion, and water immersion on AP release into the circulation of the rabbit was studied. Neither dAVP, nor water immersion elevated right atrial pressure (RAP) or plasma AP levels in the anesthetized rabbits. Phenylephrine induced a sustained increase in systemic blood pressure and right atrial pressure which was accompanied by elevated plasma AP immunoreactivity which appeared to be identical to rat AP-28 on HPLC. There is obviously a preferential conservation of the AP sequence, since the C-terminal peptide is exactly the same in rabbit, rat and mouse and differs from human, dog, cow and pig only by the single substitution of an isoleucine for a methionine residue.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1986

Atriopeptin release in conditions of altered salt and water balance in the rat.

Manipulations of salt and water intake influenced the atriopeptin content in the atria and plasma of rats. Plasma levels of atriopeptin varied in proportion with dietary salt intake. In contrast, cardiac levels of atriopeptin varied inversely with the amount of salt in the diet. Acute stimulation of atriopeptin release can be produced by treatments which elevate atrial pressure, including atrial stretch, volume overloading, water immersion, and vasoconstrictor agents. Vasopressin-stimulated atriopeptin release preferentially depleted right atrial stores. In spite of the initial differences in cardiac stores of atriopeptin in the rats on different diets, there were no major differences in the amount of atriopeptin released in response to vasopressin stimulation. These data suggest that there is a functional excess of cardiac atriopeptin stores. We also examined the atrial and plasma atriopeptin content in the Dahl salt-sensitive and resistant rats to determine whether the development of hypertension in the Dahl sensitive rats is associated with abnormalities in basal or stimulated levels of atriopeptin. The effects of dietary salt intake on basal and stimulated atriopeptin levels in both the Dahl sensitive and resistant rats were similar to those observed in normal rats, suggesting that abnormalities in atriopeptin content do not contribute to the etiology of hypertension in the Dahl salt-sensitive rat.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Calcium-dependent oxidation of 5,8,11-icosatrienoic acid by the cyclooxygenase enzyme system.

Mead (5,8,11-icosatrienoic) acid was found to be metabolized by the cyclooxygenase enzyme system of ram seminal vesicle microsomes in a calcium-dependent manner. Although the enzyme converted Mead acid to products more slowly and less completely than the isomeric 8,11,14-icosatrienoic acid, both oxidations were inhibitable by indomethacin. Experiments using purified cyclooxygenase confirmed the participation of this enzyme system in the calcium-dependent oxidation. The products of the oxidation were separated by high performance liquid chromatography and analyzed by ultraviolet and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The spectra obtained were consistent with the products having the structures 13-hydroxy-5,8,11-icosatrienoate (the major product), 11-hydroxy-5,8,12-icosatrienoate, 9-hydroxy-5,7,11-icosatrienoate, and two isomeric 8,11-dihydroxy-5,9,12-icosatrienoates. No prostaglandin-like, cyclized products could be identified. This report is only the second to illustrate a calcium-dependent oxidation of a polyunsaturated fatty acid by a cyclooxygenase enzyme system and further extends the metabolic potential of Mead acid.

8,11,14-Eicosatrienoic Acid↗
PubMed1986

Essential fatty acid deficiency: a new look at an old problem.

Essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency is a useful tool to study the role of arachidonate and its metabolites in various physiologic and pathologic states. Recent studies have clarified the effects of EFA deficiency on membrane arachidonate and its metabolites, and have demonstrated that 20:3(n-9) (which accumulates in EFA deficiency) can be metabolized to a variety of eicosanoids. EFA deficiency has been shown to exert an anti-inflammatory effect. The mechanism of this effect may in part be mediated through a decrease in leukocyte leukotriene formation. In contrast, studies using the novel fatty acid, columbinic acid, have shown that the epidermal dysfunction seen in EFA deficiency may be a function of linoleate and its lipoxygenase metabolites rather than of arachidonate and the prostaglandins. Finally, it has recently been shown that EFA deficiency potentiates the effects of volatile anesthetics. EFA deficiency may thus provide a useful tool to investigate the molecular mechanism of these drugs.

Anesthetics↗
PubMed1986

Monocyte migration explains the changes in macrophage arachidonate metabolism during the immune response.

The profile of arachidonic acid metabolites in resident peritoneal macrophages is distinctly different from the profile of macrophages isolated after an acute bacterial infection. The latter produce decreased prostaglandins E2 and I2 and leukotriene C4 while conserving the synthesis of thromboxane A2. We show here that the initial changes in peritoneal macrophage arachidonate metabolism during the immune response appear to be the result of the large influx of blood monocytes, which have a characteristic metabolism distinct from resident macrophages. We demonstrate that the initial decrease in peritoneal macrophage arachidonate metabolism and the increase in macrophage numbers occur simultaneously after infection with Listeria monocytogenes. Also the macrophage arachidonate metabolism seen at the height of the peritoneal cellular influx is the same as that of purified blood monocytes. Both Listeria peritoneal macrophages and blood monocytes produce equal or greater quantities of thromboxane A2 relative to prostaglandins I2 and E2 or leukotriene C4 whereas resident cells produce 1/10 to 1/25 as much thromboxane A2 compared to the other products. Furthermore, the changes in peritoneal macrophage arachidonate metabolism in response to Listeria infection do not occur if the influx of blood monocytes is stopped by irradiating the mice prior to infection implying that the cellular influx is necessary to see the changes in arachidonate metabolism. Finally, activation of peritoneal macrophages, measured as an increase in Ia expression, occurs 36 hr after the influx of monocytes from the blood and the resultant shift in arachidonate metabolism during Listeria infection.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗
PubMed1986

Activation of vagal depressor reflexes by atriopeptins inhibits renal sympathetic nerve activity.

Atrial natriuretic factor decreases arterial pressure but the hypotensive response is not accompanied by the expected reflex tachycardia. The absence of reflex tachycardia might reflect a stimulating effect of atrial natriuretic factor [atriopeptins (AP)] on cardiac-sensory receptors with vagal afferents. To test the hypothesis that AP inhibit sympathetic nerve activity by activating vagal afferents we measured changes in renal sympathetic nerve activity (SNA), heart rate, and arterial pressure during injection of APII and APIII in anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats in the intact state, after sinoaortic denervation, and after sinoaortic denervation plus bilateral vagotomy. In intact, anesthetized rats APIII (50 micrograms/kg) lowered mean arterial pressure [-31 +/- 8 (SE) mmHg] without the expected reflex increase in renal SNA and heart rate. In contrast, infusion of sodium nitroprusside in a dose that produced a similar decrease in mean arterial pressure (-29 +/- 9 mmHg) evoked a significant increase in renal SNA (+38 +/- 8%) and heart rate (+17 +/- 5 beats/min). In rats with sinoaortic denervation, APIII induced a greater fall in mean arterial pressure (-44 +/- 8 mmHg). This hypotensive response was associated with a decrease in renal SNA (-26 +/- 2%) that was abolished by bilateral vagotomy. Atropine did not attenuate the decrease in renal SNA with APIII. We conclude that APII and APIII increase the activity of vagal afferents and thereby inhibit the increases in renal SNA and heart rate, which would be expected to result from the fall in arterial pressure. We speculate that this action might facilitate reflexly the renal vasodilator and natriuretic actions of APs.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Integrated cardiac and peripheral vascular response to atriopeptin 24 in conscious dogs.

Little attention has been directed toward the action of atrial peptides on integrated cardiovascular function. In conscious dogs intravenous injection of atriopeptin 24 (10 micrograms/kg) reduced mean arterial pressure (11 +/- 3.2%), mean left atrial pressure (32 +/- 8.6%), left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic pressure (24 +/- 4.3%), and increased heart rate (25 +/- 6.2%). LV dP/dt and stroke volume increased 17 +/- 4.0 and 12 +/- 3.3%, respectively. Cardiac output increased 39 +/- 6.3%. These effects were only acute, lasting less than 10 min. The tachycardia and increase in LV dP/dt were abolished by combined beta-adrenergic and muscarinic cholinergic blocking agents. During an infusion of atriopeptin 24 (10 micrograms X kg-1 X min-1) blood flow, as measured with radioactive microspheres, increased to both the left (101 +/- 35%) and right kidney (122 +/- 37%) and to the spleen (140 +/- 50%). However, blood flow to the stomach, large and small intestine, pancreas, liver, and skeletal muscle did not change, indicating the selectivity of the atriopeptin. Blood flow in the right ventricle, septum, and in all layers of the left ventricle increased slightly, resulting in no change in the endocardial-to-epicardial blood flow ratio most likely due to the changes in myocardial function, i.e., heart rate and stroke volume. Thus, in conscious dogs, atriopeptins increase myocardial performance most likely indirectly secondary to baroreflex unloading after the direct hypotensive effects of atriopeptin 24. This serves to increase cardiac output at a time when renal and splenic blood flows are increased.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Effects of atriopeptin infusion versus effects of left atrial stretch in awake dogs.

We infused synthetic atriopeptin III intravenously into 10 conscious dogs while monitoring renal function and systemic hemodynamics. The results obtained from these infusion experiments were compared with results from other experiments in which left atrial distension was performed in the same dogs. Both atriopeptin infusion and left atrial distension caused significant increases in urine flow, sodium excretion, potassium excretion, and free water reabsorption and a significant decrease in renal blood flow. On the other hand, the pattern of systemic hemodynamic responses to atriopeptin infusion were quite different from the hemodynamic responses elicited by left atrial distension. However, there was a striking concordance between the renal effects of atriopeptin and those of left atrial distension. We therefore hypothesize that the renal response to left atrial distension in the conscious dog is mediated largely by the release of natriuretic peptides from the atria.

Aldosterone↗
PubMed1986

Modulation of keratinocyte proliferation in vitro by endogenous prostaglandin synthesis.

To understand the relationship between the proliferation of epidermis and its arachidonic acid metabolism, we studied human keratinocytes grown in vitro at confluent or nonconfluent densities. Keratinocyte cultures incubated with [14C]arachidonic acid synthesized prostaglandin (PG)E2 PGD2, PGF2 alpha, and small quantities of 6-keto-F1 alpha. Nonconfluent cultures, however, synthesized fourfold more PGE2 than did confluent cultures. When proliferation was studied using [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA, it was found that this increased synthesis of PGE2 was accompanied by a fourfold increase in the rate of proliferation. When PGE2 synthesis was inhibited by indomethacin, the rate of proliferation of nonconfluent cultures was decreased 40%, while the rate of proliferation of confluent cultures was unchanged. Addition of 1 ng/ml of PGE2, but not PGF2 alpha, PGD2, or a stable analog of PGI2 to the indomethacin-treated nonconfluent cultures restored the initial rate of proliferation. These results suggest that PGE2 is a growth-promoting autocoid for epidermis. The synthesis of PGE2 by epidermis may be enhanced in wound healing and disease states where epidermal continuity is disrupted.

Arachidonic Acid↗
PubMed1986

Manipulation of rat brain fatty acid composition alters volatile anesthetic potency.

The molecular mechanism of volatile anesthetic action remains unknown. Attempts to elucidate this mechanism have been complicated by the absence of models in which changes in neuronal cellular properties can be correlated with changes in whole animal anesthetic effect. In this study we describe a model where diet-induced alterations in rat brain fatty acid composition are correlated with alterations in volatile anesthetic potency. Rats maintained on a fat-free diet showed significant depletion of arachidonic acid (20:4 omega 6; 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6 omega 3; 4,7,10,13,16,19,-docosahexaenoic acid) in brain, and a corresponding increase in Mead acid (20: 3 omega 9; 5,8,11-eicosatrienoic acid). These fat-deprived rats were significantly more sensitive to all volatile anesthetics tested than were age-controlled rats on a normal diet. Parenteral supplementation of the fat-deprived animals with linolenic acid (18: 3 omega 3, 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid) completely reconstituted the docosahexaenoic acid content of brain without affecting anesthetic sensitivity. In contrast, supplementation of the fat-deprived rats with linoleic acid (18: omega 6; 9,12-octadecadienoic acid) caused a dramatic decrease in anesthetic sensitivity, but only a small change in whole brain arachidonate content. Further analysis revealed that linoleate supplementation of fat-deprived animals resulted in a preferential normalization of the arachidonate content of brain phosphatidylinositol as compared with other brain phosphoglycerides. These results demonstrate for the first time a correlation between changes in membrane composition and anesthetic effect, and indicate that the precise fatty acid composition (perhaps in specific phospholipids) of brain is important in the mechanism of volatile anesthetic action.

Anesthetics↗