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SUMMARY
Association of oxytocin and arginine vasopressin with protein in bovine and rabbit neurohypophysial extracts has been studied by co-precipitation of the hormones with protein on addition of NaCl, by gel filtration and by dialysis. Although precipitates formed by addition of NaCl (2·5–20 g./100 ml.) to bovine neurohypophysial extracts at pH 3·1 contain both hormones, oxytocin and arginine vasopressin were partially separated at 5·0 g. NaCl/100 ml. when the proportion of oxytocin precipitated was approximately double that of arginine vasopressin. No precipitate formed on addition of NaCl (15 g./100 ml.) to bovine neurohypophysial extract at pH 5.8.
Experiments by gel filtration and dialysis showed that the binding of oxytocin and vasopressin to protein in neurohypophysial extracts is pH dependent and is maximal in the range pH 5·2–5·8. Dilution of a solution containing neurohypophysial hormones and protein results in dissociation of the complexes and this could account for differences observed in experiments with bovine and rabbit neurohypophysial extracts. It is suggested that the mode of binding between the hormones and protein is ionic association between the cationic free terminal NH2 of the cystine residue in the hormones and free carboxyl groups in protein.
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We reported that the common octopus, Octopus vulgaris, in common with vertebrates, possesses two members of the oxytocin/vasopressin superfamily: octopressin (OP) and cephalotocin (CT). This was the first observation of its kind in invertebrates. As OP and CT have different biological activities, the presence of specific receptors has been proposed. We cloned the cDNA of an orphan receptor from Octopus brain and found it to encode a polypeptide of 397 amino acids that displays sequences characteristic of G-protein coupled receptors. The orphan receptor showed high homology to receptors of the oxytocin/vasopressin superfamily and seemed to conserve the agonist-binding pocket common to the oxytocin and vasopressin receptors. Xenopus oocytes that express the orphan receptor responded to the application of CT by an induction of membrane Cl(-) currents coupled to the inositol phosphate/Ca(2+) pathway. OP and the other members of the oxytocin/vasopressin superfamily did not activate this receptor. HPLC fractionation of the Octopus brain extract combined with an oocyte assay yielded a single substance that was identical to CT. On the basis of these results, we conclude that the cloned receptor is the CT receptor (CTR). Expression of CTR mRNA in Octopus was detected in the central and the peripheral nervous systems, the pancreas, the oviduct and the ovary. This receptor may mediate physiological functions of CT in Octopus such as neurotransmission, reproduction and metabolism.
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ABSTRACT
The present study was undertaken to determine the involvement of the two established vasopressin receptor subtypes (V1 and V2) in arginine vasopressin (AVP)-induced natriuresis and also to determine whether changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and/or the renally active hormones atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), angiotensin II (AII) and aldosterone are a prerequisite for the expression of AVP-induced natriuresis.
In Sprague–Dawley rats which were anaesthetized with Inactin (5-ethyl-5-(1′-methylpropyl)-2-thiobarbiturate) and infused with 0·077 mol NaCl/l, infusion of 63 fmol AVP/min was found to be natriuretic whereas an approximately equipotent dose of the specific V2 agonist [deamino-cis1, d-Arg8]-vasopressin (dDAVP) did not induce natriuresis. The specific V1 antagonist [β-mercapto-β,β-cyclopenta-methylene-propionyl1, O-Me-Tyr2, Arg8]-vasopressin when administered prior to infusion of 63 fmol AVP/min did not inhibit AVP-induced natriuresis. AVP-induced natriuresis was not accompanied by changes in MAP or in the plasma concentrations of the renally active hormones ANP, AII or aldosterone.
These results suggest that neither the V1 nor the V2 receptor subtypes are involved in AVP-induced natriuresis. In addition, it was found that changes in MAP, plasma ANP, All or aldosterone concentrations were not a prerequisite for AVP-induced natriuresis.
Journal of Endocrinology (1993) 136, 283–288
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ABSTRACT
Plasma vasopressin concentrations have previously been shown to vary during the oestrous cycle of the rat, being highest on the morning of pro-oestrus and lowest on dioestrus day 1. To determine the effect of gonadal steroids on vasopressin secretion and fluid balance, mature rats were ovariectomized and given oestrogen, progesterone or vehicle alone s.c. for periods of up to 16 days. Plasma vasopressin concentrations fell after ovariectomy and this was reflected in an increase in 24-h urine volume. The normal increase in plasma vasopressin concentrations seen over daylight hours was also suppressed. The change in vasopressin concentrations observed on steroid treatment depended upon both the dose and the duration. High doses of oestrogen were associated with a fall in plasma vasopressin, probably as a result of fluid retention. Thus, of an initial group of rats given silicone elastomer implants containing 50, 500 or 1000 μg oestradiol in oil, plasma vasopressin concentrations were reduced after 7 days treatment with 1000 μg oestradiol implants in association with reduced plasma sodium concentrations. Daily s.c. injections of 100 μg oestradiol benzoate/100 g body weight produced an immediate small increase in plasma vasopressin concentrations, but by 14 days the plasma concentrations of 0·7 ± 0·16 pmol/l (mean ± s.e.m.) had fallen significantly and were less than those in the vehicle-treated group (1·2± 0·26 pmol/l). However, after treatment for 14 days with implants containing only 50 μg oestradiol, plasma vasopressin concentations were higher compared with the group receiving vehicle alone, despite the fact that the plasma osmolality was lower in the latter group, suggesting a long term resetting of the osmoreceptors. Progesterone treatment with two implants containing 17·5 mg progesterone in oil was associated with an initial suppression of plasma vasopressin concentrations, but 16 days after the implant the plasma concentrations were higher than in the control group. Neither oestrogen nor progesterone restored the vasopressin concentrations to those seen in the intact animal. Oestrogen treatment resulted in a reduction in food and water intake, whereas progesterone treatment produced an initial increase in food and water intake, and a fall in plasma osmolality which could account for the reduced plasma vasopressin. This was followed by an increase in urine flow over days 6 to 15. Thus ovariectomy had a marked effect on circulating vasopressin concentrations, probably as a result of complex changes since administration of either oestrogen or progesterone in doses giving normal circulating concentrations had little effect.
Journal of Endocrinology (1990) 124, 277–284
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ABSTRACT
The effects of selective agonists and antagonists of type 1 (V1) and type 2 (V2) vasopressin receptors on the secretion of ACTH in vitro by segments of adenohypophysial tissue and in vivo in rats pretreated with pentobarbitone and chlorpromazine were studied in the presence and absence of the 41 amino acid-containing peptide, corticotrophin-releasing factor-41 (CRF-41). The non-selective vasopressin receptor agonist, arginine vasopressin (AVP) and the V1-receptor agonist, felypressin caused dose-related increases in ACTH release in vivo and in vitro but the V2-receptor agonist, desmopressin was only weakly active in this respect. Their actions in vitro were antagonized competitively by the V1-receptor antagonist, d(C2H5)2-AVP, but were unaffected by the V2-receptor antagonist, d(CH2)5-d-Iso2-Thr4-AVP. Arginine vasopressin, felypressin and desmopressins in concentrations considerably lower than those necessary to elicit directly the release of ACTH, potentiated, in a dose-related manner, the activity of CRF-41 in vitro. The potentiating effects were not antagonized by the V2-receptor antagonist or by low concentrations of the V1 -receptor antagonist. At a higher concentration, the V1-receptor antagonist reduced, but did not abolish, the potentiating effects of AVP and its analogues. However, at this concentration, it also exhibited weak intrinsic activity and, like the agonists, potentiated the response to CRF-41. The results suggest that the direct effect of AVP on ACTH release is mediated by V1-like receptors. The vasopressin receptors involved in the potentiation of CRF-41 activity appear to be different.
J. Endocr. (1987) 113, 389–396
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ABSTRACT
The release of endogenous oxytocin and vasopressin by rat paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei in vitro during a 10-min period, 30 min after beginning the incubation, was measured radioimmunologically. Mean basal hormone release per 10 min and per pair of nuclei was: 128·4 ± 12·4 (s.e.m.) pg vasopressin (n = 15) and 39·0 ± 3·0 pg oxytocin (n = 66) for supraoptic nuclei from male rats; 273·9 ± 42·6 pg vasopressin (n = 11) and 34·2 ± 3·5 pg oxytocin (n = 15) for supraoptic nuclei from lactating rats; 70·0 ± 8·6 pg vasopressin (n = 52) and 21·8 ± 1·3 pg oxytocin (n = 68) for paraventricular nuclei from male rats; 59·1 ± 8·6 pg vasopressin (n = 10) and 27·0 ± 4·6 pg oxytocin (n = 16) for paraventricular nuclei from lactating rats.
In male and lactating rats, both nuclei contained and released more vasopressin than oxytocin. For oxytocin alone, the paraventricular nucleus of male rats contained and released significantly less hormone than the supraoptic nucleus. This difference was not apparent in lactating rats. For vasopressin alone, the paraventricular nucleus contained and released significantly less hormone than the supraoptic nucleus in both male and lactating rats. When the hormone released was calculated as a percentage of the total tissue content the release was about 0·9% for oxytocin from both nuclei in male and lactating rats and also for vasopressin in lactating rats, but was only about 0·5% for vasopressin from both nuclei in male rats.
The influence of oxytocin and analogues of oxytocin (including one antagonist) upon the release of oxytocin and vasopressin was studied. Adding oxytocin to the incubation medium (0·4–4 nmol/l solution) induced a dose-dependent rise in oxytocin release from both nuclei of male or lactating rats. A 4 nmol/l solution of isotocin had a similar effect to a 0·4 nmol/l solution of oxytocin, but arginine-vasopressin never affected basal release of oxytocin. In no case was vasopressin release modified.
An oxytocin antagonist (1 μmol/l solution) significantly reduced basal oxytocin release and blocked the stimulatory effect normally induced by exogenous oxytocin, as did gallopamil hydrochloride (D600, 10 μmol/l solution), a Ca2+ channel blocker, or incubation in a Ca2+-free medium.
These findings are discussed in relation to the literature on the central effects of neurohypophysial peptides. It may be concluded that the regulatory role of endogenous oxytocin in the hypothalamus on the milk-ejection reflex could result from its local release in the extracellular spaces of magnocellular nuclei.
J. Endocr. (1984) 102, 63–72
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A.R.C. Institute of Animal Physiology, Babraham, Cambridge, CB2 4AT
(Received 19 January 1978)
Vasopressin is present in nerve terminals of the median eminence (e.g. Silverman & Zimmerman, 1975) and the hormone may possess corticotrophin releasing activity (Pearlmutter, Rapino & Saffran, 1974, 1975). Thus, in experiments designed to investigate the release of peptides from nerve terminals of the median eminence by application of electric stimuli to synaptosomes prepared from mediobasal hypothalamic tissue, we also hoped to establish that vasopressin was secreted from these nerve-endings.
Synaptosomes were prepared from tissue obtained from groups of 40 female rats (Gray & Whittaker, 1962) and incubated for 40 min in aerated Locke solution containing 2 mm-bacitracin to minimize peptidase activity. The incubation chamber consisted of an oxygen electrode (Rank Bros, Bottisham, Cambridge) modified to enclose the incubation medium between two silver electrodes. Pulsed stimuli were delivered between these electrodes (5–50 Hz; 1 ms duration; monopolar;
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SUMMARY
Arginine-vasopressin (AVP) and deamino-arginine-vasopressin (dAVP) were infused into rats. When the concentrations of the two peptides were steady, the rate of clearance of AVP from the plasma was six times the rate of clearance of dAVP. Only 6% of the infused AVP was excreted unchanged in the urine, whereas approximately 100% of the dAVP was excreted. When the infusions were stopped, AVP disappeared from the plasma much more rapidly than dAVP. The plasma concentrations of the two peptides did not decay as simple exponential functions, suggesting that both AVP and dAVP entered a slowly exchanging compartment or compartments during prolonged infusion. These differences in the metabolic clearance of AVP and dAVP may well explain the prolonged antidiuretic effect of dAVP in rats.
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SUMMARY
Two days after a severe haemorrhage plasma calcium concentrations and bone marrow mitotic activity in rats were significantly increased and so remained for a further 5–6 days until the haematocrit had returned to normal. The first 48 h after bleeding were characterized by hypocalcaemia. During this phase two significant peaks in mitotic activity were observed at 4 and 18 h after haemorrhage. The mitotic surge 4 h after bleeding was still present in adrenalectomized and parathyroidectomized animals but in rats which were either hypophysectomized or had congenital diabetes insipidus this mitotic response was absent. Vasopressin was shown to stimulate bone marrow mitotic activity both in vivo and in vitro whereas angiotensin, aldosterone and erythropoietin had no rapid, direct mitogenic action on these cells. This novel hypophysial–bone marrow system suggests that vasopressin may assist in post-haemorrhagic recovery in blood cell numbers in the circulation.
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Analogues of oxytocin and vasopressin modified through O-alkylation (methyl, ethyl and butyl) at position 2 of the peptide chain were synthesized and tested for effects on the rat uterus in vivo and on isolated rat and human myometrial preparations. None of the analogues showed any appreciable oxytocic activity. When tested together with oxytocin or vasopressin the analogues inhibited the uterine response to the hormones in a dose-dependent and reversible way. Ethyl-analogues were more powerful antagonists than methyl-analogues but further prolongation of the alkyl-chain (butyl) diminished the antagonistic properties of the compounds. The effect on antagonistic potency of deamination at position 1 of the analogues varied among the analogues and depended on the test system used. The possible clinical value of the antagonists is discussed.
