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J T Smith School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

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A Roseweir Academic Unit of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK
Unit of Experimental Therapeutics, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow Glasgow, UK

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M Millar Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK

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I J Clarke Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia

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R P Millar Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Department of Immunology and Physiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Institute for Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

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Kisspeptin signalling is indispensable for fertility, stimulating gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion and mediating gonadal steroid feedback on GnRH neurons. Moreover, kisspeptin neurons have been implicated in other non-reproductive neuroendocrine roles. Kisspeptin appears to also regulate growth hormone secretion but much of the data appear contradictory. We sought to clarify a potential role of kisspeptin in growth hormone (GH) regulation by examining the effect of kisspeptin antagonists on GH secretion in ewes under various physiological conditions. Our data show clear and robust increases in GH secretion following lateral ventricle or third ventricle infusion of kisspeptin antagonists p-234 and p-271 in either ovariectomized or anestrous ewes. Central infusion of kisspeptin-10 had no effect on GH secretion. To determine the level at which kisspeptin may influence GH secretion, we examined expression of the cognate kisspeptin receptor, GPR54, in pituitary cells and showed by immunocytochemistry that the majority of somatotropes express GPR54 while expression was largely negative in other pituitary cells. Overall, we have demonstrated that blocking kisspeptin signalling by antagonists stimulates GH secretion in ewes and that this is likely mediated by inhibiting endogenous kisspeptin activation of GPR54 expressed on somatotropes. The findings suggest that endogenous kisspeptin inhibits GH secretion through GPR54 expressed on somatotropes.

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J. A. King
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J. S. Davidson
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R. P. Millar
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ABSTRACT

The presence of two endogenous forms of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in the chicken hypothalamus (chicken GnRH-I ([Gln8]GnRH) and chicken GnRH-II ([His5,Trp7,Tyr8]GnRH)), and the stimulation of gonadotrophins by both forms, suggests the possible existence of GnRH receptor subtypes and gonadotroph subtypes in the chicken pituitary. This question was investigated by assessing the effects of various combinations of the two known forms of chicken hypothalamic GnRH and antagonist analogues of GnRH on LH release from dispersed chicken anterior pituitary cells in both static and perifused systems. The relative inhibition of chicken GnRH-I-stimulated and chicken GnRH-II-stimulated LH release by 12 GnRH antagonists did not differ significantly, suggesting a single GnRH receptor type. Chicken GnRH-II was approximately sixfold more potent than chicken GnRH-I in releasing LH. Release of LH in response to maximal doses of chicken GnRH-I and chicken GnRH-II and to a mixture of both was similar and the two peptides were not additive in their effects, consistent with the presence of a single type of LH gonadotroph and a GnRH receptor which binds both forms of GnRH. Each form of GnRH desensitized cells to subsequent stimulation with the other form, providing additional evidence for a single type of LH gonadotroph. These findings suggest that chicken GnRH-I and -II stimulate gonadotrophin release through a single GnRH receptor type on a single class of LH gonadotroph in the chicken pituitary.

J. Endocr. (1988) 117,43–49

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J. A. MILLAR
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M. T. HAMMAT
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C. I. JOHNSTON
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Angiotensin II exerts an inhibitory influence on active renin release from the kidney. To assess a possible role for angiotensin II in the release of inactive renin, levels in the circulation were measured before and at regular intervals after the administration of captopril, an orally active inhibitor of angiotensin I-converting enzyme, to 12 salt-replete and six salt-deplete normal subjects. Concurrent measurements of active renin, angiotensin I and angiotensin II were also performed. Basal inactive renin in the salt-deplete group was increased compared with the salt-replete subjects, but inactive renin remained constant in both groups after treatment with captopril. There were significant increases in concentrations of both active renin and angiotensin I after treatment with captopril in all subjects and corresponding decreases in angiotensin II. These results suggested that angiotensin II does not influence the release of inactive renin, in contrast with its role in the release of active renin.

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J. S. Davidson
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I. Wakefield
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J. A. King
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R. P. Millar
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ABSTRACT

Barium is known to elicit secretion in a number of cell systems. The mechanism of Ba2+ stimulation of LH release in cultured chicken pituitary cells was investigated in the present study. Barium-stimulated LH release was inhibited by extracellular Ca2+, indicating that Ba2+ does not act by stimulating Ca2+ entry. Simultaneous stimulation of the cells with Ba2+ and phorbol ester produced a synergistic response, similar to the synergism obtained with phorbol ester and treatments which increase cytosolic Ca2+. Both Ba2+-stimulated LH release and the synergism of Ba2+ with phorbol ester were inhibited by calcium channel blockers (Co2+, methoxyverapamil and nifedipine) and by calmodulin antagonists (trifluoperazine and chlorpromazine). These results indicate that the actions of Ba2+ are dependent on its entry through Ca2+ channels, and suggest that calmodulin activation is necessary for the synergism between Ba2+ and phorbol ester. Thus, synergism does not result from a direct effect of divalent cations on C-kinase.

J. Endocr. (1987) 114, 11–16

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P. V. Kaye
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P. A. van der Merwe
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R. P. Millar
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J. S. Davidson
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ABSTRACT

The mechanism of arachidonic acid (AA)-induced LH release was characterized using sheep pituitary cells in primary culture permeabilized with Staphylococcal α-toxin. In intact cells, exogenous AA evoked release of LH in a manner which was partially dependent on extracellular Ca2+. At similar concentrations, AA also caused cell permeabilization as monitored by efflux of [3H]2-deoxyglucose metabolites. In α-toxin-permeabilized cells where cytosolic Ca2+ was clamped at resting levels, AA retained its ability to cause LH release. Unlike the stimulation of exocytosis produced by Ca2+, phorbol ester or cyclic AMP, AA-evoked release was independent of ATP and was not inhibited by pretreatment with N-ethyl maleimide. These findings indicated that exogenous AA does not cause LH release by Ca2+ influx or mobilization or by activating protein kinase C. The results suggest that LH release induced by exogenous AA is probably due to its detergent-like properties, and does not represent true exocytosis.

Journal of Endocrinology (1992) 132, 77–82

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AJ Pawson
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A Katz
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YM Sun
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J Lopes
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N Illing
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RP Millar
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JS Davidson
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The chicken gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRH-R) is notable for having a cytoplasmic C-terminal tail, which is not present in the mammalian GnRH-Rs. We report here that the cytoplasmic tail mediates rapid agonist-promoted receptor internalization. The chicken GnRH-R mediated internalization of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist (125I[His5-D-Tyr6]GnRH) at a rate of 11.3%.min-1, compared with only 0.71 %.min-1 for the human GnRH-R. To determine whether the presence of the cytoplasmic tail was responsible for the more rapid internalization kinetics of the chicken GnRH-R we truncated the tail after the Ile336 residue (S337stop). Receptor-mediated internalization of GnRH agonist by the S337stop-chicken GnRH-R was much slower than in the wild-type chicken receptor, and was similar to the wild-type human GnRH-R (0.55 %.min-1). These data indicate that rapid agonist-promoted internalization of the chicken GnRH-R is mediated through elements in the cytoplasmic C-terminal tail, distal to or including Ser337 and suggests that elimination of the C-terminal tail during evolution of mammalian GnRH-Rs may be related to its effects on internalization.

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Paul Millar SAAD Centre for Pharmacy and Diabetes, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, UK

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Nupur Pathak SAAD Centre for Pharmacy and Diabetes, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, UK

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Vadivel Parthsarathy SAAD Centre for Pharmacy and Diabetes, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, UK

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Anthony J Bjourson Northern Ireland Centre for Stratified Medicine, University of Ulster, C-TRIC Building, Altnagelvin Hospital, Northern Ireland, UK

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Maurice O’Kane Northern Ireland Centre for Stratified Medicine, University of Ulster, C-TRIC Building, Altnagelvin Hospital, Northern Ireland, UK
Clinical Chemistry Laboratory, Western Health and Social Care Trust, Altnagelvin Hospital, Northern Ireland, UK

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Varun Pathak SAAD Centre for Pharmacy and Diabetes, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, UK

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R Charlotte Moffett SAAD Centre for Pharmacy and Diabetes, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, UK

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Peter R Flatt SAAD Centre for Pharmacy and Diabetes, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, UK

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Victor A Gault SAAD Centre for Pharmacy and Diabetes, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, UK

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This study assessed the metabolic and neuroprotective actions of the sodium glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor dapagliflozin in combination with the GLP-1 agonist liraglutide in dietary-induced diabetic mice. Mice administered low-dose streptozotocin (STZ) on a high-fat diet received dapagliflozin, liraglutide, dapagliflozin-plus-liraglutide (DAPA-Lira) or vehicle once-daily over 28 days. Energy intake, body weight, glucose and insulin concentrations were measured at regular intervals. Glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, hormone and biochemical analysis, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry densitometry, novel object recognition, islet and brain histology were examined. Once-daily administration of DAPA-Lira resulted in significant decreases in body weight, fat mass, glucose and insulin concentrations, despite no change in energy intake. Similar beneficial metabolic improvements were observed regarding glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, HOMA-IR, HOMA-β, HbA1c and triglycerides. Plasma glucagon, GLP-1 and IL-6 levels were increased and corticosterone concentrations decreased. DAPA-Lira treatment decreased alpha cell area and increased insulin content compared to dapagliflozin monotherapy. Recognition memory was significantly improved in all treatment groups. Brain histology demonstrated increased staining for doublecortin (number of immature neurons) in dentate gyrus and synaptophysin (synaptic density) in stratum oriens and stratum pyramidale. These data demonstrate that combination therapy of dapagliflozin and liraglutide exerts beneficial metabolic and neuroprotective effects in diet-induced diabetic mice. Our results highlight important personalised approach in utilising liraglutide in combination with dapagliflozin, instead of either agent alone, for further clinical evaluation in treatment of diabetes and associated neurodegenerative disorders.

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K. B. Smith
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M. R. Millar
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A. S. McNeilly
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P. J. Illingworth
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H. M. Fraser
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D. T. Baird
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ABSTRACT

The localization of inhibin α-subunit within the human corpus luteum was investigated. The antiserum used was raised in sheep against the first 1–23 amino acid sequence of the N-terminus of the human inhibin α-subunit. Using the avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase technique, intense immunostaining was localized within the granulosa-lutein cells of the corpus luteum, with absence of staining in the theca-lutein cells and surrounding ovarian tissue. Similar distribution of inhibin α-subunit immunostaining was observed in 12 corpora lutea obtained during the early, mid- and late-luteal phases and no changes in intensity were apparent at these different stages. Negative controls were obtained by applying antiserum which had been preabsorbed overnight with excess inhibin peptide in place of primary antiserum and also normal non-immune sheep serum as a substitute for primary antiserum. These results provide further evidence that the human corpus luteum is a significant source of immunoreactive inhibin during the normal human menstrual cycle. The specific localization within the granulosalutein cells of the corpus luteum suggests that inhibin α-subunit production may originate from a discrete cell population within the human corpus luteum.

Journal of Endocrinology (1991) 129, 155–160

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