bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The influence of vanadate on insulin counter-regulatory hormones in obese fa/fa rats
Authors: Brichard S. M. , Ongemba L. N. , Kolanowski J. , Henquin J. C. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
Vanadate has been shown to improve glucose homoeostasis in mildly glucose-intolerant and severely insulin-resistant fa/fa rats. The present study examined whether changes in insulin counter-regulatory hormones contribute to this beneficial effect of vanadate. Since oral administration of Na3VO4 caused a decrease in food intake and stopped the increase in body weight, vanadate-treated fa/fa rats were compared with both controls with food available ad libitum and pair-fed rats. Slightly lower plasma glucose levels were maintained in conjunction with markedly lower plasma insulin levels in vanadatetreated rats, and this effect was not simply due to the smaller body weight of the animals. Compared with control rats, treatment with vanadate affected neither basal plasma glucagon levels nor the increase in glucagon levels observed after insulin-induced hypoglycaemia or after i.v. injection of arginine. Compared with pair-fed rats, treatment with vanadate prevented the fall in basal plasma glucagon and its exaggerated rise in response to insulin that mere food restriction produced. Plasma corticosterone levels were high in fa/fa rats. Vanadate and pair-feeding similarly decreased basal plasma levels of corticosterone as well as nocturnal corticosteronuria. Thus the attenuation of the hypercorticism of fa/fa rats results from the reduction in body weight gain rather than from a specific action of vanadate. Vanadate did not influence urinary excretion of noradrenaline, an index of neural sympathetic activity, but prevented the increase in adrenaline excretion, an index of adrenal medulla activity, that was produced by food restriction in pair-fed rats. In conclusion, vanadate administration has no or little specific effects on three major insulin counter-regulatory hormones. This reinforces the suggestion that the beneficial effects of vanadate on glucose homoeostasis in fa/fa rats are mainly due to a correction of insulin resistance in peripheral tissues.
Journal of Endocrinology (1991) 131, 185–191
Age-related changes of growth hormone secretory mechanisms in the rat pituitary gland
Authors: Parenti M. , Cocchi D. , Ceresoli G. , Marcozzi C. , Müller E. E. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
The mechanisms underlying the age-related decrease and increase in somatotroph responsiveness to growth hormone-releasing factor (GHRF) and somatostatin respectively were studied in rat pituitary membranes in vitro.
Basal adenylate cyclase (AC) activity was similar in pituitary membranes from rats of 8 days (either sex) and male rats of 3 months, but it was almost threefold higher in membranes from male rats of 21–23 months. GHRF induced a lower percentage stimulation of AC activity in membranes from infant and old than adult rats. Somatostatin inhibited stimulation of AC induced by forskolin more effectively in membranes from adult than infant and old rats. In parallel experiments, since the tissue we used is formed by a mixed population of pituitary cells, we evaluated, for comparison, the effect on AC of neurohormones, i.e. vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and dopamine which act primarily on lactotrophs. VIP induced a lower fold-stimulation of AC activity in membranes from infant and old than adult rats. Dopamine inhibited forskolin-induced stimulation of AC in the following rank order of magnitude: old, adult and infant rats, and was also more effective in inhibiting basal AC activity in old than in adult rats. The stimulatory and inhibitory G proteins (Gs and Gi) coupled to AC were measured indirectly by evaluating stimulatory and inhibitory effects of different concentrations of GTP on AC. GTP, at stimulatory concentrations, increased AC activity in membranes from infant and adult rats similarly whereas its effect was significantly greater in membranes from old rats. Conversely, GTP, at inhibitory concentrations, decreased AC activity similarly in membranes from adult and infant rats, whereas in old rats inhibition was apparent at more than a tenfold lower concentration of GTP.
These data suggest (1) that the greater somatotroph sensitivity to GHRF in terms of GH secretion of the early postnatal period is not due to supersensitive GHRF receptors but rather may be accounted for, at least partially, by the low function of somatostatinergic receptors; (2) that the inability of GHRF to stimulate GH release in aged rats probably results from an uncoupling between the GHRF receptor and the G protein; and (3) that in aged rats the decreased ability of somatostatin to inhibit AC activity, in spite of the high Gi activity, results from a reduced number of somatotroph cells and, hence, receptors.
Journal of Endocrinology (1991) 131, 251–257
Effects of β-endorphin and naloxone on corticosterone and cortisol release in the newt (Triturus carnifex): studies in vivo and in vitro
Authors: Zerani M. , Gobbetti A. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
The effects of β-endorphin and its receptor antagonist, naloxone, on corticosterone and cortisol production in male and female Triturus carnifex were studied in vivo and in vitro. In the in-vivo experiment, the animals were injected s.c. with β-endorphin and/or naloxone, and killed after 15, 30, 90 and 360 min. In the in-vitro experiment, interrenal tissues, with and without added pituitary, were incubated with β-endorphin and/or naloxone for 15, 30, 60 and 120 min. The data obtained in vivo and in vitro from males and females were in agreement. Treatment with β-endorphin caused a significant decrease in corticoster-one and cortisol release, while naloxone induced an increase in the two corticosteroids at the same times as the decrease caused by β-endorphin. The combined β-endorphin plus naloxone treatment did not change corticosterone and cortisol levels. These results suggest that, in Triturus carnifex, opioids are involved in the regulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-interrenal axis. In particular, the in-vitro results indicate a direct effect of opioids on interrenal steroidogenesis.
Journal of Endocrinology (1991) 131, 295–302
Identification by flow cytometry of the prostaglandin-producing cell populations of term human decidua
Authors: Norwitz E. R. , Starkey P. M. , Bernal A. López , Turnbull A. C. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
Human term decidua produces prostaglandins (PGs) which have been implicated in the initiation of human parturition. Using flow cytometry to isolate pure cell populations, we have investigated the cell types responsible for decidual PG production. Cell dispersions were prepared enzymatically from decidua vera isolated from term placentae, and were incubated in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium containing 0·25% bovine serum albumin at 37 °C. PGF2α and PGE2 output were measured by radioimmunoassay of the conditioned medium. Production of PGF2α (fmol/106 cells per 3 h) exceeded that of PGE2 at 273 (108–322) 322) versus 97 (38–127) respectively (median (range)). The decidual cell dispersions were then incubated with monoclonal antibodies (anti-CD45 which labels the leukocyte common antigen or anti-human leukocyte antigen class II (HLA-DR) which is specific for macrophages in this tissue) and sorted by flow cytometry. The resultant antibody-positive and -negative cell populations were incubated and PG production was measured. Controls showed that antibody labelling and sorting did not alter PG production. PGF2α and PGE2 output by bone marrow-derived (CD45-positive) cell populations exceeded that of non-bone marrow-derived (CD45-negative) cells. Furthermore, we were able to demonstrate that the HLA-DR-positive macrophage population had the highest PGF2α and PGE2 production rates in human term decidua in vitro.
Journal of Endocrinology (1991) 131, 327–334
Prostaglandin E2 enhances AVP-stimulated but not CRF-stimulated ACTH secretion from cultured fetal sheep pituitary cells
Authors: Brooks A. N. , Gibson F. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
This study examined the ability of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) to regulate ACTH secretion from cultured anterior pituitary cells of fetal sheep between days 130 and 140 of gestation (term = 145 days). Corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) induced dose-dependent (0·1–1000 nmol/l) increases in ACTH secretion from fetal sheep pituitary cells maintained in culture for 6 days, with AVP being significantly (P<0·01) more potent than CRF. PGE2 (1000 nmol/l) significantly (P<0·05) enhanced the ability of AVP, but not CRF, to stimulate ACTH secretion. However, PGE2 given alone (0·1–1000 nmol/l) had no effect on ACTH secretion. Concomitant administration of CRF and AVP induced a greater release of ACTH than after treatment with either peptide alone, a synergistic interaction which was unaffected by simultaneous administration of PGE2.
These results provide evidence for a direct action of PGE2 on ACTH secretion from the fetal sheep pituitary gland via a specific interaction with AVP. This interaction may allow increased fetal plasma concentrations of PGE2, seen during late gestation, to stimulate fetal pituitary–adrenal maturation.
Journal of Endocrinology (1992) 132, 33–38
Effects of cytokines on rat insulinoma INS-1 cells
Authors: Janjic D. , Asfari M. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
To investigate further the role of cytokines in the pathogenesis of type I insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, the effects of interleukin-1β (IL-1), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF) and γ-interferon (IFN) were tested on rat insulinoma INS-1 cells. Whereas TNF and IFN had, respectively, a minor or no effect on insulin production, IL-1 caused a time- and dose-dependent decrease in insulin release and lowered the insulin content as well as the preproinsulin mRNA content of INS-1 cells. Both IL-1 and TNF exerted a cytostatic effect, estimated by a decrease in [3H]thymidine incorporation, while only IL-1 decreased cell viability as measured by the colorimetric 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test.
The glutathione content of INS-1 cells was shown to be modulated by the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol in the culture medium, but was not affected by IL-1 or TNF.
In conclusion, INS-1 cell culture is considered to be a useful model for studying the effect of cytokines on insulin-producing cells. The differentiated features of these cells will permit several questions to be addressed regarding the mechanism of action of IL-1 and eventually other cytokines, both at the level of gene expression and of intracellular signalling.
Journal of Endocrinology (1992) 132, 67–76
The thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH)-like peptides in rat prostate are not formed by expression of the TRH gene but are suppressed by thyroid hormone
Authors: Bilek R. , Gkonos P. J. , Tavianini M. A. , Smyth D. G. , Roos B. A. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
Thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH)-immunoreactive peptides were extracted from rat prostate and divided into two groups by mini-column cation exchange chromatography. The amounts of the peptides in each group were determined by radioimmunoassay with a TRH antiserum. The unretained peptides which lacked a basic group and the retained peptides which possessed a basic group were further purified by high-performance liquid chromatography. The unretained fraction was found to contain a series of TRH-immunoreactive peptides, one of which corresponded chromatographically to synthetic pGlu-Glu-Pro amide and another to pGlu-Phe-Pro amide. None of the TRH-immunoreactive peptides in either fraction exhibited the chromatographic behaviour of TRH. Additional evidence for the absence of TRH gene expression in the prostate was obtained by Northern blot analysis and by application of polymerase chain reaction amplification, which failed to reveal TRH mRNA. Furthermore the preproTRH-derived peptide, preproTRH(53–74), could not be detected by radioimmunoassay.
The influence of thyroid status was investigated on the levels of the TRH-like peptides in the prostate. Adult rats were treated chronically with thyroxine (T4) or propylthiouracil (PTU) and the concentrations of the TRH-immunoreactive peptides were determined by chromatography and radioimmunoassay. Treatment with T4 caused the levels of the neutral and acidic TRH-like peptides to fall to approximately one-third of the levels in the controls. No significant difference from the controls was seen in the concentrations of the peptides in the prostates of rats rendered hypothyroid by administration of PTU.
The results demonstrate that rat prostate contains TRH-immunoreactive peptides which are not derived from the TRH gene. It is concluded that the TRH-like peptides arise from one or more genes which are structurally distinct from that which codes for the TRH preprohormone. Since these peptides are amidated and their levels are sensitive to hormone administration, it is likely that they fulfil a biological function.
Journal of Endocrinology (1992) 132, 177–184
Effect of growth hormone treatment on the distribution of insulin-like growth factor-I between plasma and lymph of lactating sheep
Authors: Davis S. R. , Hodgkinson S. C. , Prosser C. G. , Gluckman P. D. , Buonomo F. C. , Collier R. J. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
Plasma and mammary efferent lymph concentrations of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) were determined in lactating ewes before and after treatment with GH (10 mg/day) for 3 days. The lymph:plasma ratio of IGF-I increased from 0·34 to 0·47 after GH treatment when the IGF-I content of plasma increased by 19·4 nmol/l (from 32·1 nmol/l) and lymph by 13·7 nmol/l (from 10·7 nmol/l). This increase in the relative content of IGF-I in lymph was associated with increased lymph content of IGF-I in a lower molecular mass pool (nominally 50 kDa) derived by size exclusion chromatography.
GH treatment increased the total binding capacity for IGF-I in both high (150 kDa) and low (50 kDa) molecular mass pools of plasma and the 150 kDa pool in lymph but there was a proportionally greater increase in 50 kDa total binding in lymph relative to plasma. Further, GH treatment increased the 'saturation' of the 50 kDa binding proteins but decreased the 'saturation' of the 150 kDa fraction, in both plasma and lymph.
Ligand blot analysis of IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) in plasma and lymph showed that GH treatment of lactating sheep increased IGFBP-3 and decreased IGFBP-2 in plasma and lymph. Radioimmunoassay of IGFBP-2 showed that while GH treatment reduced the plasma content of IGFBP-2 by about half, the lymph:plasma ratio was increased from 0·68 to 0·87.
GH treatment of lactating ewes not only increased the IGF-I content of plasma but increased the apparent efficiency of transfer of IGF-I across capillary endothelium to mammary efferent lymph.
Journal of Endocrinology (1992) 132, 339–344
Regional and cellular distribution within the rat prostate of two mRNA species undergoing opposite regulation by androgens
Authors: Bettuzzi S. , Zoli M. , Ferraguti F. , Ingletti M. C. , Agnati L. F. , Corti A. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
We have investigated, by in-situ hybridization histochemistry, the distribution within the rat ventral prostate of the mRNAs for sulphated glycoprotein-2 (SGP-2) and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC; EC 4.1.1.17), two proteins that appear to be inversely regulated by androgens in this organ, in that the level of SGP-2 mRNA is lowered, while the activity of ODC is enhanced by the latter hormones. Low-magnification autoradiograms of whole ventral prostate sections showed that, in intact animals, the SGP-2 transcript was only detectable in restricted areas and not diffused evenly throughout the section. Reciprocally, the ODC transcript was not detectable in areas where the SGP-2 transcript was detected, but appeared distributed uniformly in the remaining parts of the section. The effect of castration on the levels of the two mRNAs was evaluated by a semiquantitative analysis of autoradiograms from whole ventral prostate sections using an autoimmune image analyser. Four days after castration, SGP-2 mRNA increased by about 11-fold, while ODC mRNA decreased by fivefold. The distribution of the two mRNAs among the different cell types, studied by treating the slides with photographic emulsion and counterstaining, showed that both were expressed exclusively in the epithelial luminal cells of the ducts. Furthermore, each of the two mRNAs preferentially accumulated in a cell population which was morphologically distinct while accumulation of the other was negligible. SGP-2 mRNA was mostly found in cuboidal epithelial cells and ODC mRNA in columnar epithelial cells. Castration caused a dramatic accumulation of SGP-2 and a decrease in ODC mRNAs in the cells of the columnar epithelium 4 days later. These data suggest that, in the ventral prostate of intact animals, SGP-2 is expressed in the proximal ducts whose luminal epithelium consists of cuboidal cells undergoing apoptotic phenomena and not in the intermediate and distal ducts characterized by columnar epithelia with active protein synthesis and cell multiplication. In the intermediate and distal parts of the ductal system the ODC gene would be expressed at a high rate while being turned off in the proximal ducts. Castration, resulting in apoptosis of the epithelial cells of the intermediate and distal ducts, caused SGP-2 to be actively expressed and ODC to be repressed in the latter segments.
Journal of Endocrinology (1992) 132, 361–367
Epidermal growth factor alters milk composition and fluid balance of lactating ewes
Authors: Gow C. B. , Moore G. P. M. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
Lactating ewes were treated with murine epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its effects on concomitant milk production and composition were observed. Six ewes were infused via the jugular vein with 200 ml saline/day over 4 days (days 9–12 of lactation) followed by EGF at a dose rate of 0·5 mg/day in 200 ml saline over 4 days (days 13–16). All ewes then received a further infusion of 200 ml saline/day over 4 days (days 17–20). During the experiment a maintenance (lactation) diet was offered and ewes were machine-milked twice daily.
An EGF-immunoreactive material was detected in mammary secretions and urine throughout the experiment, but only in plasma (1–9 μg/l) during the period of EGF infusion. The amount of EGF appearing in milk and urine increased from 37 μg and 10 μg respectively (day 1 of EGF infusion) to 56 μg and 17 μg respectively (day 4). EGF treatment resulted in lower milk yield and reduced concentration of lactose and protein; milk fat concentration fell after EGF infusion had ceased. Water intake increased markedly during EGF infusion and was 60% (4 kg) greater on day 4 than that measured during the first saline infusion. Urine volume also increased and was 164% (3·6 kg) greater by day 4 of EGF infusion compared with that recorded in the first saline infusion. Water retention (intake minus output in milk, urine and faeces) was significantly higher on the day after EGF infusion ceased than that found during the first saline infusion. The possibilities that the increased water intake was primary, or secondary, to a diuretic effect of EGF are discussed.
Journal of Endocrinology (1992) 132, 377–385
Puberty in birds: the reproductive system of starlings does not respond to short days until birds are fully grown
Authors: McNaughton F. J. , Dawson A. , Goldsmith A. R. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
If adult starlings are kept on long days, they rapidly become refractory to long days (photorefractory). The recovery of the ability to respond to long days (photosensitivity) occurs after transfer to short days. Photosensitivity is associated with an increase in hypothalamic content of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), and, in castrated birds, with an increase in plasma LH. If photorefractory adult or juvenile starlings are transferred to short days, these events begin 3 and 4 weeks respectively after transfer. Starlings apparently hatch in a photorefractory state. However, if nestlings are hand-reared under short days, the increases in GnRH and LH begin at 6 and 7 weeks of age respectively. Is this 3-week delay, which corresponds to the time to reach adult body size, simply due to a slower response, or are nestlings incapable of responding to short days until fully grown? Castrated male nestling starlings were hand-reared under short days, under long days or under long days initially and transferred to short days at 2, 3, 6 or 9·5 weeks of age. The increase in plasma LH in birds transferred to short days at or before 3 weeks began at the same time as in birds kept on short days (7 weeks). In birds transferred at 3 weeks or later, the increase in LH began 4 weeks after transfer, irrespective of age. Intact female starlings showed similar responses. Birds kept on short days did not moult whereas birds transferred from long days to short days at 3 weeks did. These results suggest that nestlings are capable of perceiving daylength, but that the GnRH neurosecretory system does not respond to short days until birds are fully grown.
Journal of Endocrinology (1992) 132, 411–417
Possible involvement of glucocorticoids in the reduction of serum insulin levels by interleukin-1 in the rat
Authors: Shimizu H. , Uehara Y. , Tanaka Y. , Shimomura Y. , Kobayashi I. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
Evidence is accumulating that adrenal steroids may be involved in the metabolic effects of cytokines. We evaluated the possible involvement of glucocorticoids in the inhibition of pancreatic insulin secretion by interleukin-1β (IL-1β), one of the cytokines produced by inflammatory cells. In the first group of experiments, adrenalectomized rats showed a significant reduction in basal and glucose (0·5 g/kg, i.v.)-stimulated immunoreactive insulin (IRI) levels after injection of IL-1β (1·0 μg/kg), but intact rats did not. Pretreatment with IL-1β increased plasma glucose levels 2 and 15 min after an i.v. bolus of glucose in adrenalectomized rats. In the second group of experiments, dexamethasone supplement (0·1 mg/kg) given to adrenalectomized rats cancelled the reduction in plasma glucose levels by IL-1β, and rats treated with 1·0 mg dexamethasone/kg showed a significant increase in basal IRI levels and enhanced serum IRI levels after IL-1β injection. However, 1·0 mg deoxycorticosterone/kg given daily for 7 days failed to cancel the effect of IL-1β on the reduction of serum IRI levels, although it attenuated the weight loss after adrenalectomy. The data suggested that withdrawal of glucocorticoids after adrenalectomy potentiates the effect of IL-1β on the reduction of serum IRI levels. Glucocorticoids may have a protective action against the reduction of serum IRI levels by IL-1β.
Journal of Endocrinology (1992) 132, 419–423