IN VITRO STUDIES OF THE RELEASE MECHANISM FOR VASOPRESSIN IN RATS

1966 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 644-654 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. A. Thorn

ABSTRACT A study was made of the release of vasopressin activity from groups of isolated posterior pituitary hemilobes of rats, incubated in media with different ionic compositions and with different drugs added to the medium. Nicotine, amyl nitrite and ATP, which have been reported to cause a large in vivo release of hormone had no significant releasing effect in vitro. Caffeine too did not cause any release of hormone activity. About 5% of the vasopressin activity extractable from the isolated posterior pituitary hemilobes was released during stimulation with a high concentration of potassium in the medium. No more than this percentage could be mobilized during such a stimulation, even after further subdivision of the posterior pituitary glands, prolongation of the stimulation period or after increasing the calcium concentration in the medium five-fold. No release into the medium of vasopressin binding protein could be demonstrated during stimulation of vasopressin release. The results seem to be in agreement with the hypothesis that the release of vasopressin is intimately associated with arrival of impulses to the nerve endings in the posterior pituitary gland and that it takes place from a small pool of readily available hormone, presumably by dissociation of the hormone from the carrier protein.

1968 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 335-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank S. LaBella

Investigations in the author's laboratory which bear upon several fundamental aspects of the mammalian neurohypophysis were reviewed and related to well-established or currently accepted concepts, (a) The separation of vasopressin-rich from oxytocin-rich neurosecretory granules (NSG) from posterior pituitary homogenates was achieved. (b) The hormone and amino acid composition of isolated NSG was found to be almost identical to that of the van Dyke protein, prepared by chemical extraction of posterior pituitary glands, indicating that the protein is synonymous with the NSG carrier protein to which vasopressin (VP) and oxytocin (OT) are bound. (c) Pinched-off nerve terminals (neurosecretosomes) were isolated from homogenates by centrifugation and shown to be metabolically and morphologically intact. The hexosemonophosphate shunt was highly active in the nerve terminals, where the peptide hormones are stored and secreted, but not in the cell bodies within hypothalamic nuclei, where they are synthesized. (d) Neurosecretosomes relatively enriched in VP were separated from those rich in OT by density-gradient centrifugation, providing support for the concept that a given neurohypophyseal neuron stores and secretes only one of the hormones. (e) Electron microscopy indicated that microvesicles, about 50 mμ in diameter, and called "synaptic" vesicles by some workers, are derived from membranes of depleted NSG and are not of the type that contain neurotransmitter. (f) Acetylcholine (ACh), choline acetyltransferase, and acetylcholinesterase were identified in the posterior pituitary gland and are present in about the same proportions but 1/5 to 1/10 the activity as in whole brain. ACh was found in the neurosecretosome and microvesicle centrifugation fractions. The three cholinergic components in the posterior pituitary are believed to be constituents, not of neurosecretory nerve endings which contain VP or OT, but of specific cholinergic neurons whose role in neurohypophyseal physiology remains to be elucidated. (g) VP and OT are generally released together from the gland in vivo and from posterior pituitary tissue or NSG in vitro. However, exceptions can occur both in vivo and in vitro in which one of the hormones is apparently released exclusively. Studies on the release of VP and OT in vitro show that the NSG–hormone complex is more labile in the case of OT than of VP, an observation that suggests a molecular basis for numerous in vivo findings in which a preponderance of OT over VP is secreted in response to a wide variety of stimuli.


1967 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 481-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marian Jutisz ◽  
Annette Bérault ◽  
Marie-Anne Novella ◽  
Geneviève Ribot

ABSTRACT A highly purified ovine LH-releasing factor (LRF) was obtained by a modification of the method previously described. After the fractionation of a crude hypothalamic extract on a Sephadex G-25 column, the LRF fraction was desalted and partially purified by chromatography on a Dowex 50 × 12 column and on an Amberlite CG 4B column. The last step of this method, chromatography on a CMC column, gave a purification of about 1600 times with respect to the crude extract. The action of this highly purified LRF preparation was studied on rat pituitary glands in vivo and in vitro. The method used in vivo was the evaluation of the LH-releasing effect of LRF in chronically ovariectomized, steroid-blocked rats (Ramirez & McCann 1963 b). A procedure was developed which allows a 4-fold concentration of the plasma LH from these rats, so that it can be assayed by a 4-point assay method. In the in vitro method, the pituitary glands of ovariectomized steroidblocked rats (Schally & Bowers 1964 a) were incubated in a Krebs-Ringer buffer with or without LRF, and the LH released into the medium was assayed using the O.A. A.D. method of Parlow. A dose-response curve was established between the log doses of LRF and the amount of LH released. This method can be used as a sensitive and specific assay for LRF. It was shown that a dose of 1.22 μg of LRF releases approximately 5 μg of LH per mg of pituitary tissue. This is about double of the amount of this hormone originally present in the pituitary glands of these rats (2.7 μg/mg). This leads us to the conclusion that the excess of this hormone was probably synthetized during the process of incubation. The amount of steroids injected as a blocking agents, appears to be very important for both in vivo and in vitro tests.


1981 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. C. A. F. ROBINSON ◽  
J. A. PARSONS

Lactating guinea-pigs were passively immunized with an antiserum to oxytocin of high titre, specificity and avidity. Single i.v. injections of 0·1–0·4 ml antiserum produced high titres which decayed slowly (half-life ≃7 days). Passively administered antiserum was effective in vivo; the clearance of exogenous oxytocin from plasma was greatly slowed in immunized animals. Passive immunization with 0·4 ml antiserum reduced milk transfer to the litter during suckling episodes of 10 min, and overall litter growth rates were significantly decreased. Non-immune serum was without effect. Plasma neurophysin levels showed the same large rises during suckling in immunized animals, indicating that neurohypophysial activation was unimpaired. Despite the presence of high titres of antiserum, some milk transfer still occurred at milk ejection. In-vitro experiments showed that more than 25% of oxytocin remained free 20 s after mixing with plasma taken from passively immunized animals. It is probable that the antiserum in the circulation was unable to bind all the oxytocin released from the posterior pituitary gland before it reached the mammary gland.


Author(s):  
Bhikshapathi D. V. R. N. ◽  
Kanteepan P

Rebamipide, an amino acid derivative of 2-(1H)-quinolinone, is used for mucosal protection, healing of gastroduodenal ulcers, and treatment of gastritis. The current research study aimed to develop novel gastro-retentive mucoadhesive microspheres of rebamipide using ionotropic gelation technique. Studies of micromeritic properties confirmed that microspheres were free flowing with good packability. The in vitro drug release showed the sustained release of rebamipide up to 99.23 ± 0.13% within 12 h whereas marketed product displayed the drug release of 95.15 ± 0.23% within 1 h. The release mechanism from microspheres followed the zero-order and Korsmeyer-Peppas (R2 = 0.915, 0.969), respectively. The optimized M12 formulation displayed optimum features, such as entrapment efficiency 97%, particle size 61.94 ± 0.11 µm, percentage yield 98%, swelling index 95% and mucoadhesiveness was 97%. FTIR studies revealed no major incompatibility between drug and excipients. SEM confirmed the particles were of spherical in shape. Optimized formulation (M12) were stable at 40°C ± 2°C/75% RH ± 5% RH for 6 months. In vivo studies were performed and kinetic parameters like Cmax, Tmax, AUC0-t, AUC0-∞, t1/2, and Kel  were calculated. The marketed product Cmax (3.15 ± 0.05 ng/mL) was higher than optimized formulation (2.58 ± 0.03 ng/mL). The optimized formulation AUC0-t (15.25 ± 1.14 ng.hr/mL), AUC0-∞ (19.42 ± 1.24 ng.hr/mL) was significantly higher than that of marketed product AUC0-t (10.21 ± 1.26 ng.hr/mL) and AUC0-∞ (13.15 ± 0.05 ng.hr/mL). These results indicate an optimized formulation bioavailability of 2.5-fold greater than marketed product.  


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1382
Author(s):  
Mina Martini ◽  
Iolanda Altomonte ◽  
Domenico Tricò ◽  
Riccardo Lapenta ◽  
Federica Salari

The increase of knowledge on the composition of donkey milk has revealed marked similarities to human milk, which led to a growing number of investigations focused on testing the potential effects of donkey milk in vitro and in vivo. This paper examines the scientific evidence regarding the beneficial effects of donkey milk on human health. Most clinical studies report a tolerability of donkey milk in 82.6–98.5% of infants with cow milk protein allergies. The average protein content of donkey milk is about 18 g/L. Caseins, which are main allergenic components of milk, are less represented compared to cow milk (56% of the total protein in donkey vs. 80% in cow milk). Donkey milk is well accepted by children due to its high concentration of lactose (about 60 g/L). Immunomodulatory properties have been reported in one study in humans and in several animal models. Donkey milk also seems to modulate the intestinal microbiota, enhance antioxidant defense mechanisms and detoxifying enzymes activities, reduce hyperglycemia and normalize dyslipidemia. Donkey milk has lower calorie and fat content compared with other milks used in human nutrition (fat ranges from 0.20% to 1.7%) and a more favourable fatty acid profile, being low in saturated fatty acids (3.02 g/L) and high in alpha-linolenic acid (about 7.25 g/100 g of fat). Until now, the beneficial properties of donkey milk have been mostly related to whey proteins, among which β-lactoglobulin is the most represented (6.06 g/L), followed by α-lactalbumin (about 2 g/L) and lysozyme (1.07 g/L). So far, the health functionality of donkey milk has been tested almost exclusively on animal models. Furthermore, in vitro studies have described inhibitory action against bacteria, viruses, and fungi. From the literature review emerges the need for new randomized clinical trials on humans to provide stronger evidence of the potential beneficial health effects of donkey milk, which could lead to new applications as an adjuvant in the treatment of cardiometabolic diseases, malnutrition, and aging.


2004 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 143-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryusei Matsumura ◽  
Sakae Takeuchi ◽  
Sumio Takahashi

1984 ◽  
Vol 101 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Mena ◽  
G. Martínez-Escalera ◽  
C. Clapp ◽  
C. E. Grosvenor

ABSTRACT Adenohypophysial prolactin of lactating rats was pulse-labelled by [3H]leucine injected i.v. at the time of removal of the pups. The [3H]prolactin concentration in the pituitary gland, analysed by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, progressively fell as the time from labelling to removal of the pituitary gland increased from 8 to 24 h, which suggests that there was a loss of hormone as it aged within the gland. Suckling effectively provoked the depletion–transformation of total and [3H]prolactin (extracted at pH 7·2) when applied after 8 h but not when applied after either 16 or 24 h after removing the pups. In rats whose pups were removed for 8 h, suckling also depleted–transformed [3H]prolactin labelled 4 h, but not that labelled 1 h before suckling. The pituitary glands of other lactating rats were labelled with [3H]leucine injected i.v. at various times before removing the glands and incubating them in medium 199. The secretion into the medium of [3H]prolactin labelled either 4, 8, 16 or 24 h beforehand was maximal during the first 30 min then declined from 30 to 240 min of incubation. However, secretion of prolactin labelled 1 h and 10 min beforehand reached a maximum after 0·5–1 h and 2 h of incubation respectively, then remained constant during the remainder of the 4-h incubation period. The total 4-h secretion of [3H]prolactin was greatest (65% of preincubation concentration) from those glands labelled 4 h before in contrast to those labelled 10 min (15%) or 1 (38%), 8 (34%), 16 (18%) or 24 h (26%) before incubation. Taken together, these data suggest that prolactin synthesized 4 h earlier is more likely to be released in response to physiological stimuli than is more recently formed prolactin or prolactin which has remained in the pituitary gland for 16 h or longer. J. Endocr. (1984) 101, 27–32


1981 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Kuriyama ◽  
H. Kanatani

Centrioles from spermatozoa of the starfish, Asterina pectinifera, were isolated and partially purified by solubilization of chromatin followed by sucrose density-gradient centrifugation. The ultrastructure of the isolated centriolar complex was investigated in whole mount preparations by electron microscopy. The complex unit was composed of a pair of centrioles and a pericentriolar structure, which associated with the distal end of the distal centriole by 9 spoke-like satellites extending radially to a marginal ring. Each satellite bifurcated at a dense node forming 2 fan-like shapes with a periodic striated pattern. The tubular structure of the centrioles easily disintegrated, leaving the pericentriolar structure or axonemal microtubules intact. The distal centriole in a spermatozoon served as an initiating site for flagellar microtubule assembly; that is, a number of “9 + 2′ axonemal tubules were observed adhering just beneath the distal end of the basal body. In experiments in vitro, polymerization of microtubule proteins purified from porcine brain was initiated by the structure at the ends of both proximal and distal centrioles, but not from the satellites or the marginal ring. Also, few if any microtubules were formed from the sides of each centriole, even in the presence of a high concentration of exogenous tubulin. On the other hand, centrioles of spermatozoa, when they were in mature ooplasm, could initiate the formation of sperm asters by microtubules. Therefore, centrioles in spermatozoa seem to be able to initiate microtubules in a 2 ways. A possible explanation of the difference between the 2 types of microtubule organization in vivo, i.e. in the sperm cell itself and in the ooplasm, it discussed.


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