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Biomedical subjects

G Flouret

Publications and source records attributed to G Flouret.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

Oxytocin receptors coupled to uterine contraction in estrogen-dominated rabbits.

The present study investigated whether specific [3H]oxytocin binding sites previously demonstrated in estrogen-dominated rabbit uterus have properties expected of physiologic receptors coupled to uterine contraction. Microsomal membranes from estrogen-dominated rabbit uterus were found to contain high-affinity specific oxytocin binding sites with Kd = 2-3 nM. These sites were predominantly myometrial in locus. Specific oxytocin binding exhibited a pH optimum between 7.5 and 8.0. Mg2+ or Mn2+ was necessary for maximal specific [3H]oxytocin binding; in contrast, Ca2+ at submillimolar concentrations inhibited specific binding. Oxytocin binding sites were not detectable in microsomal membranes isolated from progesterone-dominated rabbit uterus. Relative binding and uterotonic activities of 10 synthetic neurohypophyseal hormone analogues were determined in estrogen-dominated rabbit uterus. A qualitative correlation was observed between binding and uterotonic responses. Angiotensin II and insulin did not compete with [3H]oxytocin for uterine binding sites. It is concluded that the specific high affinity [3H]oxytocin binding sites demonstrated in estrogen-dominated rabbit uterus have the selectivity for neurohypophyseal hormone analogues expected for physiologic receptors coupled to uterine contraction.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Magnetic microspheres: synthesis of a novel parenteral drug carrier.

The synthesis and characterization of a novel parenteral drug carrier capable of area specific localization by magnetic means are described. The carrier consists of human serum albumin microspheres, average of 1 micrometer in diameter, in which a magnetizable material (magnetite) and a prototype drug (doxorubicin) are entrapped. Stabilization of the microsphere matrix by formaldehyde, 2,3-butanedione, and heat conferred equal stability to the matrix but differentially affected the in vitro drug release rate. Release doxorubicin was chemically identical to the starting material.

Carbonates↗
PubMed1979

Synthesis of oxytocin using iodine for oxidative cyclization and silica gel adsorption chromatography for purification.

Oxytocin (OT) was synthesized employing the solid phase method. Resins made of copolymers of polystyrene-1%-crosslinked with divinylbenzene gave better yields (73-95%) of Z-Cys(Bzl)-Tyr(Bzl)-Ile-Gln-Asn-Cys(Bzl)-Pro-Leu-Gly-NH2 (I) than 2%-crosslinked resins (10--56%). Reduction of I with Na-liq.NH3 and oxidation with I2-MeOH at -40 degrees minimized dimer and polymer formation, and resulted in good yields (49--54%) of OT. The large volumes of MeOH required when several grams of I are reduced and then oxidized were rapidly evaporated in vacuo, and the residue was desalted by dissolving the peptide in a small volume of glacial acetic acid and filtering to remove the salt. OT was purified by adsorption chromatography on a silica gel column with combinations of MeOH-CHCl3 of graded polarity. Oxytocin elutes with 33% MeOH-CHCl3. After two purification steps by adsorption chromatography, the resulting OT was found to be homogeneous. The hormone was characterized chemically and found to be active biologically.

Adsorption↗
PubMed1977

Iodinated neurohypophyseal hormones as potential ligands for receptor binding and intermediates in synthesis of tritiated hormones.

[3-Iodo-Tyr2]oxytocin (MIOT), [3,5-diiodo-Tyr2]oxytocin (DIOT), [3-iodo-Tyr2,Lys8]vasopressin (MILVP), [3,5-diiodo-Tyr2,Lys8]vasopressin (DILVP), [3-iodo-Tyr2,Arg8]vasopressin (MIAVP), and [3,5-diiodo-Tyr2,Arg8]vasopressin (DIAVP) were synthesized by iodination of the respective hormones, pruified, and characterized. All the monoiodo hormones had to be freshly prepared prior to bioassays, since on storage they gave rise to hormonal-like biological activity. The biological activities of these iodo analogues were measured in an adenylate cyclase assay employing neurohypophyseal hormone (NHH) sensitive bovine renal medullary membranes, and/or the rat oxytocic assay. In the cyclase assay, DIOT, DILVP, and DIAVP were inactive as agonists or antagonists. MIOT shows no agonistic activity in the renal cyclase system and uterus, but is a weak reversible inhibitor of oxytocin (OT) in both systems. When MIOT (10(-4) M) was preincubated with renal membranes for 10 min at 37 degrees C before addition of OT, it behaved as a noncompetitive inhibitor of NHH-stimulated adenylate cyclase. MILVP and MIAVP appear to be partial agonists with Km (half maximal response) 3 X 10(-6) and 3 X 10(-7) M, respectively, as determined in the cyclase assay. Upon preincubation with renal medullary membranes, MILVP (10(-6) M) behaves as a more potent noncompetitive inhibitor of OT than MIOT. Accordingly, iodo derivatives of NHH do not exhibit sufficient affinity to serve an specific ligands to measure OT, LVP, or AVP receptors in the uterus and kidney. Study of the specificity of inhibition produced by MIOT revealed that this analogue does not act selectively upon NHH receptors. Thus, MIOT modified adenylate cyclase systems which do not have NHH receptors, e.g., the PTH-sensitive adenylate cyclase in bovine renal cortex and the glucagon-sensitive adenylate cyclase in rat liver. DIOT, DILVP, and DIAVP were subjected to catalytic tritiation (employing carrier free tritium) and were converted to [3H]OT (25, 31, and 25 Ci/mmol), [3H]LVP (26 and 23 Ci/mmol), and [3H]AVP (17 Ci/mmol), respectively. These tritiated ligands have been successfully used to measure NHH receptor sites both in kidney and uterine membranes as described in other studies.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1977

Handling of angiotensin II and oxytocin by renal tubular segments perfused in vitro.

In order to study renal tubular handling of two small peptide hormones, [14c]angiotensin II ([14C]AII) and [3H]oxytocin ([3H]OT) were microperfused through rabbit kidney tubule segments in vitro. The reabsorption and tubular sequestration of radioactive label were determined, and the collection fluid was electrophoretically analyzed. The data suggest that [14C]AII is extensively hydrolyzed in the pars recta of the nephron and is rapidly reabsorbed across the tubular epithelium. Under similar experimental conditions, hydrolysis of [3H]OT was not observed in either the proximal straight or cortical collecting tubule segment, and the rate of reabsorption was low. Thus, tubular handling of OT appears to differ from that of AII, probably because of differences in molecular structure.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1976

Solution conformation of a retro-D analogue of tocinamide.

The solution conformation of a retro-D analogue of tocinamide H-D-Cys-D-Asn-D-Gln-D-aIle-D-Tyr-NHCH2CH2S was examined using proton magnetic resonance and circular dichroism spectroscopy. The observations support major contributions to the conformational distribution from structures with a type I beta turn in the sequence D-Asp-D-Gln-D-aIle-D-Tyr. This is topologically similar to the beta turn proposed for oxytocin, L-Tyr-L-Ile-L-Gln-L-Asn, but with the polarity of the CONH groups reversed along the chain; the peptide is, however, hormonally inert. In conjuction with nuclear magnetic resonance data, the circular dichroism spectra are interpreted to indicate that the region of the peptide ring near the disulfide occurs in at least two different conformations. One of the side-chain carboxamides, probably that of asparagine, appears to be intramolecularly associated rather than freely exposed to solvent.

Asparagine↗
PubMed1976

Retro analogs related to oxytocin.

[D-alle3]-retro-D-deaminotocinamide (I), retro-L-deaminotocinamide (III) and their respective N-formyl derivatives (II and IV) were synthesized by the stepwise active ester method: deaminotocinamide was prepared by the solid-phase method. The retro-analogs of deaminotocinamide, tested at concentrations up to 10)-5)M, were found to be without activity as agonists or antagonists in the oxytocic assay. At 10(-4)M,[D-alle]-retro-D-deaminotocinamide is a weak competitive inhibitor of oxytocin. [D-alle3, Gly7]-retro-D-deaminooxytocin (V) was synthesized either by the active ester method or by a fragment condensation method employing the retro-D-RING, [D-alle3]-retro-D-deaminotocinamide, and D-tail, Boc-Gly-D-Leu-Gly, as the fragments...

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1975

Contribution of the peptide backbone to the action of oxytocin analogs.

This investigation was undertaken to evaluate the functional contribution of the peptide backbone of oxytocin in its interaction with receptor. Corey-Pauling-Koltun models of (Gly-7) deaminooxytocin, deaminotocinamide, and their respective retro-D-analogs built in any specific conformation (e.g., the Walter-Urry model for oxytocin) have a quai-equivalent topochemical arrangement of amino-acid side chains; however, the CO and NH elements of the peptide backbone of the retro-D-analog are reversed. The retro-D-analogs of deaminotocinamide and (Gly-7) deaminooxytocin (prepared using D-alle for L-Ile) and their respective N-formyl derivatives were assayed for uterotonic activity relative to related L-peptides. All retro-D-analogs (tested at concentrations ranging from 10-10 to 10-5 M) were devoid of angonistic (or antagonistic) activity in the isolated rat uterus, except for the retro-D-(D-alle-3, Gly-7) deaminooxytocinamine, which retains a terminal NH-2 group on the tail; the latter is a partial agonist with very low affinity. The results obtained with retro-D-analogs indicate that one or more of the elements of the peptide backbone of the tocinamide ring are essential for "occupation" and "activation" of uterine receptors. Oxytocin action may be the resultant of multiple hydrogen-bonding interactions between CO, NH, NH-2, and OH groups of the hormone with complementary groups on receptor, made possible by appropriate hydrophobic bonding.

Amino Acid Sequence↗