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Biomedical subjects

H Shiomi

Publications and source records attributed to H Shiomi.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Morphine analgesia and the bulbospinal noradrenergic system: increase in the concentration of normetanephrine in the spinal cord of the rat caused by analgesics.

1 Administration of an analgesic dose (10 mg/kg, s.c.) of morphine increased the concentration of a noradrenaline metabolite, normetanephrine (NM) in the spinal cord of normal rats. The time course of the change in the NM concentration corresponded approximately to that of the morphine analgesia. The concentration of noradrenaline was not affected.2 A similar effect on the NM concentration was also observed after the administration of pentazocine (30 mg/kg, s.c.) and nalorphine (20 mg/kg, s.c.).3 The NM increasing effect of morphine, pentazocine and nalorphine was found in the dorsal half of the spinal cord but not in the ventral half.4 The increase in the concentration of NM induced by morphine, pentazocine or nalorphine was completely suppressed by naloxone (1 mg/kg, s.c.) given 5 min before the administration of these drugs.5 When the spinal cord was transected at C1, the NM increasing effect of morphine disappeared, yet when the brain stem was transected at the inter-collicular level, the effect remained.6 In morphine-tolerant rats, the concentration of NM in the spinal cord was almost the same as that observed in normal rats, but the increase in the concentration of NM in the spinal cord after the acute administration of morphine did not take place.7 The NM concentration in the spinal cord of normal rats was not modified by aminopyrine (75 mg/kg, s.c.), chlorpromazine (10 mg/kg, s.c.), mephenesin (100 mg/kg, i.p.) or naloxone (25 mg/kg, s.c.).8 The possible relation between morphine analgesia and the descending noradrenergic neurones in the spinal cord of rats is discussed.

Analgesia↗

Pulse-chase studies of the POMC/beta-endorphin system in the pituitary of acutely and chronically stressed rats.

Experiments were carried out to determine whether stress induces biochemical changes in the pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) system in anterior (AL) and intermediate-posterior lobe (IPL) of rat. In a series of pulse-chase experiments, acute stress led to an increase in POMC biosynthesis and shorter half-life in AL. However, when the animals were chronically stressed, the AL no longer exhibited increased POMC synthesis. On the other hand, in the IPL, acute stress did not produce any biochemical changes, but chronic stress led to an increase in POMC synthesis and shorter half-life. These data suggest that AL and IPL are affected by acute and/or chronic exposure to stress in opposite directions and that the POMC system in AL may play an important role in stress-induced analgesia.

Acute Disease↗

The signal peptide of pro-opiomelancortin: validation of a specific radioimmunoassay.

The N-terminus portion of the POMC leader sequence (signal peptide) was synthesized, and an antiserum was raised against it. A radioimmunoassay was developed which is effective at a dilution of 1:500,000, and sensitive at less than 1 fmole/tube. Since leader sequences often exhibit structural homologies, and since synthetic peptides are not readily available, we resorted to an unusual procedure to establish specificity. This involved extraction of pituitary RNA, cell-free translation to produce the pre-prohormones, and purification by B-END and signal antibody affinity columns. The eluates were then tested by SDS gel electrophoresis and by multiple immunoprecipitations. All results showed that the signal antibody captured a single molecular species, approximately 30,000 in MW, which was also captured by the B-END column, and was immunoprecipitable by B-END and ACTH antisera. It therefore appears that this antibody selectively measures the POMC leader sequence and should be valuable in measuring the newly synthesized pre-prohormone.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Phosphorylation of delta sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP) by casein kinase II in vitro.

A phosphorylated analogue of DSIP at Ser7 has been shown to exist endogenously by immunochemical studies. An enzyme which could phosphorylate DSIP has not yet been identified. In the present study, we examined DSIP as a substrate for in vitro phosphorylation by casein kinase II. DSIP was phosphorylated by the enzyme with apparent Km and Vmax values of 20 mM and 90.9 nmol/min/mg protein, respectively. Both ATP and GTP were utilized as phosphoryl donors. Phosphorylation of DSIP was inhibited by heparin and enhanced by spermine. These results demonstrate that DSIP can serve as a possible substrate for casein kinase II in vitro.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗