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Biomedical subjects

M Chretien

Publications and source records attributed to M Chretien.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Reduced cerebrospinal fluid levels of immunoreactive pro-opiomelanocortin related peptides (including beta-endorphin) in anorexia nervosa.

The discovery that the endogenous opioid peptides contribute to the modulation of appetitive behavior and neuroendocrine function has raised questions as to whether disturbances of opioids contributes to the pathophysiology of eating disorders. To assess central nervous system (CNS) beta-endorphin in patients with anorexia nervosa we measured cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) beta-endorphin concentrations before, and at intervals after weight correction. In addition, we measured three sister peptides (beta-lipotropin, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and the N-terminal fragment) derived from the same precursor molecule, pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) to determine whether possible disturbances might extend to sister peptides. Underweight anorectics (58 +/- 5% of average body weight (ABW), n = 10) had significantly lower CSF concentrations of all 4 peptides compared to healthy controls (102 +/- 10% ABW, n = 11). CSF concentrations of all 4 POMC-related peptides were found to be significantly increased when the same anorectics were restudied 4 to 6 weeks after weight gain (83 +/- 4% ABW). After weight gain, levels of CSF beta-endorphin, beta-lipotropin, and ACTH were similar to controls, whereas levels of CSF N-POMC remained significantly less than controls. Another group of women, previously underweight with anorexia nervosa, but weight-restored (93 +/- 11% ABW, n = 12) for greater than 1 year had CSF concentrations of all 4 POMC-related peptides that were similar to controls. We conclude that underweight anorectics have state-associated disturbances of CNS beta-endorphin as well as other POMC-related peptides. These abnormalities are part of the neurobiological syndrome of anorexia nervosa and may contribute to the characteristic alterations in behavior and neuroendocrine function.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

Elevation of plasma 7B2 (a novel pituitary protein) in cord blood at obstetrical delivery and the possible correlation with GH.

Plasma 7B2-immunoreactivity (7B2-IR) concentrations in umbilical artery (UA), umbilical vein (UV) and maternal vein (MV) were measured by RIA at the time of obstetrical delivery at term. Plasma 7B2-IR concentrations (Mean +/- SEM) in UA (N = 12), UV (N = 16) and MV (N = 16) were 725 +/- 69, 699 +/- 64 and 116 +/- 4.5 pg/ml, respectively. Plasma 7B2-IR concentrations in UA and UV were much higher than those in MV. There was no arterio-venous gradient between UA and UV. A trace amount of 7B2-IR (Mean +/- SEM, 226 +/- 16.8 pg/g tissue) was detected in the placental extracts. A statistically significant positive correlation (r = 0.7595, p less than 0.005) was found between plasma 7B2-IR and GH in the UV. Significant negative correlations between body weight of the neonates and plasma levels of GH (r = -0.6836, p less than 0.01) and 7B2-IR (r = -0.4939, p less than 0.05) were also apparent. When analyzing cord blood plasma using gel permeation chromatography and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, a major peak with an apparent molecular weight of 20,000 was observed. These findings suggest that 7B2-IR in UA and UV originates from the fetus and that 7B2-IR does not permeate through the placenta. The possibility of involvement of 7B2 in fetal growth warrants attention.

Chromatography, Gel↗

Developmental changes in immunoreactive content of novel pituitary protein 7B2 in human pancreas and its identification in pancreatic tumors.

Developmental changes in concentration of a novel pituitary protein (7B2) were studied immunochemically in the human pancreas from 20 wk of gestation to 4 mo after birth. The concentrations of 7B2 in pancreatic islet tumors and in nesidioblastosis were investigated also. Significant quantities of 7B2-like immunoreactivity (IR-7B2) were found in all developmental stages studied. The highest concentrations of IR-7B2 were found at term [215.4 +/- 40.0 vs. 28.3 +/- 4.4 pmol/g (adult levels), P less than .001]. A high incidence of elevated IR-7B2 concentration in pancreatic islet tumors and nesidioblastosis was found (10 of 12 insulinomas, 5 of 8 glucagonomas, and in all 3 pancreases with nesidioblastosis). Gel-permeation chromatography on Sephadex G-100 showed two immunoreactive peaks in all extracts studied. The main peak (Kav 0.30) of IR-7B2 corresponded to that found in the porcine pituitary gland. The high incidence of elevated IR-7B2 concentrations in pancreatic islet tumors and the increase in IR-7B2 concentrations in the term pancreas and particularly in nesidioblastosis suggest that the novel protein 7B2 may serve as an islet marker.

Adenoma, Islet Cell↗

Demonstration of the vasopressin associated glycopeptide in the brain and peripheral tissues of the Brattleboro rat.

An antibody that recognizes the C-terminal portion of the vasopressin precursor was used to visualize this peptide (CPP) in the brain and peripheral tissues of the Brattleboro rat. CPP-immunoreactivity was detected in adrenal medullary cells and in Leydig and Sertoli cells of the testis. In addition, CPP positive cells were found in the supraoptic and paraventricular hypothalamic nuclei of colchicine treated and adrenalectomized rats. These results suggest that Brattleboro rats may make a small amount of normal vasopressin precursor.

Adrenal Medulla↗

A novel pituitary protein (7B2)-like immunoreactivity is secreted by a rat phaeochromocytoma cell line (PC12).

High concentrations of a novel pituitary protein (7B2) have been shown to be present in the PC12 rat phaeochromocytoma cell line by radioimmunoassay. 7B2-like immunoreactivity (IR-7B2) was released from PC12 cells into the incubation medium in response to stimulation by a depolarizing concentration of K+, and this K+-evoked release was inhibited by Co2+. The major IR-7B2 in PC12 cell and medium appeared to be identical to that in porcine pituitary gland as judged by both gel permeation chromatography and by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Gel permeation chromatography of extracts of cell and medium revealed two IR-7B2 peaks, the earlier eluting at a elution coefficient (Kav) of 0.30 and the later at a Kav of 0.54. In medium, over 90% of the IR-7B2 eluted as the earlier peak. Fractionation of extracts of cell and medium on reverse-phase HPLC showed three main IR-7B2 peaks eluting at 43, 44.5 and 46% acetonitrile/water with 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid. The findings suggest that IR-7B2 might be released by calcium-mediated exocytosis.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

Ontogeny of a novel pituitary protein (7B2) in the human fetal intestine.

The developmental profile of the concentration of a novel pituitary protein (7B2) was studied immunochemically in the human gastrointestinal tract from 12 weeks of gestation to 4 months after birth and was compared to the distribution in the adult. 7B2-like immunoreactivity (IR-7B2) was detected in all segments studied, but no gross changes were seen through fetal life. At term higher concentrations of IR-7B2 were found in the duodenum and the antrum, which is similar to the distribution of adult man. Gel permeation chromatography revealed that the main peak of 7B2 immunoreactivity in the fetal intestinal extract eluted with a Kav of 0.3. Similar elution profiles were also observed in extracts of human adult intestine.

Adult↗

Neuropeptides in human cerebrospinal fluid.

Ten neuropeptides were measured by RIA in human cerebrospinal fluid obtained from 30 normal volunteers. The levels of seven peptides (corticotropin releasing factor, adrenocorticotropin, vasoactive intestinal peptide, somatostatin, beta-endorphin, beta-lipotropin, and the N-terminal fragment of proopiomelanocortin) were highly, positively correlated with one another. This result is consistent with the hypothesis that cerebrospinal fluid levels of these seven peptides are a function of some common regulatory factor, such as shared release into the cerebrospinal fluid.

Adolescent↗

Immunoreactivity of vasopressin and a novel pituitary protein '7B2' in Long-Evans and Brattleboro rat hypothalamus and hypophysis.

The unlabeled antibody (peroxidase-anti-peroxidase) method was used to simultaneously localize vasopressin and a novel pituitary protein designated '7B2' in rat hypothalamus and pituitary. Results showed the common localization of both substances within magnocellular neurons of supraoptic, supraoptic retrochiasmic and paraventricular nuclei. The distribution was also similar in the inner zone of the median eminence and in the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland. Only 7B2 antiserum labeled the external zone of the median eminence and the intermediate and anterior lobes of the pituitary. In the Brattleboro rat the anterior and intermediate lobes were strongly labeled with 7B2-IR and there was some 7B2-staining in the hypothalamus and the posterior lobe, but the intensity of the reaction was diminished.

Animals↗

Regional distribution of a novel pituitary protein (7B2) in the rat spinal cord: effect of neonatal capsaicin treatment and thoracic cord transection.

Using a specific radioimmunoassay, a novel pituitary protein (7B2) was shown to be distributed throughout the rat spinal cord. The concentration of 7B2-like immunoreactivity (7B2-IR) was significantly higher in dorsal lumbar than in whole lumbar cord, and the highest level was found in the sacral region. On both gel and high-performance liquid chromatography, 7B2-IR in rat spinal cord eluted in the same position as 7B2-IR extracted from porcine pituitary gland. Neonatal capsaicin treatment did not change dorsal lumbar spinal cord 7B2-IR concentrations, suggesting that it is not predominantly present in unmyelinated primary afferent fibres. Thoracic cord transection, however, resulted in significant increases of 7B2-IR in lumbar and especially sacral regions, providing evidence of a 7B2-containing ascending pathway originating in the lumbosacral spinal cord.

Animals↗

The structure of type IX collagen.

We present a detailed analysis both of tryptic peptides and amino-terminal sequences of the subunits of two collagenous fragments (HMW and LMW) previously isolated from pepsin extracts of chicken cartilage (Reese, C.A., and Mayne, R. (1981) Biochemistry 20, 5443-5448). This analysis and a comparison with the nucleotide sequence of the cDNApYN1738 (Ninomiya, Y., and Olsen, B.R. (1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 81, 3014-3018) shows that HMW and LMW are pepsin-resistant fragments of a unique collagen composed of molecules with three different polypeptide chains (alpha-chains). This collagen has been assigned the type number IX, and the alpha-chain encoded by pYN1738 has been given the designation alpha 1 (IX). Type IX collagen contains three triple-helical domains and at least two sets of interchain disulfide bridges. At the amino and carboxyl ends are noncollagenous domains which do not appear to be homologous to amino and carboxyl propeptides of interstitial collagens.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

NH2-terminal specificity and axonal localization of adrenocorticotropin binding sites in rat median eminence.

Adrenocorticotropin binding sites in the rat median eminence have been localized in vivo. These binding sites occur in the basalar zone, which is rich in axonal endings. Using competitive binding and quantitative light-microscope radioautography, we found that the median-eminence binding site, in contradistinction to the adrenal receptor, binds specifically the residue 4-10 region of the adrenocorticotropin molecule. Using quantitative electron-microscope radioautography and median-eminence deafferentation, we localized the binding sites to axon terminals in this region. In time-delayed uptake studies using light-microscope radioautography, we failed to observe concentration of radiolabel in neurons of the medial basal hypothalamus after the direct injection of radioiodinated adrenocorticotropin(1-24) into the median eminence.

Adrenal Glands↗

Effects of proopiomelanocortin-derived peptides, methionine-enkephalin and forskolin on the maturation of ovine fetal adrenal cells in culture.

The present study examined the effects of peptides derived from the non-ACTH part of proopiomelanocortin (POMC), of met-enkephalin and of forskolin, alone or in combination with ACTH-(1-24), on the development of the ability of ovine fetal adrenal cells to produce both cAMP and corticosteroids in culture. N-POMC-(1-61) amide, gamma 2-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) and gamma 3-MSH behaved similarly in our system: 1) they increased slightly corticosterone (B) and cortisol (F) production without modification of cAMP output when added alone to the incubation medium, but this effect was observed only after 3 days in culture; 2) they potentiated the steroidogenic response to 10(-11) M ACTH-(1-24) but again only from Day 3 onwards; and 3) a 5-day treatment with the peptides induced fetal adrenal cell maturation resulting in the same enhancement of the B + F production stimulated by 10(-8) M ACTH-(1-24) without modification of the response in both cAMP and pregnenolone (P5). N-POMC-(1-80) and beta-lipotropic hormone (LPH) shared several common features in that, 1) the stimulation of B + F production by each of them alone was always significant and higher than that obtained with the other POMC-derived peptides [except ACTH-(1-24]; 2) they did not potentiate the steroidogenic action of 10(-11) M ACTH-(1-24); and 3) when cells were cultured in their presence for 5 days it resulted in an enhancement of the response to ACTH-(1-24), not only in B + F production but also in cAMP and P5 outputs. No effect of met-enkephalin was observed. The development of cAMP and B + F responses to ACTH-(1-24) provoked by forskolin was very close to that induced by the hormone itself, but forskolin, as opposed to ACTH-(1-24), was unable to induce a desensitization of the cAMP response. These data show that N-POMC-derived peptides can potentiate the acute steroidogenic activity of ACTH-(1-24) on ovine fetal adrenal cells after several days in culture.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

Immunocytochemistry of the C-terminal peptide of propressophysin (CPP): relationship to vasopressin, oxytocin and neurophysin.

Arginine-vasopressin (AVP) and its associated neurophysin (AVP-NP) are synthesized via a precursor, propressophysin, which also contains a 39 amino acid glycopeptide at its C-terminus (C-terminus of propressophysin, or CPP). In the present study, immunocytochemical techniques were used to determine the cellular co-localization of CPP with AVP, oxytocin (OXY), AVP-NP and OXY-NP in the rat hypothalamus using colchicine pre-treatment and serial 5 micron section analysis. Extensive cross-competition studies of antisera raised against each peptide with the various antigens yielded no significant crossreactivity of the CPP, AVP, OXY and NP antisera. The NP antiserum, although directed against both AVP-NP and OXY-NP, demonstrated a preference for OXY-NP at a dilution of 1:20,000. CPP and AVP were always co-localized within the same magnocellular neurons of the supraoptic, paraventricular and circularis nuclei, and further showed very similar patterning in the suprachiasmatic nucleus as well. In contrast, no cellular overlap could be detected between CPP and OXY, in any of the above nuclei (the suprachiasmatic nucleus is devoid of OXY). Likewise, no examples of co-localization of CPP and OXY-NP were found in the magnocellular nuclei. These results are in strong agreement with a biosynthetic relationship between CPP, AVP and AVP-NP, and their separateness from the OXY and OXY-NP precursor.

Animals↗

Acrylamide neuropathy and changes in the axonal transport and muscular content of the molecular forms of acetylcholinesterase.

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is present in nervous and muscular tissues of normal chickens in four main molecular forms (G1, G2, G4, and A12), distinguishable by sedimentation analysis. In the sciatic nerve of acrylamide-poisoned chickens, the anterograde axonal transport of A12 AChE was reduced by 60%, and that of G4 by 21%, compared to control values whereas the slow axoplasmic transport of G1 and G2 was unaffected. Regarding the leg muscles, only the tibialis anterior revealed dramatic alterations in the distribution of it AChE forms coinciding with a large reduction in the number of nerve endings. In acrylamide poisoning, the AChE molecular forms were considered as very sensitive markers of both axonal transport phases and of the innervation state. Our results support the hypothesis that a defect in the fast axonal transport of proteins might be involved in the degeneration process of the disease.

Acetylcholinesterase↗

Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF): effects on the release of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-related peptides by human anterior pituitary cells in vitro.

The effect of synthetic ovine corticotropin-releasing factor (oCRF), alpha-melanotropin (alpha-MSH) and arginine-vasopressin (AVP) on the release of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-related peptides (beta-endorphin, beta-lipotropin, adrenocorticotropin, and the 12K N-terminal) was studied in primary cultures of human anterior pituitary (HAP) cells. The peptides released into the medium were measured by specific radioimmunoassays. HAP cells responded to oCRF at concentrations as low as 10 ng/ml by significantly increasing peptide secretion (p less than 0.005). AVP was also effective, but, it is only 0.1% as potent as oCRF. alpha-MSH was ineffective even at a dose of 10 micrograms/ml. Immunoreactive (IR)-beta EP, IR-beta LPH, IR-ACTH, and IR-HNT were released in approximately equimolar ratios. Partial characterization of the peptides released by HAP cells with gel chromatography on Sephadex G-50 superfine revealed two peaks of IR-beta EP (as beta EP and beta-LPH), two peaks of IR-beta LPH (as beta-LPH and gamma-LPH), one peak of IR-ACTH, and two peaks of IR-HNT. In conclusion, oCRF is a potent secretagogue for the equimolar release of ACTH, HNT and related peptides in the human pituitary gland.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

'Acrylamide-induced' neuropathy and impairment of axonal transport of proteins. I. Multifocal retention of fast transported proteins at the periphery of axons as revealed by light microscope radioautography.

The axonal transport of proteins was studied in ciliary ganglia of control and acrylamide-treated chickens. After an intracerebral injection of [3H]lysine, the distribution of axonally transported proteins was analyzed in the preterminal segments of preganglionic axons and in their caliciform nerve endings by means of quantitative light microscope radioautography. By 7 days after the injection of [3H]lysine, the concentration of labeled proteins in the preganglionic axons was either similar or slightly increased in acrylamide-treated chickens as compared to controls. In contrast, by 3 h, whereas the axons of controls were poorly radioactive, 20-30% of the axons in acrylamide-treated chickens displayed focal and intense labeling at their periphery; simultaneously, in acrylamide treated chickens, 20-30% of the nerve endings contained a decreased amount of radioactive proteins. It is concluded that acrylamide induces multifocal retention of fast axonally transported proteins in preterminal segments of certain axons.

Acrylamides↗

'Acrylamide-induced' neuropathy and impairment of axonal transport of proteins. II. Abnormal accumulations of smooth endoplasmic reticulum as sites of focal retention of fast transported proteins. Electron microscope radioautographic study.

The distribution of fast axonally transported proteins was studied by electron microscope radioautography in ciliary ganglia of chickens treated or not treated with acrylamide. At 3 h after the intracerebral injection of [3H]lysine, the preganglionic axons of the untreated chickens displayed few silver grains, mainly associated with smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) profiles. In most axons of acrylamide-treated chickens, a similar pattern was observed, except in axons which exhibited focal and intense labeling underneath the axolemma: clusters of silver grains indeed overlayed peripheral accumulations of tubulovesicular profiles of SER, dense core vesicles and mitochondria. After impregnation with heavy metals, electron microscope observation of 1 micrometer thick sections showed a locally disorganized SER forming a complex network of tubules intermingled with vesicles and mitochondria. Such a local disorganization of the peripheral SER in the distal part of the axons, could be responsible for the focal stasis of fast transported proteins; it seems to be one of the earliest changes detectable in axons damaged by acrylamide treatment.

Acrylamides↗