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Biomedical subjects

M G Currie

Publications and source records attributed to M G Currie.

101 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Atriopeptins: bioactive peptides derived from mammalian cardiac atria.

Mammalian atria possess bioactive peptides that are natriuretic-diuretic and potent relaxants of vascular and nonvascular smooth muscle. Characterization of the biological activity of rat atrial extracts indicates two major peaks, having apparent molecular weight of 20,000-30,000 (atriopeptigen) and less than 10,000 (atriopeptins). The amino acid sequence of atriopeptins I, II and III have been determined, and it has been found that their structures are only slightly different. Atriopeptin I (twenty-one amino acid residues); ser-ser-cys-phe-gly-gly-arg-ile-asp-arg-ile-gly-ala-gln-ser-gly-leu-gly- cys- asn-ser) relaxes intestinal but not vascular smooth muscle strips, and is natriuretic. Atriopeptins II and III (23 and 24 residues; the 21-sequence of I with the addition of phe-arg or phe-arg-tyr at the C-terminus, respectively) relax intestinal and vascular smooth muscle strips and are potent natriuretics. Since atriopeptigen and the atriopeptins exhibit similar biological effects the possibility of a precursor-product relationship was tested. Mild proteolytic digestion (1IU/ml trypsin) of atriopeptigen activates this peptide and reduces its apparent molecular weight. Examination of whether the atria of Krebs perfused isolated hearts released the bioactive atrial peptides revealed the presence in the cardiac effluent of a trypsin-labile substance that was natriuretic-diuretic and a smooth muscle relaxant. To determine which form of the atrial peptide (e.g. atriopeptigen or atriopeptin) is released by the atria the cardiac effluents were concentrated and partially purified. The cardiac effluent contained a substance(s) similar to atriopeptin, but did not appear to possess the less-active high molecular weight peptide, atriopeptigen.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Bioactive cardiac substances: potent vasorelaxant activity in mammalian atria.

Mammalian atrial extracts possess natriuretic and diuretic activity. In experiments reported here it was found that atrial, but not ventricular, extract also causes relaxation of isolated vascular and nonvascular smooth muscle preparations. The smooth muscle relaxant activity of atrial extract was heat-stable and concentration-dependent and could be destroyed with protease. Rabbit aortic and chick rectum strips were used for the detection of atrial biological activity. The atrial activity was separated by column chromatography into two peaks having apparent molecular weights of 20,000 to 30,000 and less than 10,000. The atrial substance that copurified with the smooth muscle relaxant activity in both peaks caused natriuresis when injected into conscious rats. It appears that atria possess at least two peptides that elicit smooth muscle relaxation and natriuresis, suggesting an endogenous system of fluid volume regulation.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Cell culture of renal epithelium derived from rabbit microdissected cortical collecting tubules.

Cortical collecting tubules were dissected from rabbit kidney and cultured in a hormonally defined serum-free medium. Morphologic studies of the cultured cells derived from the collecting tubule indicated that the cells maintained their epithelial nature. These studies also revealed the presence of two distinct cell types that closely resemble the principal and intercalated cell types of the cortical collecting tubule. Several biochemical characteristics of the cultured cells were found to be similar to previously reported values for the cortical collecting tubule. The cells retain hormonal responsiveness to antidiuretic hormone (ADH), as demonstrated by a 12-fold increase in cAMP in response to ADH. Cultured cortical collecting tubule cells produce prostaglandins, with prostaglandin E2 as the predominant cyclooxygenase product. This study presents the first morphologic and biochemical characterization of cortical collecting tubule epithelial cells grown in culture.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Localization of exaggerated prostaglandin synthesis associated with renal damage.

Regional localization of the exaggerated prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis caused by hydronephrosis was studied in unilateral ureteral ligated rabbits. The renal distribution of PGE2 production was compared in the hydronephrotic and contralateral kidneys. Basal and bradykinin-stimulated PGE2 synthesis were increased in cortical and medullary slices of the hydronephrotic kidneys. Contralateral (control) cortical slices produced very low levels of PGE2 and were insensitive to stimulation by bradykinin (BK). The hydronephrotic cortex produced 10 times more PGE2 than the contralateral cortex and responded to BK stimulation with increased PGE2 synthesis. Cortical slices from the hydronephrotic kidney exhibited a time-dependent increase in PGE2 release, presumably as a result of new protein synthesis. The division of the hydronephrotic cortex into outer and inner regions revealed that the inner cortex produced more PGE2 than the outer cortex. A similar division of the hydronephrotic medulla showed that the inner medulla produced slightly greater amounts of PGE2 than the outer medulla. The present study demonstrates that hydronephrosis causes increases in prostaglandin synthesis throughout the kidney. We suggest from these results and other studies that a possible explanation for this finding is the involvement of the collecting duct system in this response. The gradient of PGE2 production detected in the cortex may have a very significant role in the control of renal hemodynamics and could provide an explanation for the large decrease in blood flow to the inner cortex caused by indomethacin treatment.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Interactions between parathyroid hormone and prostaglandins on renal cortical cyclic AMP.

Effects of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and several prostaglandins (PGs) on cyclic AMP (cAMP) metabolism were studied and compared in isolated renal cortical tubules from male hamsters. Both production and intracellular degradation of cAMP were increased by PTH and each of the PGs tested (PGE2, PGE1, PGI2). Production of cAMP was increased to similar levels by maximal concentrations of PTH and each PG, however, degradation of cAMP was significantly higher in response to PTH than with any of the PGs. This difference in intracellular degradation of cAMP was responsible for the much higher concentrations of cAMP in renal cortical tubules exposed to PGs (PGE1, PGE2, PGI2) than to PTH. Submaximal amounts of each PG produced additive increases in cAMP concentrations in the presence of maximal amounts of PTH. Additivity of the combined responses was lost, however, as the PGs concentrations reached their maxima. The results suggest that renal PGs (PGE2 and PGI2) may modulate the effects of PTH on cAMP concentrations in renal cortical tubules.

Alprostadil↗
PubMed1980

Effects of prostacyclin and prostaglandin E1 on cyclic AMP metabolism and calcium efflux in isolated renal cortical tubules.

Comparative effects of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) prostacyclin (PGI2) on cyclic AMP (cAMP) metabolism and efflux of 45Ca in isolated renal cortical tubules from hamsters were investigated. Both PGE1 and PGI2 increased tissue concentrations and production of cAMP in isolated tubules with effects of PGE1 being slightly greater than those of PGI2. Both prostaglandins produced dose-related increases in cAMP production over identical concentration ranges (0.01-15 micrograms/ml). Degradation of cAMP, estimated as the difference in tissue levels of cAMP in the presence and absence of maximal amounts of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor, 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine (MIX), increased following addition of either prostaglandin with increases paralleling increases in cAMP production. Simultaneous addition of maximal amounts of both prostaglandins resulted in a combined effect on cAMP production which was nonadditive. Both prostaglandins produced dose-related increases in efflux of 45Ca from isolated tubules. Changes in 45Ca efflux were closely related to changes in cAMP levels produced by either prostaglandin. Simultaneous addition of maximal concentrations of PGE1 and PGI2 produced changes in 45Ca efflux which were nonadditive. The results indicate that both prostaglandins increase cAMP production and efflux of calcium in isolated renal cortical tubules and may share a common target cell type in these responses.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗
PubMed1979

Metabolism of cyclic AMP in isolated renal tubules: effects of prostaglandins and parathyroid hormone.

Concentrations of cyclic AMP (cAMP) were increased in isolated renal cortical tubules from hamsters by both parathyroid hormone (PTH) and prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) with maximal effects of PGE1 being 6-8 fold greater than those of PTH during a 10 min period. However, cAMP concentrations in cells treated with 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine (MIX) were increased with maximal concentrations of either hormone to the same degree. Similar effects of both hormones were observed on adenylate cyclase activity in renal homogenates. Simultaneous addition of hormones produced changes in both cAMP concentrations in intact tubules as well as adenylate cyclase activity of homogenates which were not completely additive. Degradation of cAMP, estimated in intact tubules as the difference in cAMP levels in the presence and absence of MIX, was increased by both hormones, however, changes were 2-3 fold greater in tubules exposed to PTH than to PGE1. Neither hormone directly altered cAMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity in either 30,000 x g supernatant or pellets from renal cortical homogenates. The results suggest that both hormones increase the production of cAMP in renal cortical tubules and may share a common target cell type in this response. Degradation of cAMP, however, is differentially effected by the two hormones, probably reflecting differences exerted on intracellular mechanisms regulating the enzymatic hydrolysis of cAMP.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Enhancement by ethanol of parathyroid-hormone-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation in isolated renal tubules.

The effects of ethanol on parathyroid hormone (PTH)-induced increases in adenosine 3':5'-phosphate (cAMP) concentrations were studied in renal cortical tubules of hamsters in vitro. Ethanol concentrations between 0.1 and 3% were found to augment the PTH response in a dose-related way while, concentrations greater than 3% produced a dose-related inhibition of the PTH response. In the absence of PTH, ethanol did not significantly elevate cAMP accumulations at any concentrations tested. In contrast to its effect on intact tubule cells, ethanol did not alter either adenylate cyclase or phosphodiesterase in renal cortical homogenates. Indomethacin, however, produced a concentration-related inhibition of the ethanol-potentiated response without altering the effects of PTH alone. The results suggest a possible involvement of prostaglandins in the potentiating effect of ethanol on the PTH-dependent accumulation of cAMP in renal tubules.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗