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R N Re

Publications and source records attributed to R N Re.

46 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Angiotensin II receptors in chromatin fragments generated by micrococcal nuclease.

Rat liver nuclei were digested with micrococcal nuclease following incubation with 125I-angiotensin II (AII) or with 125I-AII and excess unlabeled hormone. Chromatin enriched in 125I was solubilized after 3 min and was applied to a BIO-GEL A-5 M column. Labeled hormone was 40-60% displaceable by unlabeled hormone, in nucleoprotein eluting with a V/Vo near 1.9, indicating that these solubilized chromatin fragments contained specific receptors for AII. Furthermore, a discrete AII binding nucleoprotein particle was resolved on DNP gel electrophoresis. Additionally, binding to specific AII nuclear receptors appeared to bring about changes in chromatin structure consistent with the induction of transcriptional activity.

Angiotensin II↗

Cellular biology of the renin-angiotensin systems.

The renin-angiotensin system is a major determinant of arterial pressure and intravascular volume in human beings. Recent evidence, however, suggests that renin can be synthesized at local tissue sites and that these local renin-angiotensin systems subserve important physiologic functions. In addition, it appears that there exist intracellular renin-angiotensin "systems" capable of generating angiotensin II intracellularly.

Angiotensin II↗

Angiotensin II receptors in chromatin.

When isolated rat hepatic nuclei or bovine thymus nuclei were incubated with 125I-angiotensin II (ANG II) in the presence or absence of cold hormone, displaceable binding was consistently detected in micrococcal nuclease generated fragments Nanomolar concentrations of ANG II produced detectable displacement. Little or no specific binding was found when nuclei were first digested and then treated with hormone, suggesting that ANG II solubilizes its own receptor. The binding moiety was partially purified by DNP gel electrophoresis. These studies indicate the existence in chromatin of high affinity receptors for ANG II, and further suggest that hormone binding to these receptors produces conformational changes in chromatin similar to those seen during enhanced transcriptional activity. Thus, the present studies suggest the existence of functional intracellular renin-angiotensin systems.

Angiotensin II↗

Nuclear-hormone mediated changes in chromatin solubility.

Rat liver nuclei were incubated with either thyroid hormone or angiotensin (AII) at varying concentrations or with buffer (control) prior to digestion with micrococcal nuclease. Concentrations of hormones greater than 10(-10)M were effective in increasing the solubilization of chromatin with physiological levels (10(-9)M) of AII showing an approximate 2.4 fold increase over control. Nuclei were also isolated from animals treated in-vivo with either AII or buffer (control) and chromatin solubility was increased in the AII treated nuclei even prior to the addition of exogenous nuclease, presumably from the action of endogenous nucleases. The data suggest that hormone-induced increases in solubility are a reflection of structural changes in chromatin which enhance the accessibility of DNA to endonuclease attack.

Angiotensin II↗

The relationship between endogenous hyperprolactinaemia and plasma aldosterone.

It has been suggested that prolactin is a regulator of aldosterone secretion. In order to test this hypothesis, we measured prolactin, thyrotrophin and aldosterone by radioimmunoassay and plasma renin activity by the radioimmunoassay of angiotensin I in eight normal women before and after the intravenous injection of 200 microgram of thyrotrophin releasing hormone (TRH). Prolactin increased from 4.1 +/- 1.1 ng/ml (mean +/- SE) to a peak of 27.4 +/- 3.8 (P less than 0.005) at 15 min following TRH. Plasma renin activity was not different from control levels (1.0 +/- 0.2 ng/ml/h) during the first hour following the administration of TRH, nor did the plasma aldosterone concentration differ significantly from the control levels (39 +/- 7 pg/ml) during this period. However, with upright posture, an increase in aldosterone (from 31 +/- 3 pg/ml at 1 h to 68 +/- 9 at 2 h, P less than 0.005) and in plasma renin activity (from 0.9 +/- 0.2 ng/ml/h at 1 h to 2.0 +/- 0.5 at 2 h, P less than 0.05) was noted, demonstrating a normal capacity to secrete aldosterone in these subjects. Similarly, no change in aldosterone was seen in nine patients with primary hypothyroidism given TRH, despite the fact that the increase in prolactin was greater than normal. Chronic hyperprolactinaemia was not associated with hyperaldosteronism in six patients with pituitary tumour. These data demonstrate that acutely or chronically elevated serum prolactin levels do not result in increased plasma aldosterone levels in humans.

Adrenal Cortex↗

Metabolic clearance and secretion rates of subunits of human thyrotropin.

Metabolic clearance rates (MCR) of the alpha and beta subunits of human thyrotropin (hTSH-alpha and hTSH-beta) were determined by a constant infusion to equilibrium method. In 15 normal individuals (six men, six premenopausal women, and three post-menopausal women), the mean MCR of hTSH-alpha (68 ml/min per m2) was significantly faster than that of hTSH-beta (48 ml/min per m2) was significantly faster than that of hTSH-beta (48 ml/min per m2); both were two to three times more rapid than the previously determined MCR of hTSH. In patients with primary hypothyroidism, MCR were significantly slower with a mean value of 55 ml/min per m2 for hTSH-alpha and 37 ml/min per m2 for hTSH-beta. However, MCR of subunits were not significantly faster than normal in hyperthyroid patients. Serum concentrations of alpha subunits and hTSH-beta were measured by radioimmunoassay, and secretion rates of alpha and hTSH-beta from the pituitary were calculated using hTSH-alpha and hTSH-beta MCR, respectively. In the normal individuals, alpha secretion rates averaged 91 mug/day per m2, greater than those previously determined for hTSH and human follicle-stimulating hormone. Alpha secretion rates were significantly elevated in the normal postmenopausal women (211 mug/day per m2) and in the premenopausal hypothyroid women (202 mug/day per m2); they were also elevated in the postmenopausal hypothyroid women (277 mug/day per m2). Alpha secretion rates were significantly decreased in the premenopausal hyperthyroid women (66 mug/day per m2). Usually, the secretion rates of hTSH-beta could not be calculated in normal individuals, and the rates in hyperthyroid patients could never be calculated because serum hTSH-beta was not detected. Six normals had detectable hTSH-beta secretion rates (17 mug/day per m2); hTSH-beta secretion rates were significantly increased in patients with primary hypothyroidism (28 mug/day per m2). Although we had previously demonstrated a 50-fold increase in hTSH secretion rates in primary hypothyroidism, there was only a 2-fold increase in alpha and hTSH-beta secretion rates. Thus, increased subunit synthesis appears to be utilized predominantly for production of complete hTSH.

Adolescent↗

The effect of glucocorticoid administration on human pituitary secretion of thyrotropin and prolactin.

In order to determine the mechanism by which glucocorticosteroids decrease the serum concentration of thyrotropin (TSH), we studied eight normal subjects before and after they received 16 mg of dexamethasone daily for 2 1/2 days. Serum levels of TSH and prolactin (PRL) were measured in the basal state and in response to the intravenous administration of 200 mug thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH); T4, free T4 (fT4), T3, and free T3 (fT3) were measured before TRH injection. Metabolic clearance rates of TSH corrected for body surface area (MCR-TSH/m2) were determined by the method of constant infusion to equilibrium; the production rates of TSH (PR-TSH/m2) were calculated. Dexamethasone produced a decrease in basal TSH from 2.2 to 0.8 muU/ml (P less than 0.02), a statistically insignificant elevation in MCR-TSH/m2 from 25.8 to 34.1 ml/min/m2, and a decrease in PR-TSH/m2 from 79 to 30 mU/day/m2 (P less than 0.01). Peak TSH response to TRH decreased from 16.4 to 5.8 muU/ml (P less than 0.005), as did TSH reserve from 1.58 to 0.54 mU - min/ml (P less than 0.005). Repetitive TRH testing alone did not account for these changes. Basal PRL, peak PRL after TRH, and PRL reserve did not change significantly after dexamethasone administration. Although Basal T4 and fT4 did not change significantly, dexamethasone did decrease T3 from 106 to 61 ng/dl (P less than 0.001) and fT3 from 174 to 76 pg/dl (P less than 0.05). Dexamethasone produced similar changes in patients with various thyroid disorders. In addition, when plasma cortisol was lowered by metyrapone administration in 25 euthyroid patients, the serum TSH concentration rose from 1.6 to 3.1 muU/ml (P less than 0.001). These data indicate that dexamethasone a) suppresses TSH secretion without increasing fT3 and fT4 and b) blunts the TSH, but not the PRL response, to TRH. Hence, one effect of the administration of dexamethasone in high dose is a direct suppression of pituitary TSH secretion. Furthermore, physiologic levesl of circulating cortisol also have a suppressive effect on serum TSH.

Adult↗