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An amphibian two-domain 'big' neurophysin: conformational homology with the mammalian MSEL-neurophysin/copeptin intermediate precursor shown by trypsin-sepharose proteolysis.

A 'big' frog (Rana esculenta) neurophysin, encompassing sequences homologous to mammalian MSEL-neurophysin and copeptin, has been passed through a trypsin-Sepharose column in order to compare its conformation with that of the two-domain intermediate precursor isolated from guinea pig. Whereas the polypeptide possesses 8 arginine residues, only two cleavages were observed located in a putative inter-domain sequence (at Arg-94 and Arg-114). Because free vasotocin has been isolated from the frog, it is assumed that pro-vasotocin has a three-domain conformation similar to that of pro-vasopressin but processing in amphibians involves only one step rather than two steps as in mammals.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Oxytocin inhibits food and fluid intake in rats.

Increasing evidence indirectly suggests a role for oxytocinergic neurons in the control of ingestive behaviors. The present study was aimed at directly investigating a possible effect of oxytocin on food and water intake in rats. Oxytocin, whether administered intracerebroventricularly (ICV) (1-10 micrograms/rat) or intraperitoneally (IP) (375-3,000 micrograms/kg) dose dependently inhibited food intake in freely feeding animals; in schedule-fed animals fasting for 21 h, oxytocin not only reduced food intake but also reduced the time spent eating and increased the latency to first meal. On the other hand, oxytocin antagonist d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)-[Orn8]-vasotocin, ICV injected at the dose of 10 micrograms/rat, increased food intake and time spent eating and reduced the latency to first meal; moreover, it completely prevented the effect of oxytocin. Water intake was studied both in freely drinking animals and in three different models of thirst (water deprivation, hypertonic saline administration, angiotensin II injection). In all cases, oxytocin dose dependently inhibited water intake, in a dose range of 0.1-10 micrograms/rat (ICV) or 93-750 micrograms/kg (IP). In the water deprivation model, ICV pretreatment with d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)-[Orn8]-vasotocin completely prevented the antidipsogenic effect of oxytocin. In conclusion, these data show that oxytocin directly inhibits food and water intake in rats, the effect being specifically mediated by brain oxytocin receptors. This may support the idea that the brain oxytocinergic system plays an important role in the regulation of ingestive behaviors.

Animals↗

Hippocampal oxytocin mediates apomorphine-induced penile erection and yawning.

Repeated episodes of penile erection and yawning can be induced in male rats either by low doses of the dopaminergic agonist apomorphine or by oxytocin given systematically or into a lateral ventricle (ICV), respectively, or after microinjection of the two substances directly in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus. These behavioral responses are prevented in a dose-dependent manner by the ICV administration of the potent oxytocin antagonist d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)-Orn8-vasotocin. In contrast, the PVN injection of d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)-Orn8-vasotocin (1-30 ng), while effective in preventing oxytocin effect, was unable to prevent apomorphine response. On the other hand, apomorphine-, but not oxytocin-induced penile erection and yawning was prevented by electrolytic lesion of the medial septum (MS). Such a lesion decreased oxytocin content by about 45% in the hippocampus. The above results suggest that the hypothalamic-hippocampal oxytocinergic pathway mediates apomorphine-induced penile erection and yawning and that oxytocin is involved at different levels in the CNS for the control of these behavioral responses.

Animals↗

Vasopressin and oxytocin in the developing rat brain as shown by isoelectric focusing of radioimmunoassayable peptides.

Vasopressin and oxytocin content were measured by radioimmunoassay in tissue extracts from rat pituitary, hypothalamus and the extrahypothalamic brain from gestational day 14 until postnatal day 14. Assayable compounds were subsequently characterized by isoelectric focusing in gels. Fetal day 14 extracts contained only low amounts of both hormones (around 1-2 pg per fetus). Vasopressin content rapidly increased to levels of 41 ng in pituitary, 20 ng in hypothalamus, 0.3 ng in extrahypothalamic brain on postnatal day 14. Oxytocin content showed only measurable amounts around day 20 prenatally, reaching levels of, respectively, 10, 0.5 and 0.2 ng on postnatal day 14. The presence of radioimmunoassayable vasopressin in the extrahypothalamic brain on fetal day 14 (around 2 pg) confirms the early ontogeny of vasopressinergic innervation of the brain. Whenever measurable, immunoreactivity had an isoelectric point similar to that of synthetic vasopressin or oxytocin. The possibility that the detected amounts of vasopressin were due to vasotocin, which had been claimed to be present in fetal brain, was excluded by comparison of the regression coefficients of serial dilutions of the extracts in the radioimmunoassay with those of synthetic vasotocin or vasopressin.

Animals↗

Structure, processing and evolution of the neurohypophysial hormone-neurophysin precursors.

Neurohypophysial hormones and neurophysins are derived from common precursors processed during the axonal transport from the hypothalamus to the neurohypophysis. Two neurohormones, an oxytocin-like and a vasopressin-like, on one hand, two neurophysins, termed VLDV-and MSEL-neurophysins according to residues in positions 2, 3, 6 and 7, on the other, are usually found in vertebrate species. In contrast to placental mammals that have oxytocin and arginine vasopressin, marsupials have undergone a peculiar evolution. Two pressor peptides, lysipressin and vasopressin for American species, lysipressin and phenylpressin for Australian macropods, have been identified in individual glands and it is assumed that the primordial vasopressin gene has been duplicated in these lineages. On the other hand, the reptilian mesotocin is still present in Australian species instead of the mammalian oxytocin, while the North American opossum has both hormones and South American opossums have only oxytocin. The neurophysin domain of each precursor is encoded by 3 exons and different evolutionary rates have been found for the 3 corresponding parts of the protein. The central parts, encoded by the central exons, are evolutionarily very stable and nearly identical in the 2 neurophysins of a given species. Recurrent gene conversions have apparently linked the evolutions of the 2 precursor lineages. In mammals, the 3-domain precursor of vasopressin is processed in 2 stages: a first cleavage splitting off vasopressin and a second cleavage separating MSEL-neurophysin from copeptin. Two distinct enzymatic systems seem to be involved in these cleavages. Processing is usually complete at the level of the neurohypophysis, but an intermediate precursor encompassing MSEL -neurophysin and copeptin linked by an arginine residue has been characterized in guinea pig. In vitro processing of this intermediate through trypsin--Sepharose reveals cleavages only in the interdomain region. In non-mammalian tetrapods, such as birds and amphibians, mesotocin and vasotocin are associated with neurophysins in precursors similar to those found in mammals. However, processing of the vasotocin precursor seems to be different from the processing of the vasopressin precursor, with a single cleavage leading to the hormone release.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Mechanisms for induction of drinking with special reference to angiotensin II.

The Japanese quail drinks water vigorously after water deprivation, haemorrhage and administration of hypertonic saline solution. Most avian species responded to angiotensin II (AII) by drinking, but carnivorous birds and those originating in arid regions were insensitive. The receptive sites for AII were the subfornical organ (SFO) and the preoptic area (POA) in the Japanese quail. Catecholaminergic fibers proceed from the POA to the SFO. Dipsogenic information generated by AII at the POA is transferred to the SFO through the catecholaminergic nerve fibres. Plasma AII increased following dehydration and haemorrhage and returned to a normal level immediately after rehydration. Following dehydration, arginine vasotocin, aldosterone and corticosterone increased in plasma as well as AII. A single intraperitoneal injection of AII induced increases of arginine vasotocin, aldosterone and corticosterone in plasma. It seems that AII functions as a trigger for release of these other hormones during dehydration.

Angiotensin II↗

Nitroglycerin-induced penile erection and yawning in male rats: mechanism of action in the brain.

The effect of the central administration of nitroglycerin, a potent organic nitrate vasodilator, on penile erection and yawning was studied in male rats. When given intracerebroventricularly (ICV), nitroglycerin (33-99 micrograms) induced the above responses dose-dependently. The minimal effective dose was 33 micrograms, which was active in 60% of the rats. Nitroglycerin (1.65-6.6 micrograms) induced penile erection and yawning also when injected in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. Nitroglycerin responses were prevented by methylene blue (200-400 micrograms ICV), by d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)2-Orn8-vasotocin (0.5-1 micrograms ICV) but not hemoglobin (100-200 micrograms ICV). In contrast methylene blue (10-20 micrograms), d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)2-Orn8-vasotocin (0.05-0.1 microgram) and hemoglobin (10-20 micrograms) were ineffective when injected in the paraventricular nucleus. Systemic haloperidol (0.5-1 mg/kg IP) was also ineffective. The results suggest that nitroglycerin induces penile erection and yawning by activating brain oxytocinergic transmission through the formation of nitric oxide in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus.

Animals↗

Stimulation of adenylate cyclase in the heart of Aplysia californica by biogenic amines.

The effects of serotonin (5-HT), dopamine (DA), several peptides including FMRFamide and arginine vasotocin, the diterpene forskolin and Ca2+ were examined on adenylate cyclase in a particulate fraction from hearts of Aplysia californica. Enzyme activity was stimulated 6-7-fold by 5-HT (EC50, 1 microM) in the presence of GTP. Several 5-HT analogs particularly 5-methoxytryptamine and 5-methoxy-N-N-dimethyltryptamine were also active. The stimulatory action of 5-HT was antagonized by the 5-HT receptor blockers methergoline and metitepine and by the DA receptor blocker chlorpromazine. Dopamine had weak stimulatory action (EC50, 10 microM) and an efficacy relative to that of 5-HT of 0.3. The action of DA was antagonized by chloropromazine and metitepine. Several peptides including FMRFamide and arginine vasotocin had no effect on adenylate cyclase when tested over the concentration range 0.1-100 microM. The enzyme was stimulated 6-fold by the diterpene forskolin (EC50, 2 microM). 5-HT-stimulated activity was strongly inhibited by Ca2+. Calmodulin had no action on the enzyme in the presence of Ca2+.

Adenylyl Cyclase Inhibitors↗

Further study of effects of synthetic peptides on identifiable giant neurones of an African giant snail (Achatina fulica Férussac).

1. Effects of the following peptides at 10(-4) M on identifiable giant neurones of Achatina fulica Férussac were examined: physalaemin, eledoisin, bradykinin, neurokinin A, neurokinin B, neuromedin B, gastrin releasing peptide decapeptide (neuromedin C), gastrin releasing peptide (14-27), cholecystokinin tetrapeptide, cholecystokinin octapeptide, thyrotropin releasing hormone, Arg-vasotocin, gamma-melanocyte stimulating hormone. 2. The six neurones tested were as follows: PON (periodically oscillating neurone), TAN (tonically autoactive neurone), RAPN (right anterior pallial neurone), d-RPLN (dorsal-right parietal large neurone), VIN (visceral intermittently firing neurone) and d-VLN (dorsal-visceral large neurone). 3. Of the peptides examined, only Arg-vasotocin at 10(-4) M produced the excitatory effects on PON, VIN and d-VLN. Physalaemin showed slight inhibitory effects on TAN; this substance was sometimes almost ineffective on the neurone. 4. The other peptides examined were completely ineffective on all of the neurones tested.

Animals↗

Antagonism of cannabinoid CB1 receptors in the paraventricular nucleus of male rats induces penile erection.

The effect of cannabinoid CB1 receptor agonists and antagonists on penile erection was studied in male rats when injected into the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. The CB1 receptor antagonist SR 141716A [N-(piperidin-1-yl)-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxyamide] (0.5-5 microg) induced penile erection in a dose-dependent manner. The minimal effective dose was 1 microg, while the maximal response was found with 5 microg of the compound. In contrast, the CB1 receptor agonists WIN 55,212-2 [4,5-dihydro-2-methyl-4(4-morpholinylmethyl)-1-(1-naphthalenyl-carbonyl)-6H-pyrrolo[3,2,1-I,j]quinolin-6-one] (0.5-5 microg) and CP 55,940 [1alpha,2beta-(R)-5alpha]-5-(1,1-dimethylheptyl)-2-[5-hydroxy-2-(3-hydroxy-propyl)cyclohexyl]phenol (0.5-5 microg) were ineffective at all the doses tested. Nevertheless, both compounds reduced the enhancing effect of SR 141716A on penile erection when given into the paraventricular nucleus at the above doses before SR 141716A. The pro-erectile effect of SR 141716A was also reduced by the non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist dizolcipine (MK-801) (0.2 microg) and by the NO synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-l-arginine methylester (L-NAME) (20 microg) but not by the dopamine receptor antagonist cis-flupenthixol (10 microg) or the oxytocin receptor antagonist d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)2-Orn8-vasotocin (0.1 microg), when given into the paraventricular nucleus. In spite of its inability to prevent the pro-erectile effect of SR 141716A when given in the paraventricular nucleus, d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)2-Orn8-vasotocin) (1 microg) reduced almost completely SR 141716A-induced penile erection when given into the lateral ventricles. The present results show that cannabinoid CB1 receptors present in the paraventricular nucleus may influence erectile function and sexual activity by modulating paraventricular oxytocinergic neurons mediating erectile function.

Animals↗

PD-168077, a selective dopamine D4 receptor agonist, induces penile erection when injected into the paraventricular nucleus of male rats.

The effect of PD-168077 (N-methyl-4-(2-cyanophenyl)piperazynil-3-methylbenzamide maleate), a selective D4 dopamine receptor agonist, injected into the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus on penile erection was studied in male rats. PD-168077 (1-200 ng) induced penile erection in a dose-dependent manner. The minimal effective dose was 50 ng, while the maximal response was found with 200 ng of the compound, which increased penile erection episodes from 0.3+/-0.03 to 1.7+/-0.21. The proerectile effect of PD-168077 was reduced almost completely by L-745,870 (3-(4-[chlorophenyl]piperazin-1-yl)-methyl-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-B]pyridine trihydrochloride), a selective D4 dopamine receptor antagonist, (1 microg) given into the paraventricular nucleus before the D4 dopamine agonist, and by other nonselective dopamine receptor antagonists, such as haloperidol (1 microg) and clozapine (1 microg), which block all dopamine receptor subtypes. The pro-erectile effect of PD-168077 was also reduced by the NO synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methylester (25 microg), but not by the oxytocin receptor antagonist d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)2-Orn8-vasotocin (1 microg), when given into the paraventricular nucleus. In spite of its inability to prevent the pro-erectile effect of PD-168077 when given in the paraventricular nucleus, d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)2-Orn8-vasotocin (1 microg) reduced almost completely PD-168077-induced penile erection when given into the lateral ventricles. The present results show that D4 dopamine receptors present in the paraventricular nucleus may influence penile erection by modulating the activity of paraventricular oxytocinergic neurons mediating erectile function.

Animals↗

Pro-VGF-derived peptides induce penile erection in male rats: Involvement of paraventricular nitric oxide.

The effect of four peptides derived from the C-terminal portion of rat pro-VGF(556-617) (VGF(556-576), VGF(588-617), VGF(599-617), and VGF(588-597)), on penile erection and nitric oxide production in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus was studied in male rats after injecting into this hypothalamic nucleus. VGF(588-617) (0.5, 1 and 2 microg), VGF(599-617) (0.5, 2 and 5 microg) and, to a lower extent, VGF(588-597) (2 and 5 microg) induced penile erection episodes when injected into the paraventricular nucleus and concomitantly increased paraventricular nitric oxide production, while VGF(556-576) (5 microg) was ineffective. VGF(588-617)-induced nitric oxide production was reduced by N(G)-nitro-l-arginine methylester (l-NAME) (20 microg), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, which also reduced penile erection when injected in the paraventricular nucleus 15 min before the VGF peptide. The oxytocin receptor antagonist d(CH(2))(5)Tyr(Me)-Orn(8)-vasotocin (1 microg) also effectively reduced VGF(588-617)-induced penile erection when given into the lateral ventricles, but not when injected into the paraventricular nucleus. In both experimental conditions, d(CH(2))(5)Tyr(Me)-Orn(8)-vasotocin was unable to influence nitric oxide production in the paraventricular nucleus. The present results confirm that C-terminal pro-VGF-derived peptides induce penile erection when injected into the paraventricular nucleus and show that this effect is mediated by an increased nitric oxide production in this hypothalamic nucleus. Apparently, this causes the activation of paraventricular oxytocinergic neurons projecting to extra-hypothalamic brain areas and mediating penile erection, as found with dopamine agonists, oxytocin, excitatory amino acids and hexarelin analogue peptides.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The cannabinoid receptor antagonist SR-141716A induces penile erection in male rats: involvement of paraventricular glutamic acid and nitric oxide.

The cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist SR141716A (0.5, 1 and 2 microg) induces penile erection when injected into the paraventricular nucleus of male rats. The pro-erectile effect of SR 141716A occurs concomitantly with an increase in the concentration of NO2- and NO3- in the paraventricular dialysate obtained by means of intracerebral microdialysis. Both penile erection and NO2- increase induced by SR 141716A were reduced by the prior injection into the PVN of the cannabinoid CB1 agonists WIN 55,212-2 (5 microg) or HU 210 (5 microg), given into the paraventricular nucleus at doses unable to induce penile erection or to modify NO2- concentration. SR 141716A responses were also reduced by nitro-L-arginine methylester (20 microg), a non-selective NO synthase inhibitor, S-methyl-L-thiocitrulline (20 microg), a selective neuronal NO synthase inhibitor, the excitatory amino acid NMDA receptor antagonist dizocilpine ((+)MK 801) (1 microg), or the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol (0.2 microg) injected into the PVN 15 min before SR 141716A. In contrast, the inducible NO synthase inhibitor L-N(6)-(1-iminoethyl)lysine (20 microg), the GABAB receptor agonist baclofen (0.2 microg), the mixed dopamine receptor antagonist cis-flupenthixol (10 microg), and the oxytocin receptor antagonist d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)-Orn8 -vasotocin (1 microg), were ineffective. Despite its inability to reduce penile erection and NO2- increase induced by SR 141716A when injected into the PVN, d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)-Orn8 -vasotocin (1 microg) reduced almost completely penile erection without reducing paraventricular NO2- increase when injected into the lateral ventricles 15 min before SR 141716A. The present results show that SR 141716 induces penile erection by a mechanism (possibly activation of excitatory amino acid neurotransmission), which causes the activation of neuronal NO synthase in paraventricular oxytocinergic neurons mediating penile erection.

Animals↗

Evidence for independent hypertensive effects of oxytocin and vasopressin in the rat dorsal vagal complex.

Infusion of OT or the V1 agonist [Phe2,Orn8]-vasotocin (POVT) (50 ng) into the dorsal vagal complex of urethane-anaesthetized male rats induced a sustained hypertension. Simultaneous infusion of the V1 antagonist d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2]-VP blocked the effect of POVT, but not of OT. The OT antagonist d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2,Thr4,Orn8,Tyr-NH(9)2]-vasotocin blocked the effect of OT, but not of POVT. The OT agonist [Thr4,Gly7]-OT had no effect. This suggests that OT-induced hypertension involves mechanisms independent of V1 and uterine-type OT receptors.

Animals↗

High sensitivity Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry for biological analysis with nano-LC and microelectrospray ionization.

Modifications to a 7 T nano-LC micro-ESI FT-ICR mass spectrometer, including a shorter octopole, approximately 100% duty cycle, improved nano-LC micro-ESI emitter tips, and reverse-phase HPLC resins that require no ion-pairing agent, combine to achieve attomole detection limit. Three peptides in a mixture totaling 500 attomoles (amol) each in water (10 microL, 50 amol/microL) are separated and detected, demonstrating detection from a mixture at low endogenous biological concentration. Two peptides in a mixture totaling 500 amol each in artificial cerebrospinal fluid (1 microL, 500 amol/microL) are separated and detected, demonstrating detection from a mixture at a biological concentration in a biological solvent. The highest sensitivity is attained with arg8-vasotocin, in which a total of 300 amol is detected in artificial cerebrospinal fluid (1 microL, 300 amol/microL) and a total of 100 amol in water (1 microL, 100 amol/microL). Arg8-vasotocin isolated from the pineal gland of rainbow trout is detected, demonstrating the ability of FT-ICR to detect and identify a true endogenous biological analyte.

Animals↗

Effects of a D-Cys6/L-Cys6 interchange in nonselective and selective vasopressin and oxytocin antagonists.

We report the solid-phase synthesis of the D-Cys6 analogues of arginine-vasopressin (AVP), peptide 1, of the selective AVP vasopressor (V1a receptor) antagonist [1-(beta-mercapto-beta,beta-pentamethylenepropionic acid),2-O-methyltyrosine]arginine-vasopressin (d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2]-AVP, (A)), peptide 2, of the three nonselective antidiuretic/vasopressor (V2/V1a receptor) AVP antagonists d(CH2)5[Tyr(Et)2]VAVP (B), d(CH2)5[D-Tyr(Et)2]VAVP (C), and d(CH2)5[D-Phe2]VAVP (D) (where V = Val4), peptides 3-5, of the nonselective oxytocin (OT) antagonists d(CH2)5-[Tyr(Me)2]OVT (E) and d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2,Thr4,Tyr-NH2(9)]OVT (F) (where OVT = ornithine-vasotocin), peptides 6 and 7, and of the selective OT antagonists desGly-NH2,d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2,Thr4]OVT (G) and d(CH2)5]D-Trp2,Thr4]OVT (H), peptides 8 and 9. We also present the repeat syntheses of the previously reported d(CH2)5[D-Trp2]AVT (peptide 10) and its D-Cys6 analogue (peptide 11) (where AVT = arginine-vasotocin). Peptides 1-11 were assayed for agonistic and antagonistic activities in in vivo V1a, V2, and oxytocic assays and in in vitro oxytocic assays without and with 0.5 mM Mg2+. With V2 and V1a agonistic potencies of 0.82 and 0.41 units/mg, [D-Cys6]AVP has retained less than 0.3% of the V2 and V1a potencies of AVP. It exhibits no oxytocic activity and is an in vitro OT antagonist. pA2 = 6.67 (no Mg2+); pA2 = 5.24 (0.5 mM Mg2+). By contrast, with one or two exceptions, a D-Cys6/L-Cys6 interchange in antagonists 2-9, although resulting in reductions of antagonistic potencies in all assays for virtually all peptides 2-9 relative to A-H, has been well tolerated. For peptides 2-5, the anti-V2 and anti-V1a pA2 values range from approximately 5.54 to 7.33 and from 7.19 to 8.06, respectively; the range of in vitro anti-OT pA2 values (no Mg2+) is 7.35-7.87; with 0.5 mM Mg2+, the range is 7.24-8.21. Peptides 2 and 4 have in vivo anti-OT pA2s = 6.60 and 7.16, respectively. For peptides 6-9, the range of in vitro anti-OT pA2 values (no Mg2+) is 7.65-7.96; with 0.5 mM Mg2+, the range is 7.41-7.65, and the in vivo anti-OT pA2 values range from 6.85 to 7.33. With an in vivo anti-OT pA2 = 7.33, peptide 6 is equipotent with its parent E. The in vivo anti-OT potencies of peptides 7-9 are significantly reduced relative to those of F-H. The in vitro anti-OT (0.5 mM Mg2+) pA2 values of 10 and 11 are 7.54 and 7.50, both significantly lower than those previously reported.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Electrophysiological and autoradiographical evidence of V1 vasopressin receptors in the lateral septum of the rat brain.

Extracellular recordings were obtained from single neurons located in the lateral septum, an area known to receive a vasopressinergic innervation in the rat brain. Approximately half of the neurons tested responded to 8-L-arginine vasopressin (AVP) by a marked increase in firing rate at concentrations greater than 1 nM. The effect of vasopressin was blocked by synthetic structural analogues possessing antagonistic properties on peripheral vasopressin and oxytocin receptors. Oxytocin was much less potent than vasopressin in firing septal neurons, and a selective oxytocic agonist was totally ineffective. The action of vasopressin on neuronal firing was mimicked by the vasopressor agonist [2-phenylalanine,8-ornithine]vasotocin but not by the selective antidiuretic agonist 1-deamino[8-D-arginine]vasopressin. In a parallel study, sites that bind [3H]AVP at low concentration (1.5 nM) were found by in vitro autoradiography in the lateral septum. Adjacent sections were also incubated with 1.5 mM [3H]AVP and, in addition, with 100 nM [2-phenylalanine,8-ornithine]vasotocin or 1-deamino[8-D-arginine]vasopressin--i.e., the same compounds as those used for the electrophysiological study. Results showed that the vasopressor agonist, but not the antidiuretic agonist, displaced [3H]AVP, thus indicating that the vasopressin binding sites detected by autoradiography in the septum were V1 (vasopressor type) rather than V2 (antidiuretic type) receptors. Based on the electrophysiological evidence, we conclude that these receptors, when occupied, lead to increased firing of lateral septal neurons.

Animals↗

Oral peptide delivery: are there remarkable effects on drugs through sulfhydryl conjugation?

In oral peptide delivery, the gap between convenient administration and low blood concentration has to be minimized. We found that oral peptide drugs have not only to pass the various commonly known barriers encountered with the gastrointestinal tract but that these drugs, under certain conditions, have also to be seen as redox partners for thiol bearing substrates. The interaction of glutathione (GSH) with peptides via thiol-disulfide exchange reactions was investigated for three peptides, vasotocin, oxytocin and octreotide. The extent of thiol-disulfide exchange reactions was investigated by liquid chromatography (LC) and further confirmed by hyphenation to electrospray ionization (ESI) and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS). We found that the presence of aromatic amino acid residues in the neighbourhood of the disulfide bond minimizes the thiol-disulfide interaction: oxytocin was degraded more than 80% with 1% reduced glutathione at pH 3.0 and vasotocin more than 40% under the same conditions. In the case of octreotide no interaction with GSH was observed. The obtained results revealed that thiol-disulfide exchange reactions have an important impact on the alteration of peptide drugs and proteins in the gastrointestinal tract.

Administration, Oral↗