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At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

PubMed1985

Projections of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone and vasotocin fibers to the anterior part of the preoptic nucleus in the toad, Bufo japonicus.

The anterior part of the preoptic nucleus (APON) is a crucial locus for triggering male mate calling behavior in anuran amphibia. The projections to this locus of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone and vasotocin fibers were immunohistochemically demonstrated in the brain of the toad (Bufo japonicus) using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method. Immunoreactive (ir)-LH-RH perikarya are localized in the nucleus medialis septi and the nucleus of the diagonal band of Broca. A part of ir-LH-RH fibers arising from these nuclei project to the lateral part of the APON, where the APON neurons form their dendritic field, and often protrude into its medial neuronal cell mass. Meanwhile, a considerable number of vasotocin fibers arising from the ventral magnocellular part of the preoptic nucleus project anterior to these loci. These observations indicate that the LH-RH and vasotocin fibers may form ordinary and/or en passant synapses with the APON neurons to transmit peptidergic neuronal signals which are concerned with initiation of seasonal reproductive behavior.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Arginine vasotocin delays extinction of a conditioned avoidance behavior in neonatal chicks.

One minute after single-trial avoidance conditioning, young cockerels received intracerebroventricular or intraperitoneal injections of saline or arginine vasotocin (dose range: 0.004 to 16 micrograms/chick). Retroactive enhancement of the learned response was observed 24 hours post-training for some dose levels, but not for others. A 0.4 micrograms vasotocin dose also delayed extinction when injected 9 minutes after training. Behavioral similarities between avian and mammalian responses to vasotocin and other neuroactive peptides are discussed.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Circulating vasotocin in the snake Bothrops jararaca.

1. There is biochemical and pharmacological evidence to suggest the presence of vasotocin in the blood and plasma of the snake Bothrops jararaca (Bj). 2. XE-64 extracts from Bj blood showed antidiuretic and hypotensive activities in rats and a contractile effect on rat isolated uterus, which was totally dialysable and inhibited by thioglycollate. 3. Extracts from Bj whole plasma presented an antidiuretic activity which was only partially dialysable. 4. The plasma extracts also showed oxytocic properties. 5. When EDTA and Sep-Pak C18 extraction were used, a better recovery and characterization of vasotocin by HPLC was obtained. 6. These results indicate the occurrence of free and bound circulating vasotocin in Bj, in an equilibrium dependent of its enzymatic hydrolysis.

Animals↗

PubMed1983

Comparison of the effects of two 'sleep' peptides, delta sleep-inducing peptide and arginine-vasotocin, on single neurons in the rat and rabbit brain stem.

The effects of delta sleep-inducing peptide and arginine-vasotocin were assessed on single neurons in the nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis of the brain stem in rats and rabbits. Both peptides showed predominantly excitatory actions in both species when applied by microiontophoresis. A small proportion of cells was inhibited by delta sleep-inducing peptide in the rat. Responses to delta sleep-inducing peptide were short-lasting, dose-dependent and showed no significant desensitization to repeated applications. Responses to arginine-vasotocin were of very long time course and showed profound desensitization. No statistically significant correlation was seen between cells responsive to delta sleep-inducing peptide and those responsive to arginine-vasotocin. We conclude that both 'sleep' peptides have similar actions on central neurons and that they are active in both rats and rabbits. However, no evidence was found to suggest a common mechanism of action for both substances.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Effects of arginine vasotocin on cardiorespiratory and thermoregulatory responses in the pigeon.

1. The effects of intramuscular injections (10 ng, 100 ng, 1 mu or 10 mu/pigeon) of two preparations of synthetic arginine vasotocin (AVT), deamino-dicarba-arginine vasotocin (ddAVT) and arginine vasotocin diacetate tetrahydrate (AVTdt) on heart rate (HR), breathing frequency (BF), oxygen consumption (VO2), cloacal and foot temperatures (Tc and Tf) and shivering (S) were studied in the pigeon housed in a respiratory flow chamber maintained at a temperature of 22.5 degrees, during a 4 hr post-injection period. 2. In general, with the exception of the lowest dose, AVT-treatment produced hypothermic responses, as was indicated by Tc and Tf. 3. Both ddAVT and AVTdt produced increases in HR and BF when administered in high concentrations (10 micrograms/pigeon), the effect being more potent with AVTdt than ddAVT; with lower doses, the effects were considerably less pronounced. This increase in HR and BF is attributed to a probable compensatory response to the hypothermic effect. 4. With a 10 micrograms dose, ddAVT produced a greater decline in VO2 than AVTdt. Although other doses too evoked a drop in VO2 at certain post-injection time points, the effect was of lesser magnitude. 5. No significant shivering response was elicited, in spite of the drop in Tc. 6. It is suggested that, besides the antidiuretic function of AVT, its hypothermic effect would be of considerable importance in thermal homeostasis during flight in birds.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Effects of exogenous arginine vasotocin on circulating levels of thyroid hormones and melatonin in the pigeon, Columbia livia.

The effects of intravenous injections of two different preparations of synthetic arginine vasotocin (AVT), deamino-dicarba-arginine vasotocin and arginine vasotocin diacetate tetrahydrate on serum levels of thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and melatonin were studied in the resting pigeon. Although variations depending on factors such as the type of AVT preparation and the dose used and also the duration of treatment were apparent, both preparations of AVT produced an increase in serum levels of T4 and a decrease in that of T3. The T3:T4 ratio was also significantly lower in response to AVT administration. However, no statistically significant changes in serum levels of melatonin were discernible with the administration of either of the two AVT preparations, even though melatonin levels in most AVT-treated groups showed a trend (P > 0.05) to be higher than that in the controls. The rise in T4 levels is indicative of increased release of T4 and/or the inhibition of its conversion to the active hormone, T3. The drop in T3 may account for the AVT-induced reduction in the metabolic rate of the pigeon observed in an earlier study. The absence of a significant increase in melatonin indicates that AVT could not produce such a change in the daytime in resting pigeons, in contrast to that in flown homing pigeons, suggesting that the modulating effect of AVT on melatonin levels is dependent on the physiological state of the animal.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Characterization and immunohistochemical visualization of the vasotocin VT2 receptor in the pituitary gland of the chicken, Gallus gallus.

Arginine vasotocin is a neurohypophysial hormone in lower vertebrates including birds. Its actions are mediated through G-protein coupled receptors that belong to the vasopressin/oxytocin receptor family. Our laboratory recently cloned a vasotocin receptor, designated the VT2 receptor (VT2R), which shares high sequence identity at both the nucleotide and amino acid level with the mammalian V1b vasopressin receptor (V1bR). In the present study, we report development and use of an antibody to the VT2R to obtain anatomical evidence for testing the hypothesis that the VT2R is the avian homolog of the mammalian V1bR. Results verified the specificity of the antibody and demonstrated a receptor distribution occurring predominantly in the cephalic lobe of the pars distalis and co-localizing with adrenocorticotropin in corticotrophs. With respect to VT2R distribution and cell-type localization in pituitary gland, evidence presented support its similarity with the mammalian V1bR. In contrast to the mammalian V1bR, VT2R expression was not observed in chicken brain. Further research will be required to determine which receptor/s in the arginine vasotocin/mesotocin family are expressed in brain and mediate regulatory functions of vasotocin in the central nervous system.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Vasotocin genes of the teleost fish Catostomus commersoni: gene structure, exon-intron boundary, and hormone precursor organization.

cDNA clones encoding two members of the vasotocin hormone precursor gene family have been isolated from the white sucker Catostomus commersoni. The hormone is encoded by at least two distinct genes, both of which are expressed, as indicated by Northern blot analysis. Genomic DNA amplified by the polymerase chain reaction has been used to define exon-intron boundaries. Both vasotocin genes contain introns in positions corresponding to those found in the gene of their mammalian counterpart vasopressin. The predicted vasotocin precursors show a surprising degree of sequence divergence, amounting to 45% at the amino acid level, of which only approximately half can be accounted for by conservative amino acid changes. The precursors include a hormone moiety followed by a putative neurophysin sequence that is longer at the C-terminus by a tract of some 30 amino acids by comparison to their mammalian counterpart. Each of these sequences contains a leucine-rich core segment resembling that found in copeptin, a glycopeptide moiety present in mammalian vasopressin precursors.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1973

Conformational studies of oxytocin, lysine vasopressin, arginine vasopressin, and arginine vasotocin by carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Oxytocin, arginine vasopressin, lysine vasopressin, arginine vasotocin, as well as their cyclic and acyclic analogs, were studied by carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in deuterium oxide and deuterated dimethylsulfoxide. Fourier-transformed spectra were obtained at 25.16 MHz. The resonances of all carbon atoms have been assigned in both solvent systems; this includes tentative assignments of the carbonyl carbons. The spectra of arginine vasopressin and lysine vasopressin are essentially identical when compared in D(2)O or dimethylsulfoxide, but they differ from those of oxytocin. The spectrum of arginine vasotocin in D(2)O is intermediate between those of oxytocin and the vasopressins. These spectral differences are not only due to variations in constituent amino acids but are also a reflection of conformational differences of oxytocin, arginine vasotocin, and the vasopressins. All hormones are sensitive to changes in hydrogen ion concentration in both solvents; this was not observed with deamino analogs, which lack the terminal amino group.

Arginine↗

PubMed1989

Vasotocin and isotocin precursors from the white sucker, Catostomus commersoni: cloning and sequence analysis of the cDNAs.

The nucleotide sequences of cloned cDNAs encoding the precursors for vasotocin and isotocin have been elucidated by analyzing a lambda gt11 library constructed from poly(A)+ RNA from the hypothalamic region of the teleost fish Catostomus commersoni. Screening of the library was carried out with synthetic oligonucleotide probes deduced from the amino acid sequences of the nonapeptides vasotocin and isotocin. The cDNA nucleotide sequences predict isotocin and vasotocin prohormone precursors each consisting of a signal peptide, a hormone moiety, and a neurophysin-like molecule. However, in comparison to their mammalian counterparts, both fish neurophysins are extended at their C termini by an approximately 30 amino acid sequence with a leucine-rich core segment. These extensions show striking similarities with the glycopeptide moiety (the so-called copeptin) present in mammalian vasopressin precursors, except that they lack the consensus sequence for N-glycosylation. These data suggest that mammalian copeptin is derived from the C terminus of an ancestral neurophysin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1987

Covalent labeling of hydrosmotic toad bladder receptors with an antagonist of vasotocin.

A photoreactive analogue of vasotocin, [1-desamino,4-lysine(azidobenzoyl),8-arginine]vasotocin (4-N3-AVT), has been examined in the isolated toad urinary bladder for biological activity and binding to hormonal receptors. Although 4-N3-AVT induced only a small increase in bladder permeability to water, it behaved as a potent inhibitor of hydrosmotic action of [8-arginine]vasotocin (AVT) and [8-arginine]vasopressin (AVP). The inhibitory action of 4-N3-AVT was readily reversed on removal of the analogue from the serosal bathing solution. On the other hand, when bladders were exposed to 4-N3-AVT in the presence of long wavelength UV light (365 nm), the inhibition by 4-N3-AVT was not reversed on washout of the analogue. The dose of vasopressin required for a half-maximal response (ED50 value) was increased from 5 X 10(-9) to 1.3 X 10(-7) M in bladders photolabeled with 4-N3-AVT and the maximal response capacity of the tissue (intrinsic activity) was reduced to 79% of nonphotolabeled controls. A crude membrane preparation derived from bladders photolabeled with 4-N3-AVT contained 72 fmol of specific binding sites for tritium-labeled vasopressin per milligram protein, whereas nonphotolabeled controls had 136 fmol of specific binding sites per milligram protein. These observations suggest that 4-N3-AVT forms a covalent bond with hydrosmotic receptors in the presence of UV light. This is the first antagonistic photoaffinity analogue observed in the toad bladder and it may serve as a useful tool for analyzing the cellular mechanism of action of antidiuretic hormone.

Animals↗

PubMed1976

Renal responses of Australian lungfish to vasotocin, angiotensin II, and NaCl infusion.

The Australian lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri) responds to intravenous injections of 0.63 ng/kg or more of arginine vasotocin with increased dorsal aortic blood pressure, inulin clearance, urine flow, and tubular rejection of Na+. Single injections of 1 ng/kg or more of angiotensin II or norepinephrine also increase dorsal aortic pressure but do not cause consistent diuresis and natriuresis, Continuous infusions of angiotensin II or repeated injections of norepinephrine produce sustained hypertension and more modest diuresis and natriuresis than are seen after injections of arginine vasotocin that cause less hypertension. Infusions of isosmolar or hyposmolar NaCl solutions increase blood pressure, inulin clearance, urine flow, and tubular Na+ rejection in a manner resembling the response to argininge vasotocoin injections. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that arginine vasotocin is released in response to volume expansion in lungfishes and that it may act on the kidney as a diuretic and natriuretic hormone. They do not rule out a more direct action of expansion on renal functions.

Angiotensin II↗

PubMed1990

Comparative analysis of vasotocin-like immunoreactivity in the brain of the turtle Pseudemys scripta elegans and the snake Python regius.

The distribution of vasotocin in the brains of the turtle Pseudemys scripta elegans and the snake Python regius was studied with immunohistochemical methods. In both species, vasotocin-immunoreactive (VTi) cells were found in the supraoptic nucleus, the paraventricular nucleus and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. No VTi cell bodies were seen in the brainstem. Vasotocinergic fibers were found in all major brain divisions. Intrahypothalamic VTi fibers were observed between the supraoptic and the paraventricular nuclei and in the median eminence. An extensive network of extrahypothalamic VTi fibers extends from the olfactory bulb to the spinal cord. Limbic structures, such as the nucleus accumbens, the septal area and the ventral amygdaloid nucleus, contain a moderate to dense VTi plexus. Other areas with a substantial number of VTi fibers are the lateral habenular nucleus, the ventral tegmental area, the substantia nigra, the locus coeruleus and the nucleus of the solitary tract. Sex-related differences in the density of the VTi fibers were observed in the lateral septal nucleus, the mid-brain periaqueductal gray and, to a lesser extent, in the ventral amygdaloid nucleus, the lateral habenular nucleus, the ventral tegmental area and the substantia nigra. In these areas, the density of VTi fibers is higher in males than in females. The distribution of vasotocin-like immunoreactivity in the brains of Pseudemys and Python resembles the pattern previously observed in the lizard Gekko gecko. However, among the three species several differences exist, the most remarkable one being the variation in number of liquor-contacting VTi cells in the paraventricular nucleus.

Animals↗

PubMed1978

Effects of melatonin and natural and synthetic analogues of arginine vasotocin on plasma prolactin levels in adult male rats.

A significant elevation in plasma prolactin was observed 10 min following the intravenous injection of 100 microgram of melatonin into either estrogen-progesterone (EP) primed or into nonsteroid-treated male rats. 60 min postinjection in the EP primed rat, the groups treated with 100 microgram or 10 mg of melatonin had signficantly elevated plasma prolactin levels while no effect was observed with these same doses in the nonsteroid-treated rats. Compared to diluent-treated controls, a significant elevation in plasma prolactin was observed at 10, 20 and 60 min following the intravenous injection of either 1 microgram arginine vasotocin (AVT) or 1 mg melatonin into EP primed male rats. A consistent rise in plasma prolactin was also evident after the injection of 1 microgram of either arginine vasopressin, lysine vasopressin or AVT. Oxytocin had no effect on plasma prolactin values. The intravenous administration of 1 microgram of (deamino-1,6 dicarba, 8-arginine)-vasotocin caused a significant elevation of plasma prolactin 10 and 20 min after injection. However, the injection of another analogue of AVT, (4-leucine, 8-arginine)-vasotocin, had no effect on prolactin release at the time points measured.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Arginine vasotocin modulates a sexually dimorphic communication behavior in the weakly electric fish Apteronotus leptorhynchus.

South American weakly electric fish produce a variety of electric organ discharge (EOD) amplitude and frequency modulations including chirps or rapid increases in EOD frequency that function as agonistic and courtship and mating displays. In Apteronotus leptorhynchus, chirps are readily evoked by the presence of the EOD of a conspecific or a sinusoidal signal designed to mimic another EOD, and we found that the frequency difference between the discharge of a given animal and that of an EOD mimic is important in determining which of two categories of chirp an animal will produce. Type-I chirps (EOD frequency increases averaging 650 Hz and lasting approximately 25 ms) are preferentially produced by males in response to EOD mimics with a frequency of 50-200 Hz higher or lower than that of their own. The EOD frequency of Apteronotus leptorhynchus is sexually dimorphic: female EODs range from 600 to 800 Hz and male EODs range from 800 to 1000 Hz. Hence, EOD frequency differences effective in evoking type-I chirps are most likely to occur during male/female interactions. This result supports previous observations that type-I chirps are emitted most often during courtship and mating. Type-II chirps, which consist of shorter-duration frequency increases of approximately 100 Hz, occur preferentially in response to EOD mimics that differ from the EOD of the animal by 10-15 Hz. Hence these are preferentially evoked when animals of the same sex interact and, as previously suggested, probably represent agonistic displays. Females typically produced only type-II chirps. We also investigated the effects of arginine vasotocin on chirping. This peptide is known to modulate communication and other types of behavior in many species, and we found that arginine vasotocin decreased the production of type-II chirps by males and also increased the production of type-I chirps in a subset of males. The chirping of most females was not significantly affected by arginine vasotocin.

Animal Communication↗

PubMed1995

Diuretic and antidiuretic effects of mesotocin as compared with the antidiuretic effect of arginine vasotocin in the hen.

Mesotocin and arginine vasotocin were injected intravenously once at various dosage levels (.0025 to 25 micrograms/kg body weight) immediately after an intravenous injection of 15 mL/kg body weight saline solution into hens in which an artificial anus had been surgically created, and the volume of urine excreted during a 5-h period, following the injection, was measured. Arginine vasotocin caused a monophasic, dose-dependent decrease in urine volume. By contrast, mesotocin was biphasic: at .025 and .25 micrograms/kg body weight it decreased urine volume with the same efficacy as arginine vasotocin, whereas it dramatically increased urine volume at the higher doses (2.5 and 25 micrograms/kg body weight).

Animals↗

PubMed1977

The effect of vasotocin on plasma glucose, free fatty acids and growth hormone in the frog, Rana catesbeiana.

Injections of arginine vasotocin into bullfrogs had no effect on plasma glucose after 30 min. but caused hyperplycemia after 120 min. Plasma levels of growth hormone were elevated earlier (30 min.) and returned to control levels after 120 min. Plasma free fatty acids were unaltered following vasotocin administration. It is suggested that the hyperglycemic effect of vasotocin may be mediated via growth hormone.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[The direct stimulating effect of arginine vasotocin on the functional activity of the interrenal gland in the frog Rana temporaria].

Using radioimmunoassay it has been detected that both nonoperated and hypophysectomized, lacking endogenous ACTH, frogs injected one or three times with arginine vasotocin (5.10(-9) M/kg b. w.) show a statistically significant increase of plasma corticosterone level as compared with that in control animals and frogs injected with Ringer solution. The level of 11-hydroxycorticosteroids (fluorometric determination) in the interrenal gland decreases significantly only in animals three times injected with arginine vasotocin. It is assumed that arginine vasotocin produces a direct stimulatory effect on corticosteroid-producing cells of the frog interrenal gland.

11-Hydroxycorticosteroids↗