Vasopressin responses and receptors in the mesenteric vasculature of estrogen-treated rats

1986 ◽  
Vol 251 (5) ◽  
pp. H885-H889 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. St-Louis ◽  
A. Parent ◽  
R. Lariviere ◽  
E. L. Schiffrin

The effect of treatment with estrogens on the biological activity of arginine8 vasopressin (AVP) in the in vitro perfused mesenteric vascular bed and on the binding characteristics of [3H]AVP on membranes prepared from the same vascular bed was studied. Female rats treated with estradiol (400 micrograms/24 h sc), compared with ovariectomized rats, had an increase in the maximum response to AVP (from 128 +/- 3 to 153 +/- 3 mmHg) in the perfused preparation and an increase in the density of AVP binding sites (from 402 to 732 fmol/mg protein) in the membrane preparation. In male rats, the injection of estradiol increased the maximum response to AVP (from 109 +/- 4 to 137 +/- 3 mmHg) and the density of AVP binding sites (from 289 to 519 fmol/mg protein). The effective concentration producing 50% of maximum response of AVP in the perfused preparation was higher in male than in female rats, while the Kd in the binding experiments was similar in the four experimental groups. Our results show that estrogens upregulate the number of AVP binding sites, leading to an increase in the pressor response to AVP in the rat mesenteric vascular bed.

1988 ◽  
Vol 254 (6) ◽  
pp. H1027-H1033
Author(s):  
J. St-Louis ◽  
A. Parent ◽  
J. Gutkowska ◽  
J. Genest ◽  
E. L. Schiffrin

To investigate the role of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in pregnancy, we measured, in cyclic and pregnant female rats (9- and 21-days pregnant), the vascular responsiveness to ANP using helical strips of the thoracic aorta, the binding characteristics of 125I-labeled ANP in a membrane preparation of the mesenteric vascular bed, and the plasma level and the atrial content of immunoreactive ANP (IR-ANP). On aorta strips, concentration-response (C-R) curves to phenylephrine (PE) were measured and were slightly displaced to the right in the aorta of both groups of pregnant rats in comparison with the cyclic rats. There was a potentiation of the relaxant response of ANP on the PE-precontracted aortic strips of 9-day pregnant rats but it was not statistically modified in tissues of 21-day pregnant rats in comparison with strips from cyclic rats. The number of binding sites (Bmax) for ANP in the mesenteric vascular bed was similar in cyclic rats and the two groups of pregnant rats. The dissociation constant (KD) of ANP was lower in 9-day pregnant rats than in cyclic and 21-day pregnant ones. Plasma IR-ANP was not different in 9-day pregnant rats and cyclic rats but was markedly decreased at the end of gestation. Atrial content of IR-ANP increased at the end of gestation, but not in midpregnancy in comparison with cyclic rats. These results indicate that despite the reported important increase in blood volume during gestation the secretion of ANP is not increased and suggest that the ANP-volume relationship is reset during pregnancy in the rat.


1991 ◽  
Vol 261 (5) ◽  
pp. R1118-R1125 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Toba ◽  
J. T. Crofton ◽  
M. Inoue ◽  
L. Share

This study was performed to investigate further the mechanisms underlying the sexual dimorphism of the pressor responses to vasopressin. We have confirmed our earlier findings that the pressor response to graded infusions of vasopressin in conscious unrestrained male rats is similar to that in estrous females and greater than in diestrus, proestrus, and metestrus. This difference was due primarily to greater increases in total peripheral resistance (TPR) in males and estrous females, since there were no sex- or cycle-related differences in the vasopressin-induced reductions in cardiac output. Gonadectomy was without effect in males but, in females, increased blood pressure responses to vasopressin to levels found in males. Chronic treatment of ovariectomized rats with estradiol reduced pressor responsiveness to vasopressin; treatment with progesterone was without effect. These differences were also due to differences in TPR. It is concluded that the sex- and cycle-dependent differences in vasopressin-induced increases in blood pressure are due largely to attenuation of increases in TPR by estrogen.


1986 ◽  
Vol 251 (1) ◽  
pp. G46-G50 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. Ryan ◽  
A. Bhojwani

In vitro studies suggest that the female sex steroid hormones [estrogen (E) and progesterone (P)] can affect the myoelectric and mechanical activity of colonic smooth muscle. The present study was designed to examine the influence of the hormones on colonic transit in vivo. Transit was assessed by quantifying the distribution within the colon of a radiolabeled marker (0.5 microCi Na251CrO4), using the geometric center method of analysis. Studies were performed with adult male rats and the following groups of female rats: nonpregnant, ovariectomized, ovariectomy plus hormone pretreatment (100 micrograms X kg-1 X day-1 E + 2.5 mg X kg-1 X day-1 P for 4 days), and pregnant (day 18). Hormone-pretreated animals were studied 24 h following the fourth injection. The data can be summarized as follows. 1) Colonic transit was affected by the timing of the estrus cycle. Rats determined to be in proestrus-estrus had a geometric center value (1.97 +/- 0.50) significantly less than that of metestrus-diestrus animals (4.25 +/- 0.57). 2) Ovariectomy eliminated the biphasic transit pattern observed in estrus-cycling females and resulted in a geometric center value (4.19 +/- 0.17) comparable with that of the metestrus-diestrus animals. 3) E + P pretreatment of ovariectomized rats resulted in a significant decrease in the geometric center (1.94 +/- 0.19) compared with the untreated ovariectomized rats. 4) The geometric center value in pregnant animals (2.22 +/- 0.20) closely resembled the transit data for proestrus-estrus animals and hormone-pretreated animals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


1985 ◽  
Vol 249 (3) ◽  
pp. E276-E280 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. S. Evans ◽  
R. J. Krieg ◽  
E. R. Limber ◽  
D. L. Kaiser ◽  
M. O. Thorner

The effects of gender and the gonadal hormone environment on basal and stimulated growth hormone (GH) release by dispersed and continuously perifused rat anterior pituitary cells were examined. Cells from intact male and diestrus day 2 female rats and from castrate male rats either untreated or treated with testosterone (T) or 17 beta-estradiol (E2) were used. Basal GH release (ng/min per 10(7) cells; mean +/- SE) by cells from diestrus day 2 female rats was less than by cells from castrate rats treated with T (4.3 +/- 0.6 vs. 11.4 +/- 2.7, respectively; P less than 0.025). No other differences in basal release were detected. Concentration-response relationships were documented between human GH-releasing factor 40 (hGRF-40; 0.03-100 nM given as 2.5-min pulses every 27.5 min) and GH release. Mean (+/- SE) overall GH release (ng/min per 10(7) cells) above base line was greater by cells from intact male rats (496 +/- 92) than by cells from castrate (203 +/- 37.3; P less than 0.0001), castrate and T-treated (348 +/- 52.8; P = 0.008), or castrate and E2-treated (58.1 +/- 6.8; P less than 0.001) male rats or by diestrus day 2 rats (68.6 +/- 9.5; P = 0.0001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


1984 ◽  
Vol 222 (3) ◽  
pp. 639-647 ◽  
Author(s):  
M I Bird ◽  
E D Saggerson

[14C]Malonyl-CoA bound to intact mitochondria isolated from rat liver and heart in a manner consistent with the presence of two independent classes of binding sites in each tissue. The binding characteristics for mitochondria obtained from fed male rats were: for heart, KD(1) = 11-18nM, KD(2) = 30 microM, N1 = 7pmol/mg of protein, N2 = approx. 660pmol/mg of protein; for liver, KD(1) = 0.1 microM, KD(2) = 5.6 microM, N1 = 11pmol/mg of protein, N2 = 165pmol/mg of protein. In the presence of 40 microM-palmitoyl-CoA the characteristics of binding at the high-affinity sites were changed, so that for heart KD(1) = 0.26 microM, with no change in N1 and for liver KD(1) = approx. 2 microM, with N1 increased to approx. 40pmol/mg of protein. Differences between the two tissues in tightness of malonyl-CoA binding at the high-affinity sites explains the considerably greater sensitivity of heart CPT1 (overt form of carnitine palmitoyltransferase) to inhibition by malonyl-CoA [Saggerson & Carpenter, (1981) FEBS Lett. 129, 229-232; McGarry, Mills, Long & Foster (1983) Biochem. J. 214, 21-28]. Starvation (24h) did not change the characteristics of [14C]malonyl-CoA binding to liver mitochondria and did not alter the I50 (concentration giving 50% inhibition) for displacement of [14C]malonyl-CoA by palmitoyl-CoA. Therefore the decreased sensitivity of liver CPT1 to inhibition by malonyl-CoA in starvation [Saggerson & Carpenter (1981) FEBS Lett. 129, 225-228; Bremer (1981) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 665, 628-631] is not explained by differences in malonyl-CoA binding. Percentage occupancy of the high-affinity sites in heart mitochondria by malonyl-CoA correlated closely with percentage inhibition of CPT1 measured under similar conditions. This finding supports the proposal that the high-affinity binding sites are the functional sites mediating inhibition of CPT1 by malonyl-CoA. Similar experiments with liver mitochondria also suggested that the occupancy of high-affinity sites by malonyl-CoA regulates CPT1 activity. 5,5′-Dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid), which decreased the sensitivity of heart or liver CPT1 to inhibition by malonyl-CoA [Saggerson & Carpenter (1982) FEBS Lett. 137, 124-128], also decreased [14C]malonyl-CoA binding to the high-affinity sites of heart mitochondria. N1 values for [14C]malonyl-CoA binding to high-affinity sites in liver mitochondria were determined in various physiological states which encompassed a 7-fold range of CPT1 maximal activity (fed, starved, pregnant, hypothyroid, foetal). The N1 value did not change in these states.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


1994 ◽  
Vol 266 (3) ◽  
pp. H952-H958 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. Hwa ◽  
L. Ghibaudi ◽  
P. Williams ◽  
M. Chatterjee

The relative contributions of nitric oxide (NO) to in vitro relaxation responses elicited by acetylcholine (ACh) were compared in vessels of different sizes from the rat mesenteric vascular bed. ACh elicited an endothelium-dependent relaxation in phenylephrine-contracted superior mesenteric arteries (SMA, unstretched luminal diam 650 microns), which was blocked by compounds that inhibited NO, such as hemoglobin (10 microM), methylene blue (10 microM), and NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (1 mM). In contrast, the endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by ACh in phenylephrine-contracted mesenteric resistance arteries (MRA, unstretched luminal diam 200 microns) was not blocked by hemoglobin, methylene blue, or NG-monomethyl-L-arginine. KCl (25 mM) partially inhibited the ACh-dependent relaxation in MRA. Furthermore, the ACh-dependent relaxation in MRA was selectively inhibited by the Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel blocker charybdotoxin (0.1 microM). In contrast, the ATP-sensitive K+ channel blocker glibenclamide (50 microM) did not block the ACh-dependent relaxation in MRA. We conclude that 1) NO is a major component of the ACh-dependent relaxation in SMA and 2) the ACh-dependent relaxation of MRA is resistant to NO inhibitors but sensitive to a Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel blocker. This suggests that an endothelium-derived hyperpolarization factor may be involved in the relaxation of MRA.


1955 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 562-567
Author(s):  
John R. Beaton

Following earlier studies on carbohydrate metabolism in the vitamin-B6-deprived rat, in vitro investigations have been carried out. In all cases, comparisons were made between tissues from vitamin-B6-deprived and pair-fed control animals so that differences in the amount of food consumed would not affect the interpretation of experimental results. No significant difference was found in glucose utilization by muscle nor in liver cytochrome oxidase activity. Liver aldolase activity was significantly decreased and the activity of plasma alkaline phosphatase was significantly increased in the vitamin-B6-deprived rats. In vitamin-B6-deprived female rats, but not male rats, liver catalase activity was significantly increased. These results are discussed in the light of earlier observations indicating disturbances in carbohydrate metabolism in the vitamin-B6-deprived rat.


1967 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 621-631 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jules Brodeur ◽  
K. P. DuBois

A study was undertaken to investigate the mechanisms responsible for the higher susceptibility of immature rats to the organophosphate insecticide malathion. In vitro measurements of the activity of malathionase in the tissues of rats, at various time intervals after birth, indicated that the livers of immature rats detoxify the insecticide at a much slower rate than do the livers of adult animals. Evidence was obtained which showed that prolonged administration of testosterone causes a significant increase of the enzymatic activity in the livers of castrated young male rats and adult female rats. On the other hand, castration interferes with the maintenance of normal levels of malathionase in adult males and partially prevents the development of the activity in weanlings. Estradiol decreases the enzymatic activity in adult males. It appears, therefore, that the age difference in the susceptibility of rats to malathion might be due, to a large extent, to a slower rate of inactivation of the insecticide by the livers of immature animals. The results obtained also indicate that the sex hormones play an important role in the development and maintenance of normal levels of the enzyme system involved in the degradation of malathion in the livers of rats.


1960 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. KORNER

SUMMARY 1. Microsomes, isolated from rat liver a day after adrenalectomy, incorporate more radioactive amino acid into their protein in vitro than microsomes from normal rat liver. This enhanced rate of incorporation progressively declines with time after adrenalectomy until it reaches a plateau level which is below the normal rate of incorporation. 2. Following adrenalectomy microsomes isolated from liver of male rats show a greater rise in incorporating ability than those from liver of female rats, and maintain it longer. 3. Most of the increased incorporation observed in the in vitro system soon after adrenalectomy of the rat, and most of the decreased incorporation observed in rats adrenalectomized for some time, results from alterations in the microsomes which change their ability to incorporate activated amino acids into proteins. 4. Treatment of rats with cortisol acetate results in an increase in the ability of liver microsomes to incorporate amino acid into protein. This heightened incorporating ability is probably a secondary result of the breakdown of extrahepatic tissue protein which is stimulated by cortisol. 5. Somewhat similar responses to acute adrenalectomy and to treatment with cortisol were found in hypophysectomized rats. 6. The protein anabolic response of adrenalectomized rats to treatment with insulin, and of adrenalectomized-hypophysectomized rats to treatment with insulin or growth hormone, is greater than that shown by rats which possess adrenal glands.


1978 ◽  
Vol 235 (6) ◽  
pp. E586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z Naor ◽  
C P Fawcett ◽  
S M McCann

Anterior pituitary content of cyclic AMP (cAMP) and cyclic GMP (cGMP) has been measured during stimulation of gonadotropin release by luteinizing-hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) in vitro to gain more information concerning the relationship between the mechanism of action of LHRH and cyclic nucleotides. During the increased gonadotropin release obtained by incubation by hemipituitaries with LHRH (0.25--25 X 10(-9) M) for 180 min, the glands taken from both male and female rats exhibited increased cGMP content, whereas cAMP content rose only in those taken from male rats. The increase in cGMP content was observed after only 2 min in the presence of LHRH (5 X 10(-9) M) and prior to augmented gonadotropin release. The increase in cAMP content in the male glands was detectable only after 60 min of incubation. These results suggest that cGMP might be involved in the mechanism of action of LHRH.


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