Proopiomelanocortin gene expression in the ovary of the frog, Rana esculenta.

The presence of proopionmelanocortin (POMC)-like mRNA has been demonstrated in a variety of extrapituitary tissues including hypothalamus,1 placenta,2 ovary,2 and testis.3 In amphibians, the POMC gene is actively expressed in the pituitary, both in melanotrope cells of the pars intermedia and in corticotrope cells of the pars distalis. 4–6 POMC gene expression in peripheral organs has also been investigated in Rana esculenta,7 indicating that POMC is actually synthetized in the ovary. Previous studies have shown that POMC-derived peptides are involved in local control of ovarian function and display seasonal changes.8,9 The aim of the present work was to develop a competitive reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method using a synthetic, deletion mutant of POMC cRNA as an internal standard in order to quantify the amount of POMC mRNA in the ovary of Rana esculenta

Urotensin receptor in GtoPdb v.2023.1

The urotensin-II (U-II) receptor (UT, nomenclature as agreed by the NC-IUPHAR Subcommittee on the Urotensin receptor [26, 36, 94]) is activated by the endogenous dodecapeptide urotensin-II, originally isolated from the urophysis, the endocrine organ of the caudal neurosecretory system of teleost fish [7, 93]. Several structural forms of U-II exist in fish and amphibians [94]. The goby orthologue was used to identify U-II as the cognate ligand for the predicted receptor encoded by the rat gene gpr14 [2, 20, 63, 69, 72]. Human urotensin-II, an 11-amino-acid peptide [20], retains the cyclohexapeptide sequence of goby U-II that is thought to be important in ligand binding [61, 53, 10]. This sequence is also conserved in the deduced amino-acid sequence of rat urotensin-II (14 amino-acids) and mouse urotensin-II (14 amino-acids), although the N-terminal is more divergent from the human sequence [19]. A second endogenous ligand for the UT has been discovered in rat [86]. This is the urotensin II-related peptide, an octapeptide that is derived from a different gene, but shares the C-terminal sequence (CFWKYCV) common to U-II from other species. Identical sequences to rat urotensin II-related peptide are predicted for the mature mouse and human peptides [32]. UT exhibits relatively high sequence identity with somatostatin, opioid and galanin receptors [94]. The urotensinergic system displays an unprecedented repertoire of four or five ancient UT in some vertebrate lineages and five U-II family peptides in teleost fish [91]

Urotensin receptor in GtoPdb v.2021.3

The urotensin-II (U-II) receptor (UT, nomenclature as agreed by the NC-IUPHAR Subcommittee on the Urotensin receptor [26, 36, 93]) is activated by the endogenous dodecapeptide urotensin-II, originally isolated from the urophysis, the endocrine organ of the caudal neurosecretory system of teleost fish [7, 92]. Several structural forms of U-II exist in fish and amphibians [93]. The goby orthologue was used to identify U-II as the cognate ligand for the predicted receptor encoded by the rat gene gpr14 [2, 20, 63, 69, 72]. Human urotensin-II, an 11-amino-acid peptide [20], retains the cyclohexapeptide sequence of goby U-II that is thought to be important in ligand binding [61, 53, 10]. This sequence is also conserved in the deduced amino-acid sequence of rat urotensin-II (14 amino-acids) and mouse urotensin-II (14 amino-acids), although the N-terminal is more divergent from the human sequence [19]. A second endogenous ligand for the UT has been discovered in rat [86]. This is the urotensin II-related peptide, an octapeptide that is derived from a different gene, but shares the C-terminal sequence (CFWKYCV) common to U-II from other species. Identical sequences to rat urotensin II-related peptide are predicted for the mature mouse and human peptides [32]. UT exhibits relatively high sequence identity with somatostatin, opioid and galanin receptors [93]

Urotensin receptor (version 2019.4) in the IUPHAR/BPS Guide to Pharmacology Database

The urotensin-II (U-II) receptor (UT, nomenclature as agreed by the NC-IUPHAR Subcommittee on the Urotensin receptor [26, 36, 89]) is activated by the endogenous dodecapeptide urotensin-II, originally isolated from the urophysis, the endocrine organ of the caudal neurosecretory system of teleost fish [7, 88]. Several structural forms of U-II exist in fish and amphibians. The goby orthologue was used to identify U-II as the cognate ligand for the predicted receptor encoded by the rat gene gpr14 [20, 62, 68, 70]. Human urotensin-II, an 11-amino-acid peptide [20], retains the cyclohexapeptide sequence of goby U-II that is thought to be important in ligand binding [53, 11]. This sequence is also conserved in the deduced amino-acid sequence of rat urotensin-II (14 amino-acids) and mouse urotensin-II (14 amino-acids), although the N-terminal is more divergent from the human sequence [19]. A second endogenous ligand for the UT has been discovered in rat [83]. This is the urotensin II-related peptide, an octapeptide that is derived from a different gene, but shares the C-terminal sequence (CFWKYCV) common to U-II from other species. Identical sequences to rat urotensin II-related peptide are predicted for the mature mouse and human peptides [32]. UT exhibits relatively high sequence identity with somatostatin, opioid and galanin receptors [89]

Regional processing of the N- and C-terminal domains of proopiomelanocortin in monkey pituitary and brain

The total content and extent of processing of the [gamma]3MSH and [beta]-endorphin-containing N- and C-terminal domains of proopiomelanocortin were determined in the anterior and intermediate lobes of the pituitaries and in 11 regions of the brains of three Rhesus monkeys. Most immunoreactive [gamma]3MSH and [beta]-endorphin was located in the pituitary lobes, although significant amounts were also found in several brain regions. Sephadex column chromatography revealed that [gamma]3MSH immunoreactivity was found primarily as 4K and 9K forms; no [gamma]1MSH was detected. [beta]-Endorphin immunoreactivity was found as [beta]-endorphin, [beta]-lipotropin, and as a 5K form which may represent [beta]-endorphin extended N-terminally by part or all of [beta]-MSH. In the anterior lobe of the pituitary, the predominant products were 9K [gamma]3MSH and [beta]-lipotropin; in the intermediate lobe, more processed forms (4K [gamma]3MSH, [beta]-endorphin and 5K [beta]-endorphin) appeared to be preferentially stored. The pattern of processing in various brain regions was similar to that of the intermediate lobe of the pituitary.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/27343/1/0000368.pd

Active surveillance of acute paediatric hospitalisations demonstrates the impact of vaccination programmes and informs vaccine policy in Canada and Australia

Sentinel surveillance of acute hospitalisations in response to infectious disease emergencies such as the 2009 influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 pandemic is well described, but recognition of its potential to supplement routine public health surveillance and provide scalability for emergency responses has been limited. We summarise the achievements of two national paediatric hospital surveillance networks relevant to vaccine programmes and emerging infectious diseases in Canada (Canadian Immunization Monitoring Program Active; IMPACT from 1991) and Australia (Paediatric Active Enhanced Disease Surveillance; PAEDS from 2007) and discuss opportunities and challenges in applying their model to other contexts. Both networks were established to enhance capacity to measure vaccine preventable disease burden, vaccine programme impact, and safety, with their scope occasionally being increased with emerging infectious diseases' surveillance. Their active surveillance has increased data accuracy and utility for syndromic conditions (e.g. encephalitis), pathogen-specific diseases (e.g. pertussis, rotavirus, influenza), and adverse events following immunisation (e.g. febrile seizure), enabled correlation of biological specimens with clinical context and supported responses to emerging infections (e.g. pandemic influenza, parechovirus, COVID-19). The demonstrated long-term value of continuous, rather than incident-related, operation of these networks in strengthening routine surveillance, bridging research gaps, and providing scalable public health response, supports their applicability to other countries.Karina A Top, Kristine Macartney, Julie A Bettinger, Ben Tan, Christopher C Blyth, Helen S Marshall ... et al. (on behalf of the IMPACT and PAEDS investigators

Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase Activating Peptide (1-38) and its analog (Acetyl-[Ala15, Ala20] PACAP 38-polyamide) reverse methacholine airway hyperresponsiveness in rats

O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar funcionalmente e estruturalmente efeito broncodilatador do peptídeo ativador da adenilato ciclase pituitária (PACAP1-38) e da acetil-[Ala15, Ala20]PACAP 38-poliamida, potente análogo do PACAP-38, nos ratos desafiados pelo metacolina (MeCh). Ratos Wistar machos foram aleatoriamente divididos em cinco grupos. Grupos 1 e 2, inalando aerossóis de solução salina ou doses crescentes de MeCh (0,5, 1, 2,12, 4,25, 8,5, 17, 34 e 68 mg/L). Os outros grupos recebendo terbutalina (Terb) (250 µg/rato) (10-6M), PACAP-38 (50 µg/rato) (0.1 mM) ou análogo do PACAP-38 (50 µg/rato) associados a MeCh na dose de 4,25 mg/L. A resistência pulmonar total (RL) foi registrada antes e 2 min após a administração de Mech pelo equipamento pneumomultiteste. A administração MeCh induziu aumento significativo e dose dependente (pThe aim of this study was to investigate both functionally and structurally bronchodilator effects of Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide (PACAP38) and acetyl-[Ala15, Ala20] PACAP38-polyamide, a potent PACAP38 analog, in rats challenged by methacholine (MeCh). Male Wistar rats were divided randomly into five groups. Groups 1 and 2 inhaled respectively aerosols of saline or increasing doses of MeCh (0.5, 1, 2.12, 4.25, 8.5, 17, 34 and 68mg/L). The other groups received terbutaline (Terb) (250 µg/rat) (10-6 M), PACAP38 (50 µg/rat) (0.1 mM) or PACAP38 analog (50 µg/rat) associated to MeCh from the dose of 4.25 mg/L. Total lung resistances (RL) were recorded before and 2 min after MeCh administration by pneumomultitest equipment. MeCh administration induced a significant and a dose-dependent increase (