Adenylate cyclase blood levels

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) regulates calcium levels in blood and bone remodeling. The activation domain of that 84-amino acid polypeptide locates around the N-terminal (1-34 amino acids). Parathyroid hormone receptor is a typical G-protein coupled receptor, which is coupled to both adenyl cyclase/cAMP and PLCy/IP3/cytosolic Ca2+ intracellular signaling pathways. In order to identify the structural elements involved in the peptide hormone binding and signal initiation, Chorev et al. employed a photoaffinity scanning approach. The N-terminal amino acids were successively deleted or modified and the new N-terminus was replaced for photoreactive Bpa. The most active peptide ana-... 

Glucagon is secreted by the a-cells in the Islets of Langerhans in response to a decrease in the concentration of blood glucose. It binds to a receptor in liver and adipose tissue which activates adenyl cyclase and raises the innacel-lular level of cAMP, which activates protein kinase A (Figure 12.13). 

The breakdown of fatty acids in (3-oxidation (see Topic K2) is controlled mainly by the concentration of free fatty acids in the blood, which is, in turn, controlled by the hydrolysis rate of triacylglycerols in adipose tissue by hormone-sensitive triacylglycerol lipase. This enzyme is regulated by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation (Fig. 5) in response to hormonally controlled levels of the intracellular second messenger cAMP (see Topic E5). The catabolic hormones glucagon, epinephrine and norepinephrine bind to receptor proteins on the cell surface and increase the levels of cAMP in adipose cells through activation of adenylate cyclase (see Topic E5). The cAMP allosterically activates... 

The initial event in the utilization of fat as an energy source is the hydrolysis of triacylglycerols by lipases, an event referred to as lipolysis. The lipase of adipose tissue are activated on treatment of these cells with the hormones epinephrine, norepinephrine, glucagon, and adrenocorticotropic hormone. In adipose cells, these hormones trigger 7TM receptors that activate adenylate cyclase (Section 15,1.3 ). The increased level of cyclic AMP then stimulates protein kinase A, -which activates the lipases by phosphorylating them. Thus, epinephrine, norepinephrine, glucagon, and adrenocorticotropic hormone induce lipolysis (Figure 22.6). In contrast, insulin inhibits lipolysis. The released fatty acids are not soluble in blood plasma, and so, on release, serum albumin binds the fatty acids and serves as a carrier. By these means, free fatty acids are made accessible as a fuel in other tissues. 

Several processes in the immune response are affected by lithium in vivo and in vitro 139). The proliferative responses of hamster lymphoid cells to concanavalin A or phytohemagglutinin, which stimulate mitosis in T cells, were enhanced by lithium in a serum-free culture system. Proliferative stimulation also was obtained with lithium using the B cell mitogen lipopolysaccharide, but the B cell mitogens dextran sulfate and trypsin had no effect 140-143). Lithium increased the effects of suboptimal concentrations of stimulants, but had smaller effects on stimulation by optimal concentrations. With concanavalin A, the response to optimal stimulatory concentrations was inhibited 140). Paradoxical results such as these may be due to inhibitory effects of lithium on adenylate cyclase, or to effects on membrane transport systems 141). Most of these experiments used very high concentrations of lithium, considerably in excess of normal therapeutic doses (maximal inhibitory concentrations were 10 mM with hamster cells and 5 mM with human lymphocytes). At therapeutic levels of lithium, increased incorporation of [ H]thymidine was seen in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. 

Prolactin-inhibiting hormone (PIH), also known as dopamine, is not a peptide (Chapter 17). It functions as a neurotransmitter in the CNS and as a precursor of norepinephrine and epinephrine in the adrenal medulla. In the hypothalamus, it originates in the TIDA and is released at the median eminence. Dopamine is a potent inhibitor of PRL release by the lactotropes (and mammosomatotropes) of the anterior pituitary, and this effect is mediated by D2 receptors that are coupled to Gj inhibition of adenylate cyclase. The lactotropes are unique in that they do not require stimulation by the hypothalamus to secrete PRL in fact, blockage of the blood flow from the hypothalamus to the anterior pituitary results in elevated serum levels of PRL, due to withdrawal of dopamine. Thus, unlike somatostatin, the effectiveness of dopamine does not depend on the presence of a stimulating hormone (Chapter 34). 

The answer is b. (Murray, pp 199-207. Scriver, pp 1521-1552. Sack, pp 121-138. Wilson, pp 287-31 77) In the presence of low blood glucose, epinephrine or norepinephrine interacts with specific receptors to stimulate adenylate cyclase production of cyclic AMP Cyclic AMP activates protein kinase, which catalyzes phosphorylation and activation of phosphorylase kinase. Activated phosphorylase kinase activates glycogen phosphorylase, which catalyzes the breakdown of glycogen. Phosphorylase kinase can be activated in two ways. Phosphorylation leads to complete activation of phosphorylase kinase. Alternatively, in muscle, the transient increases in levels of Ca" associated with contraction lead to a partial activation of phosphorylase kinase. Ca" " binds to calmodulin, which is a subunit of phosphorylase kinase. Calmodulin regulates many enzymes in mammalian cells through Ca" binding. 

The answer is h. (Murray, pp 123—148. Scriver, pp 2367—2424. Sack, pp 159-175. Wilson, pp 287-317.) The regulatory enzyme of lipolysis is hormone-sensitive lipase. It is a triacylglyceride lipase of adipose cells regulated by hormones. The hormones that stimulate release of fatty acids into the blood are glucagon, epinephrine, and norepinephrine, all of which activate adipocyte membrane adenylate cyclase. This produces an increased level of cyclic AMP, which activates a protein lipase that, in turn, phosphorylates and activates the sensitive lipase. In contrast, insulin causes dephosphorylation and inhibition, thereby shutting down lipolysis and the release of fatty acids into the bloodstream. 

Epinephrine and norepinephrine are catecholamines which, when released from presynaptic nerve endings, function as neurotransmitters (see here). When released from adrenal medulla in response to low blood glucose levels, epinephrine interacts with second-messenger systems in many tissues, with varied effects. In muscle, epinephrine activates adenylate cyclase, with concomitant activation of glycogenolysis and inhibition of glycogen synthesis. 

Ratcliffe, J. M. and Taylor, J. F. (1977). Lead in human blood and in the environment near a battery factory. Br, J, Prevent. Social. Med., 31, 154 Ernhart, C. B., Landa, B. and Schell, N. B. (1981). Subclinical levels of lead and developmental deficit - a multivariate follow-up reassessment. Pediatrics, 67,911 Ewers, U. and Erbe, R. (1980). Effects of lead, cadmium and mercury on brain adenylate cyclase. Toxicology, 16, 227... 

Metaraminol is almost devoid of lipolytic activity and it acts therefore as a powerful inhibitor of FFA mobilization The well-known observation that insulin can decrease the release of FFA and glycerol from adipose tissue in vitro, even in the absence of glucose and lipolytic hormones, has prompted investigators to see whether drugs known to lower blood glucose such as sulphonylureas have a similar activity. In isolated adipose tissue cells, sulphonylmeas (tolbutamide, tolazamide) decrease the rate of FFA release in a way similar to that of insulin. This effect is not mediated by insulin because it is still present when anti-insulin is added and it seems to be a direct effect, possibly at the level of adenyl cyclase activation. Accordingly, the intravenous injection of tolbutamide in man reduces plasma FFA levels. 

---