Studies demonstrating calcitonin receptors on Leydig cells have suggested that these cells may be one of the many sites affected by this peptide. To investigate this possibility, the effect of synthetic salmon calcitonin on the TM3 Leydig cell line (derived from immature mouse Leydig cells) and on primary Leydig cell-enriched preparations was examined. Synthetic salmon calcitonin stimulated the...

Previous studies have indicated that there is a relation between testicular function and adequate concentrations of zinc in testicular cells, and that calcitonin alters cellular zinc transfer in the testis. The present studies provide autoradiographic evidence that calcitonin binds in vivo to the cell membrane of testicular Leydig cells. The data thus confirm the presence of the testicular cell...

The RET kinase has emerged as a promising target for the therapy of medullary thyroid cancers (MTC) and of a subset of papillary thyroid cancers. NVP-AST487, a N,N'-diphenyl urea with an IC(50) of 0.88 mumol/L on RET kinase, inhibited RET autophosphorylation and activation of downstream effectors, and potently inhibited the growth of human thyroid cancer cell lines with activating mutations of ...

Background Calcitonin gene-related peptide provokes migraine attacks in 65% of patients with migraine without aura. Whether aggregation of migraine in first-degree relatives (family load) or a high number of risk-conferring single nucleotide polymorphisms contributes to migraine susceptibility to calcitonin gene-related peptide infusion in migraine patients is unknown. We hypothesized that gene...

he observation of ectopic synthesis and secretion polypeptide hormones by nonendo, tumors has been reported with increasing frequency in the past decade. Carcinomas of the lung have been particularly versatile in this regard. Reports have included corticotropin ( adrenocorticotropic hormone) and vasopressin found in some oat-cell carcinomas, gonadotropins predominantly in large-cell carcinomas,...

Using light and electron microscopy, a study has been made of the changes of calcitonin gene-related peptide-like immunoreactivity in rat lumbar spinal cord motoneurons during cell body response to sciatic nerve injury. At light microscopy level, calcitonin gene-related peptide-like immunoreactivity was evaluated using an indirect immunofluorescence technique combined with Fast Blue retrograde ...

Porcine calcitonin given to guinea pigs in doses causing hypocalcaemia and hypophosphataemia decreased the bilirubin concentration and increased the activity of gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP) in the hepatic bile. Calcitonin had no effect on bile flow, its pH, electrolyte composition including calcium, or on the concentration of protein, glucose, cholesterol, nonprotein nitrogen (NPN), and...

Slow dissociation of endothelin 1 from its endothelin A receptors is responsible for the long-lasting vasoconstrictor effects of the peptide. We showed recently that calcitonin gene-related peptide selectively terminates long-lasting contractile responses to endothelin 1 in isolated rat mesenteric arteries. Here we assessed whether the antiendothelinergic effect of calcitonin gene-related pepti...

UNLABELLED Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms whose management can be problematic. In many cases, multiple tumours may occur in the same patient or his or her family, and some of these have now been defined genetically, although in other cases the underlying gene or genes involved remain unclear. We describe a patient, a 63-year-old female, who was diagnosed wi...

cDNA analyses predict that the human calcitonin gene encodes the two precursor proteins of calcitonin and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). The mRNAs for the putative precursors of these peptides are derived from alternative processing of the primary transcript of this gene. The 75 amino-terminal residues of each preprohormone are predicted to be identical. We have developed the TT human ...