pituitrin and Disease

Our previous studies indicated that in the human paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic (SON) nuclei, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)--the first and rate-limiting enzyme in catecholamine synthesis--is localized mainly in magnocellular neurons and that antemortem factors regulate its expression. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the distribution of TH-immunoreactive (TH-IR) perikarya of the hypothalami of a large sample of well-documented adult subjects without neurological, psychiatric or endocrinological disease in order to identify factors that could regulate the expression of TH in the human neurosecretory neurons. Our material consisted of the hypothalami of 38 subjects studied immunohistochemically for TH using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method. Striking individual differences were observed among the subjects studied concerning the number and distribution of TH-IR perikarya within the PVN and SON. These differences were evident throughout the entire rostrocaudal length of the hypothalamus and appeared to be related neither to the age or sex of the subjects nor to the postmortem interval or staining procedures. In the sample studied, a large number of TH-IR perikarya were observed specifically in all subjects that had suffered from right-sided heart failure due to pulmonary hypertension, liver cirrhosis or dehydration. In all the above illnesses, increased production and secretion of vasopressin (VP) are reported to occur due to a decrease in 'effective' blood volume or to osmotic stimulation. We conclude that somatic illnesses leading to prolonged osmotic or nonosmotic stimulation of VP release may induce increased expression of TH immunoreactivity in the human neurosecretory neurons related to neuronal activation.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cardiac Output, Low; Dehydration; Disease; Female; Humans; Hypertension, Pulmonary; Immunohistochemistry; Liver Cirrhosis; Male; Middle Aged; Neurons; Osmosis; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus; Supraoptic Nucleus; Time Factors; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; Vasopressins

Arginine vasopressin was measured by RIA in samples of plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) taken synchronously from 62 patients with proven or suspected disorders of the central nervous system in order to determine the relationship between the secretion of vasopressin into the systemic circulation and that into the CSF. In 12 patients without endocrine or brain disease, mean plasma values (+/- SD) were 2.8 +/- 0.7 pg/ml and CSF values were 2.4 +/- 0.7 pg/ml. Thirty-six patients with various intracranial disorders had plasma and CSF values which were both within the range of 1-4 pg/ml. Eight patients had raised plasma concentrations, but their CSF levels were within the normal range. One patient with posttraumatic diabetes insipidus and 2 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage had concentrations of CSF vasopressin which were greater than plasma levels. These results indicate that a blood CSF barrier to vasopressin exists in man and that under certain pathological conditions excessive amounts of the hormone can be secreted into the CSF independently of that which is released into the blood, a finding which could have clinical significance in disorders of brain function.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Disease; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Radioimmunoassay; Reference Values; Vasopressins

Topics: Arginine Vasopressin; Disease; Epinephrine; Hexamethonium; Hypertension; Rats; Rodent Diseases; Thiourea; Vasoconstrictor Agents; Vasopressins

Topics: Diabetes Insipidus; Diabetes Insipidus, Neurogenic; Disease; Humans; Medical Records; Myxedema; Pituitary Gland; Pituitary Gland, Anterior; Thyroid Gland; Vasopressins

Topics: Arginine Vasopressin; Disease; Humans; Hypothalamic Diseases; Hypothalamus; Vasopressins; Water

Topics: Diabetes Insipidus; Disease; Humans; Myotonia; Myotonic Disorders; Pituitary Gland; Pituitary Gland, Anterior; Vasopressins