Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research

About: Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research is a based out in . It is known for research contribution in the topics: Estrone & Estrogen. The organization has 2195 authors who have published 2646 publications receiving 115809 citations. The organization is also known as: Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology.

The 78,000 M(r) intermediate chain of Chlamydomonas outer arm dynein isa WD-repeat protein required for arm assembly

Abstract: We have isolated and sequenced a full-length cDNA clone encoding the 78,000 Mr intermediate chain (IC78) of the Chlamydomonas outer arm dynein. This protein previously was shown to be located at the base of the solubilized dynein particle and to interact with alpha tubulin in situ, suggesting that it may be involved in binding the outer arm to the doublet microtubule. The sequence predicts a polypeptide of 683 amino acids having a mass of 76.5 kD. Sequence comparison indicates that IC78 is homologous to the 69,000 M(r) intermediate chain (IC69) of Chlamydomonas outer arm dynein and to the 74,000 M(r) intermediate chain (IC74) of cytoplasmic dynein. The similarity between the chains is greatest in their COOH-terminal halves; the NH(2)-terminal halves are highly divergent. The COOH-terminal half of IC78 contains six short imperfect repeats, termed WD repeats, that are thought to be involved in protein-protein interactions. Although not previously reported, these repeated elements also are present in IC69 and IC74. Using the IC78 cDNA as a probe, we screened a group of slow-swimming insertional mutants and identified one which has a large insertion in the IC78 gene and seven in which the IC78 gene is completely deleted. Electron microscopy of three of these IC78 mutants revealed that each is missing the outer arm, indicating that IC78 is essential for arm assembly or attachment to the outer doublet. Restriction fragment length polymorphism mapping places the IC78 gene on the left arm of chromosome XII/XIII, at or near the mutation oda9, which also causes loss of the outer arm. Mutants with defects in the IC78 gene do not complement the oda9 mutation in stable diploids, strongly suggesting that ODA9 is the structural gene for IC78.

Adrenal and ovarian steroid secretion in the rat estrous cycle temporally related to gonadotropins and steroid levels found in peripheral plasma.

Abstract: This study was undertaken to determine the patterns of estrogen and progestin secretion by the adrenal and the ovary and to relate these to the levels of steroids and gonadotropins found in peripheral plasma. A total of 70 rats were used in this study. Adrenal venous (ADVB) and ovarian venous blood (OVB) were collected by concurrent cannulation and peripheral blood (PB) was obtained from the abdominal aorta. Estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), PROGESTERONE (P) and 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (17alpha-OHP) were measured by radioimmunoassay. The concentration of E2 in general was higher in ADVB than in OVB. Although increased levels of E2 in ADVB were found on the afternoon of proestrus (1527-2634 pg/ml), they were not significantly different from those recorded at other times. In contrast E2 in OVB was lowest at 1000-1200 hr of estrus (225 pg/ml) and highest at 1000-2000 hr of proestrus (1190-1605 pg/ml). The E2 in PB followed the pattern seen in OVB; the values ranged from 80-211 pg/ml. P concentration in general was higher in ADVB than in OVB. The lowest concentration of P in ADVB was between 0200-0400 hr of estrus (183 ng/ml) and the highest between 1400-1600 hr of proestrus (580 ng/ml) and 1000-1200 hr of estrus (591 ng/ml). The lowest concentration of P in the OVB was between 1600-1800 hr of diestrus (42 ng/ml) and the highest between 0200-0400 hr of estrus (466 ng/ml). In the PB, P reflected changes in adrenal as well as ovarian secretion; the values ranged fron 7-25 ng/ml. E1 in ADVB was in general lower than in OVB, and there were no significant changes at any stage of the cycle. In the OVB, however, E1 showed a pattern similar to that of E2. Levels of E1 in PB were very low and failed to show any significant changes. 17alpha-OHP was high in ADVB, although there were no significant changes during the cycle; PB levels also did not show any significant changes. In the OVB a peak of 17alpha-OHP was recorded between 0200-0400 hr on the day of estrus. The LH and FSH levels showed increases after 1600 hr on the day of proestrus and this was in agreement with earlier studies. Since the adrenal secretes all of the 4 steroids studied, it is reasonable to assume that it does exert some effect in the pituitary-gonadal axis. A role of adrenal P for the facilitation of the preovulatory LH release has been indicated and the increased secretion of adrenal P between 1400-1600 hr of proestrus supports this possibility.

Excretion of epinephrine and norepinephrine in various emotional states

Abstract: RESPONSES of the adrenal gland to stress have been the subject of much research (1). Unlike the adrenal cortex, the adrenal medulla as a part of the sympathetic nervous system is intimately connected with the expression of the emotions (2). A study was undertaken to determine the excretion of epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine (NE) of normal and psychiatric patients in various emotional states. Data were obtained on: (a) subjects in both sleeping and waking states, (b) professional hockey players and their coach before and after the game, (c) amateur boxers before and after the contest, (d) neuropsychiatric patients appearing at staff conference, (e) normal subjects in anticipatory states, (f) psychiatric patients receiving the psychotomimetic agent, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and (g) psychiatric patients on whom mental status and Malamud-Sands rating scale records were obtained during the collection period. The excretion rates of E and NE were studied after graded doses of E and NE were infused. T...