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. 1971 Jul;68(7):1428–1433. doi: 10.1073/pnas.68.7.1428

Regulation of Formation and Proposed Structure of the Factor Inhibiting the Release of Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone

María E Celis *,†,†,*, S Taleisnik *,†,†, Roderich Walter *,†,†
PMCID: PMC389210  PMID: 5283931

Abstract

Microsomal preparations from the stalk median eminence of female rats are shown to contain an enzymic activity that is responsible for the formation of MSH-release-inhibiting factor (MSH-R-IF). The amount of this activity remains constant throughout the estrous cycle. The corresponding mitochondrial preparations from the stalk median eminence contain another enzymic principle, estrous cycle-dependent, which competes with the enzyme present in the microsomal preparation for the same “substrate”, and can thereby prevent the formation of MSH-R-IF.

Several neurohypophyseal hormones, analogs, and peptide intermediates have been tested for their intrinsic MSH-R-IF activity and for their ability to be transformed into MSH-R-IF by incubation with microsomal preparations of stalk median eminence from male rats; it is concluded that the enzyme responsible for the formation of MSH-R-IF is an exopeptidase and that the release-inhibiting factor itself is a tripeptide. Oxytocin is converted by the incubation to L-prolyl-L-leucylglycinamide; nanogram amounts of this tripeptide inhibit the release of MSH from the pituitary both in vivo and in vitro.

Keywords: oxytocin, C-terminal tripeptide, estrous cycle, rat

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Selected References

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