title: Motor neurone disease serum and beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine stimulate thyrotrophin-releasing hormone production by cultured brain cells.
abstract: We have investigated the effects of serum from patients with motor neurone disease (MND) and of the plant-derived excitotoxin beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine (L-BMAA) on thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH) and somatostatin (SS) production by fetal rat brainstem cell cultures. Compared to age- and sex-matched normal and neurological disease control sera, MND sera produce a 2- to 3-fold increase in TRH content of the cultures with no change in SS levels. L-BMAA produced similar dose-related and stereospecific effects on the cultures increasing TRH levels to 2-fold with no effect on SS levels. These findings may be relevant to the understanding of the aetiology of MND.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, U.K.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: I N
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: McQueen
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Scanlon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D000087522:Cyanobacteria Toxins; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000378:metabolism; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014020:Tissue Extracts / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino; D000087522:Cyanobacteria Toxins; D014020:Tissue Extracts; C001824:beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine; D013004:Somatostatin; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone