title: Modulation of the pituitary and basomedial hypothalamic lysyl-aminopeptidase activities be beta-estradiol and/or an aqueous extract of Physalis alkekengi fruits.
abstract: Injections of an aqueous extract of winter cherry fruits (Physalis alkekengi) to adult female cycling rats by an intraperitoneal route resulted in the diminution of the pituitary lysyl-aminopeptidase (Lys-AP) activity by 50% and that of the basomedial hypothalamus (BMH) by 45%. Administration of daily doses of 3.75, 7.5, and 15 micrograms beta-estradiol for a period of 5-8 days to such animals increased pituitary Lys-AP activity from 31% to 61.5% and that of BMH from 20% to 87%, respectively. Administration of the same doses of beta-estradiol along with a given dose of the aqueous extract for 7-8 days diminished Lys-AP inhibitory effect of the extract in both the pituitary and BMH and eventually, at the highest dose of beta-estradiol, increased the pituitary enzyme activity by 9% and that of BMH by 5%. It is concluded that Lys-AP enzymes of both tissues, being estrogen-induced proteins, are inhibited by the estrogen antagonistic principle of the winter cherry aqueous extract. It is further suggested that BMH Lys-AP activity may be used as an enzyme marker for the action of beta-estradiol in hypothalamus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vessal
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rasti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kooshesh
mesh_terms: D000626:Aminopeptidases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004971:Estrus / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D007033:Hypothalamus, Middle / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology*; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D010936:Plant Extracts; D004958:Estradiol; D000626:Aminopeptidases; C056860:lysyl aminopeptidase