Deleterious age-related changes in the central auditory nervous system have been referred to as central age-related hearing impairment (ARHI) or central presbycusis. Central ARHI is often assumed to be the consequence of peripheral ARHI. However, it…
Human pregnancy zone protein (PZP) is a major pregnancy-associated plasma protein closely related to human alpha(2)-macroglobulin (alpha(2)M). It has been demonstrated that monoamine-activated forms of human and rat alpha(2)M and rat alpha(2)M can…
We have generated immortal neuronal cell lines from normal and trisomy 16 (Ts16) mice, a model for Down syndrome (DS). Ts16 lines overexpress DS-related genes (App, amyloid precursor protein; Sod1, Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase) and show altered…
Rat alpha-1-macroglobulin (alpha(1)M) and alpha-2-macroglobulin (alpha(2)M) are murine homologs of human alpha(2)M, and rat alpha(2)M is generally known as an acute-phase protein. Monoamine-activated forms of human alpha(2)M have been shown to…
Monoamine-activated alpha-2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) has been shown to decrease the dopamine concentrations in rat caudate putamen (CP) in vivo as well as inhibit choline acetyltransferase activities in the culture of basal forebrain neurons. In this…
Monoamine-activated alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) has been shown to inhibit choline acetyltransferase in basal forebrain neurons as well as neurotrophin-dependent neuronal functions. The objective of this study was to determine whether…
Monoamine-activated alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) has recently been shown to inhibit the growth and survival of cholinergic neurons of the basal forebrain (Liebl and Koo: J Neurosci Res 35:170-182, 1993). The mechanism of this inhibitory effect is…
Methylamine-modified alpha-2-macroglobulin (MA-alpha 2M) has been recently shown to inhibit the biological activity of beta-nerve growth factor (NGF) in promoting neurite outgrowth by embryonic dorsal root ganglia in culture (Koo PH, Liebl DJ, J…
alpha 2-Macroglobulin (alpha 2M) is a rather ubiquitous protein in extracellular spaces of mammals. It is an inhibitor of endopeptidases, can be modified by aliphatic amines, and combines with a number of hormones/cytokines such as beta-nerve growth…
The murine nerve growth factor, when injected i.v. or, combined in vitro with plasma, was found largely associated with the mouse alpha-macroglobulin (a homologue of human alpha 2-macroglobulin). The nerve growth factor-alpha-macroglobulin complex…
Dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons connect the spinal cord and uterine cervix, and are activated at parturition with subsequent stimulation of secondary neurons in the spinal dorsal horn and autonomic areas. Neuropeptide neurotransmitters and…
Stimulation of the uterine cervix at parturition activates neural circuits involving primary sensory nerves and supraspinally projecting neurons of the lumbosacral spinal cord, resulting in output of hypothalamic neurohormones. Dorsal root ganglia…
Oxytocin-containing axons project from the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus to the neurohypophysis and thoracic spinal cord to ultimately influence uterine contractions and autonomic activity, respectively. Whether or not oxytocin-immunoreactive…
Estrogen receptor immunoreactivity and mRNAs are present in spinal cord neurons in locations that are associated with sensory and autonomic innervation of female reproductive organs. The present study was undertaken to examine the expression of…
Human alpha(2)-macroglobulin (alpha(2)M), pregnancy zone protein (PZP), rat alpha(1)M and acute-phase rat alpha(2)M belong to the alpha(2)M gene family of proteins, which can react covalently with nucleophilic monoamines to yield monoamine-activated…
Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a neuropeptide traditionally known for its hormonal role in the hypothalamic/pituitary/adrenal stress axis. However, CRF has been reported in axons in sites that may be considered outside of the direct stress…
Previous studies have implicated human alpha-2-macroglobulin (alpha2M) as a potential regulator of neuronal development and function. Rat alpha-1-macroglobulin (alpha1M) and acute-phase alpha-2-macroglobulin (alpha2M) are murine homologues of human…
Alpha-2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) in the rat and human brain is an acute-phase protein synthesized primarily by astrocytes, and it has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease and other neuropathological processes. The activated forms of alpha 2M, but…
