Lactation is a physiological condition known to upregulate the expression of the hypothalamic neurohormones, oxytocin and vasopressin, in the rat supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei. Other neuropeptides such as galanin are co-localized in the same magnocellular neurones and their expression has been demonstrated to be regulated by different experimental and physiological conditions. In the pr...

Galanin, a 29-amino acid peptide, is widely distributed in both the central and peripheral nervous systems and is colocalized with catecholamines, although its physiological significance remains to be elucidated. In the present study we investigated the regulatory mechanisms of galanin on norepinephrine release in rat medulla oblongata. In slices of medulla oblongata of Sprague-Dawley rats, gal...

The three galanin receptor subtypes (GalR1-3) belong to the G protein-coupled receptor superfamily. The widespread distribution of galanin and its receptors in the CNS and PNS and the numerous physiological and pharmacological effects of galanin (for review, cf. Vrontakis, 2002) render the three galanin receptors attractive drug targets. The industrial efforts, however, have not yet resulted in...

Addition of the neuropeptide galanin to small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cells loaded with the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator fura-2-tetraacetoxymethylester causes a rapid and transient increase in the intracellular concentration of Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) followed by homologous desensitization. Galanin increased [Ca2+]i in a concentration-dependent fashion with half-maximum effect (EC50) at 20-22 nM in H69 an...

Oviposition in birds is conducted by vigorous contractions of the uterine oviduct. We recently isolated an oviposition-inducing peptide that was identified as avian galanin from mature quail oviducts. This peptide was localized in neuronal fibers terminating in muscle layers in the uterine oviduct and evoked vigorous uterine contractions through binding to receptors located in the uterus. Howev...

BACKGROUND The neuropeptide galanin increases food intake. Chronic ethanol (EtOH) increases the expression of galanin in the hypothalamus. The research presented here examines the effects of microinjection of galanin in the third ventricle on voluntary alcohol intake. METHODS Male Sprague Dawley rats with a cannula in the third ventricle were given access to increasing concentrations of EtOH ...

Galanin is a neuropeptide with a wide variety of biological functions. Few nonpeptide ligands, capable of activating galanin receptors, are available today. Based on known pharmacophores of galanin and the tripeptidomimetic galnon, a combinatorial library was formulated, synthesized, and screened against the galanin receptor. An active compound, galmic, was identified and tested in vitro and in...

The occurrence and distribution of neuropeptide-containing nerve fibres in the human circumvallate papillae were examined by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase immunolocalisation method using surgical specimens that had not been subjected to radiotherapy, and the abundance of neuropeptide-containing fibres was expressed as the percentage of total nerve fibres demonstrated by protein gene product (PG...

1. The effects and binding characteristics of a series of chimeric galanin-neuropeptide Y (NPY) peptides were examined in various preparations known to contain a predominant population of either Y1 or Y2 receptors for NPY or galanin receptors. 2. NPY suppressed the electrically stimulated twitches of the rat vas deferens (Y2 receptors), while galanin enhanced the electrically stimulated twitche...

Galanin is a neuropeptide with multiple inhibitory actions on neurotransmission and memory. In Alzheimer's disease (AD), increased galanin-containing fibers hyperinnervate cholinergic neurons within the basal forebrain in association with a decline in cognition. We generated transgenic mice (GAL-tg) that overexpress galanin under the control of the dopamine beta-hydroxylase promoter to study th...