Main description:

The Fifth Annual Washington Spring Symposium on Health Sciences attracted over 400 scientists from 20 countries. It was held at the Lisner Auditorium of the George Washington University in Washington. D.C. The theme of the meeting was neural and endocrine peptides and receptors. The meeting emphasized basic and clinical research on neural and endocrine peptides and receptors. The six plenary sessions emphasized pituitary peptides, releasing factors, brain peptides, growth factors, peripheral peptides, and clinical applications. The chapters in this volume are derived from each of these six scientific sessions plus the poster and special sessions. The Abraham White Distinguished Scientist A ward was presented to Dr. Julius Axelrod for his numerous contributions to the field of neurochemistry. He presented the keynote address, which was entitled "The Regulation of the Release of ACTH." Dr. Axelrod discussed numerous factors, such as the peptides CRF, VIP, and somatostatin, that regulate hormone secretion from pituitary cells. The Distinguished Public Service Award was presented to Senator Lowell Weicker, Jr., in recognition of his leadership and outstanding achievements in the United States Senate and for his legislative support for biomedical research and education. In the symposium banquet address, Senator Weicker stressed the need for continued federal support of biomedical science research.

Contents:

I-Pituitary Peptides.- 1. An Endogenous Peptide Ligand for the PCP/cr-Opioid Receptor.- 2. ?-Lipotropin.- 3. Proopiomelanocortin-Derived Peptides and Their Receptors in the Immune System.- 4. Prohormone-Converting Enzymes.- 5. ?-Melanotropin Analogues for Biomedical Applications.- 6. ?-Endorphin: Processing and Regulation.- II-Peptide-Releasing Factors.- 7. Endocrine, Gastrointestinal, and Antitumor Activity of Somatostatin Analogues.- 8. The Role of Brain Peptides in the Control of Anterior Pituitary Hormone Secretion.- 9. Brain Noradrenergic Neurons, Corticotropin-Releasing Factor, and Stress.- 10. Electrophysiological Studies into Circuitry Involved in LHRH-Mediated Sexual Behavior.- 11. Growth Hormone-Releasing Factor Analogues with Increased Receptor Affinity.- 12. Cicadian Variation of Immunoreactive CRF in Rat Hypothalamus.- 13. Ultrastructural Studies of Peptide Coexistence in Corticotropin-Releasing Factor- and Arginine-Vasopressin-Containing Neurons.- 14. Interconnections between Neurotransmitter- and Neuropeptide-Containing Neurons Involved in Gonadotrophin Release in the Rat.- 15. Corticotrophin-Releasing Hormone: Effects on Stress-Related Behavior in Rats.- III-Brain Peptides and Receptors.- 16. Cholecystokinin.- 17. The Neurobiology of Neurotensin.- 18. Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide in the Central Nervous System: Neuronal and Receptor Localization, Biochemical Characterization, and Functional Studies.- 19. Insulin Receptors in the Brain.- 20. Atrial Natriuretic Factors: The Brain-Heart Peptides.- 21. Effects of Cations and Nucleotides on Neurotensin Binding to Rat Brain Synaptic Membranes.- 22. Neuropeptides Modulate Carbachol-Stimulated "Boxing" Behavior in the Rat Medial Frontal Cortex.- 23. Brain Peptides and the Control of Eating Behavior.- 24. Neuropeptide Y: An Integrator of Reproductive and Appetitive Functions.- 25. Kinins as Neuropeptides.- 26. The Neuroanatomic Correlates of the Behavioral Effects of Bombesin.- IV-Peptides in Normal and Malignant Cells.- 27. Physiological Effects of Transforming Growth Factor a.- 28. Peptides and Their Receptors in Oat Cell Carcinoma.- 29. Bombesin/Gastrin-Releasing Peptide Stimulation of Small-Cell Lung Cancer Clonal Growth.- 30. A CRF-Producing and -Secreting Tumor of the Lung.- 31. Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Increases Tyrosine Hydroxylase Activity in Cultures of Normal and Neoplastic Chromaffin Cells.- V-Peripheral Peptides and Receptors.- 32. Localization of Neural and Endocrine Peptides.- 33. Structure-Function Studies of Agonists and Antagonists for Gastrointestinal Peptide Receptors on Pancreatic Acinar Cells.- 34. Antagonists for Substance P and Other Neurokinins.- 35. The Enkephalin-Containing Peptides.- 36. Endocrine and Neuroendocrine Actions of Cardiac Peptides.- 37. [Norleucine3.6]-Substituted Cholecystokinin Octapeptide Analogues: Design, Synthesis, and Comparative Structure-Activity Relationships in Guinea Pig Brain, Lung, and Pancreas Tissues.- 38. Characterization of Tachykinin Receptors by Ligand Binding Studies and by Utilization of Conformationally Restricted Tachykinin Analogues.- 39. Conformationally Restricted Cyclic Penicillamine Analogues with High Selectivity for ?- and ?-Opioid Receptors.- 40. Rat Islet Endocrine Cells Contain Met- and Leu-Enkephalins in High- and Low-Molecular-Weight Forms.- 41. Modulation of Carboxypeptidase Processing Enzyme Activity.- 42. Neuropeptides and Adrenal Steroidogenesis.- 43. Substance K in Cardiovascular Control.- VI-Clinical Applications of Neural and Endocrine Peptides.- 44. Combined Treatment with an LHRH Agonist and the Antiandrogen Flutamide in Prostate Cancer.- 45. Relationship of Clinical to Basic Research with Peptides as Illustrated by MSH.- 46. Perspectives in the Design of Peptide Analogues in Biomedical Applications.- 47. Treatment of Precocious Puberty with LHRH Agonists: A Pilot Study of the Efficiency of Periodic Administration of a Delayed-Release Preparation of D-Trp6-LHRH.- 48. Regulation of Neuroendocrine Pathways by Thymosins.- Participants.