Intense immunoreactivity for Mn-superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) in cholinergic and non-cholinergic neurons in the rat basal forebrain

The immunohistochemical localization of manganese (Mn)-superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) was studied in the rat basal forebrain using polyclonal antibodies to Mn-SOD. Neurons of the basal forebrain exhibit a high density of Mn-SOD immunoreactivity. Double immunostaining with a monoclonal antibody to choline acetyltransferase demonstrated that both cholinergic and non-cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain are intensely immunoreactive for Mn-SOD.     

Elemental composition and water content of myelinated axons and glial cells in rat central nervous system

The distribution of elements (e.g. Na, Cl, K) and water in CNS cells is unknown. Therefore, electron probe X-ray microanalysis (EPMA) was used to measure water content and concentrations (mmol/kg dry or wet weight) of Na, Mg, P, S, Cl, K and Ca in morphological compartments of myelinated axons and glial cells from rat optic nerve and cervical spinal cord white matter. Axons in both CNS regions exhibited similar water content ( 90%), and relatively high concentrations (wet and dry weight) of K with low Na and Ca levels. The K content of axons was related to diameter, i.e. small axons in spinal cord and optic nerve had significantly less (25–50%) K than larger diameter axons from the same CNS region. The elemental composition of spinal cord mitochondria was similar to corresponding axoplasm, whereas the water content (75%) of these organelles was substantially lower than that of axoplasm. In glial cell cytoplasm of both CNS areas, P and K (wet and dry weight) were the most abundant elements and water content was approximately 75%. CNS myelin had predominantly high P levels and the lowest water content (33–55%) of any compartment measured. The results of this study demonstrate that each morphological compartment of CNS axons and glia exhibits a characteristic elemental composition and water content which might be related to the structure and function of that neuronal region.     

Effects of the AMPA receptor antagonist NBQX on the development and expression of behavioral sensitization to cocaine and amphetamine

 We examined the effect of 2,3-dihydroxy-6-nitro-7-sulfamoyl-benzo(f)quinoxaline (NBQX), an antagonist of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate (AMPA) subtype of glutamate receptor, on the development and expression of behavioral sensitization to amphetamine and cocaine in rats. A single injection of NBQX (12.5 mg/kg) administered 30 min prior to cocaine during the induction phase (days 1–5) prevented the development of cocaine sensitization, assessed by responsiveness to cocaine challenge on day 8. This NBQX regimen did not affect development of amphetamine sensitization. Two pretreatment injections of NBQX, one 20 min before and one 70 min after amphetamine on each day of the induction phase (days 1–6), did not affect sensitization of stereotypy but prevented sensitization of post-stereotypy ambulatory hyperactivity (both assessed by responsiveness to amphetamine challenge on day 8). The effect of NBQX on ambulatory sensitization was dose-dependent (attenuation with 12.5 mg/kg, complete prevention with 25 mg/kg). In contrast to its effects on development, NBQX (25 mg/kg) did not prevent expression of sensitization to cocaine or amphetamine. NBQX itself exerted no significant effects on locomotor activity in either drug-naive rats or rats that had received either NBQX or amphetamine repeatedly. These findings support a requirement for AMPA receptor stimulation in the development of locomotor sensitization to cocaine and amphetamine, but suggest a different mechanism for sensitization of amphetamine stereotypy. Received: 14 January 1997 / Final version: 24 June 1997     

Ureteral obstruction in the neonatal rat: Renal nerves modulate hemodynamic effects

In the neonate, chronic unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) reduces renal blood flow (RBF) of the ipsilateral kidney and increases RBF of the opposite kidney. To determine whether renal nerves mediate or modulate these responses complete left UUO in the neonatal rat was used as a model of severe obstructive uropathy, and was compared with sham-operated controls. At 24–28 days of age, animals underwent left or right mechanical renal denervation or left sham renal denervation. One week after denervation, animals were anesthetized and blood pressure and heart reate were measured. Cardiac output and RBF were determined by the radioactive microsphere technique. UUO increased blood pressure and heart rate, and decreased RBF in the obstructed kidney, regardless of denervation. While left UUO increased RBF to the intact opposite kidney in rats with left renal denervation, this was attenuated by right renal denervation. Thus, in the neonatal rat, UUO modulates systemic renal hemodynamics, possibly through activation of the renin-angiotensin system. While renal nerves do not mediate the vasoconstriction of the obstructed kidney, renal nerves modulate vascular tone of the kidney contralateral to UUO.     

大鼠脑缺血时脑细胞膜磷脂含量变化

采用SD大鼠一侧大脑中动脉阻断致局限性脑缺血模型。脑缺血后迅速断头置于液氮中,HPLC外标定量法测定各磷脂组分。观察脑缺血1、5、15、60、360min时脑细胞膜磷脂含量变化。结果显示,PI在缺血早期显著低于对照组(P<0.01～0.05);PE、PC早期仅呈下降趋势,PE在缺血60min组、PC缺血360min组显著低于对照组(P<0.01～0.05)。PS在缺血全过程中变化轻微(P>0.05)。提示磷脂降解与脑缺血存在一定关系,缺血早期首先出现脑细胞膜功能磷脂降解,膜结构磷脂则在缺血后期出现显著变化,且PE较PC优先降解。     

Impairment of schedule-controlled behavior by pre- and postnatal exposure to hexachlorobenzene in rats

 Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) is still frequently found at elevated levels in human adipose tissue and breast milk. As intoxication with HCB causes neurological disturbance in human beings, the purpose of the present study was to examine neurobehavioral functions in rats after pre- and postnatal exposure. Female rats were fed diets with 0, 4, 8, or 16 mg HCB/kg diet. Exposure started 90 days prior to mating and was continued throughout mating, gestation, and lactation. Thereafter, the offspring were given the same diets as their respective mothers. HCB levels were determined in the brain, the liver, and in the adipose tissue from virgin rats, dams, and the offspring. Concentrations on a lipid basis were found to decline in the order adipose>liver>brain. The exposure levels chosen did not cause gross toxic effects in dams or offspring. There were dose-related increases in liver-to-body-weight ratios in exposed dams, but not in unmated females treated alike. Behavioral testing was conducted in the offspring. Examination of open-field activity on PND 21, and of active avoidance learning on PND 90 failed to reveal significant differences between groups. Training of operant behavior started at the age of 150 days in the offspring from the control, the 8-mg group, and the 16-mg group. Animals were trained on a fixed interval schedule of 1 min (FI-1). On this schedule, responses were reinforced by a food pellet every time 1 min had elapsed after the preceding reinforcement. There were dose-dependent reductions in the post-reinforcement pause, e.g. the time between each reinforcement and the first reaction emitted after it. In addition, the index of curvature, which describes the efficiency of performance on the FI-1 schedule, was decreased in a dose-dependent fashion. Received: 12 April 1994 / Accepted: 26 June 1995     

周围神经65KD蛋白单克隆抗体的制备

神经化学诱向生长的研究是神经科学中的一个重要方向。本文以自然系统聚丙酰胺凝胶电泳,分离提取坐骨神经损伤后的远侧端中具有诱神经生长作用的65KD蛋白。以该蛋白作为抗原免疫BALB/C小鼠,通过杂交瘤技术获得一株(VI5E)稳定分泌单克隆抗体的杂交瘤细胞株。免疫印迹法表明,该单克隆抗体特异性地与65KD区带结合。免疫组化法显示,在损伤后的坐骨神经远侧端组织中的雪旺氏细胞呈阳性反应。单克隆抗体的制备为进一步阐明该蛋白的生物学特性奠定了基础。     

Ethanol regulated preference in rats

A series of experiments evaluated the determinants of preference for mixtures of ethanol plus sucrose relative to sucrose in rats. One dipper served 10% ethanol mixed with 10% sucrose, and the second dipper served 10% sucrose. Lever presses operated each dipper according to a variable-interval 5-s schedule. In three experiments the subjects were given pre-session meals of sucrose (2.5–20 ml) or sucrose (20 ml) plus chow (5 or 10 g). Pre-session meals decreased responding maintained by sucrose but not responding maintained by ethanol mixture. In two experiments body weight was varied from 85% to 125% of the initial free-feeding values. Increases in body weight, like pre-session meals, decreased responding reinforced by sucrose, but typically did not decrease responding reinforced by ethanol mixture. Throughout most of the study, ethanol consumption remained at about 1.25 ml per half hour session (3–4 g/kg per 30 min). For example, pre-session access to ethanol mixture decreased within-session ethanol consumption, but total consumption, counting both sources, remained about 1.25 ml/session. The within-session patterns of responding also differed. Responding reinforced by ethanol mix decreased as a function of ethanol consumption, whereas responding reinforced by sucrose was relatively constant throughout the session. The simplest explanation of the results is that ethanol's pharmacological consequences regulated preference.     

Interaction of B and T lymphocyte subsets with high endothelial venules in the rat: binding in vitro does not reflect homing in vivo

Lymphocytes continuously migrate through the body, and their efficient extravasation from the blood via high endothelial venules (HEV) is essential for initiating an appropriate immune response. Most investigations have focused on the lymphocyte/HEV interaction in vitro. However, to what extent such systems reflect the situation in vivo is not known. It is also unclear whether lymphocyte subsets immigrate into the HEV in proportion to their presence in the blood, and whether import capacity is limited by the HEV. When rat mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes were incubated in vitro on cryostat sections, the well-known preferential binding of B lymphocytes to HEV of Peyer's patches (PP) and T cells to HEV of axillary lymph nodes (axLN) was observed (axLN vs. PP: B lymphocytes 21.2 ± 5.0% vs. 40.6 ± 11.0%, T lymphocytes 84.6 ± 6.3% vs. 56.5 ± 12.9%). However, when labeled mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes were injected and their location within the HEV was analyzed 15 min later, no preferential interaction was seen. After injection of labeled thoracic duct lymphocytes, the percentage of labeled cells among B and T lymphocytes in the blood was significantly different (4.4 ± 0.9% vs. 8.9 ± 3.6%), whereas that in HEV of axLN (19.0 ± 6.4% vs. 16.6 ± 6.0%) and PP (30.6 ± 6.1% vs. 33.9 ± 4.4%) was comparable. Although the number of injected lymphocytes was similar in magnitude to the total blood lymphocyte pool, after injection there was no increase in lymphocyte numbers in the HEV. Thus, the adhesion assay in vitro does not completely reflect immigration into HEV in vivo. In addition, our data suggest that both the availability of lymphocyte subsets in small venules and the immigration rate into HEV are actively regulated in vivo.