A2A adenosine receptors from rat striatum and rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells: characterization with radioligand binding and by activation of adenylate cyclase.

Binding assays and assays of activation of adenylate cyclase with the agonists 5'-N-ethylcarboxyamidoadenosine (NECA) and CGS21680 have been used to compare adenosine receptors in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells and in rat striatum. The [3H]NECA binding showed two components, whereas [3H]CGS21680 bound to one component in both tissues. The Kd value for the high affinity site labeled with [3H]NECA in PC12 cell membranes (2.3 nM) was lower than that in striatum (6.5 nM). The [3H]CGS21680 binding site showed a Kd value of 6.7 nM and 11.3 nM in PC12 cells and striatum, respectively. In the presence of GTP the KD values of [3H]NECA and [3H]CGS21680 for the high affinity site were increased severalfold, whereas the low affinity sites for [3H]NECA were no longer detected with filtration assays. A comparison of the ability of a series of agonists and antagonists to inhibit high affinity binding of [3H]NECA to A2 receptors in PC12 cell and striatal membranes indicated that agonists had higher affinities and antagonists had lower affinities in PC12 cells, compared with affinities in striatal membranes. Analysis of activation of adenylate cyclase in PC12 cell membranes suggested that the dose-dependent stimulation by NECA involved two components, whereas CGS21680 stimulated via one component. The maximal stimulation by NECA significantly exceeded that caused by CGS21680. In intact PC12 cells, NECA caused a greater accumulation of AMP than did CGS21680, as was the case in membranes. In striatal membranes, NECA and CGS21680 showed similar maximal stimulations of adenylate cyclase. Both NECA and CGS21680 were more potent in PC12 cell membranes than in striatal membranes, in agreement with binding data. However, in contrast to binding data, antagonists were not less potent versus stimulation of adenylate cyclase by NECA or CGS21680 in PC12 cell membranes, compared with striatal membranes. In toto, the results suggest that A2A receptors in striatum are virtually identical to the A2A receptors in PC12 cells. But, in addition to an A2A receptor, it appears that a lower affinity functional receptor, probably an A2B receptor, is present in PC12 cells and PC12 cell membranes, whereas such a functional low affinity receptor is not detectable in striatal membrane.     

Factors affecting the use of medical, mental health, alcohol, and drug treatment services by homeless adults

This study describes use of medical, mental health, alcohol, and drug services by 832 adult residents of the New York City homeless shelter system and examines associations between service use during the past three months and an array of predisposing, enabling, and need factors. Utilization rates were 23% for medical services, 13% for mental health services, and 10 and 7.5% for alcohol and drug treatment services, respectively. Service contacts were more often hospitals than ambulatory care clinics. Logistic regression analyses revealed that need factors were stronger predictors of all four types of service use. Predisposing factors other than education and black ethnic status were not significant, and the enabling factor of enrollment in Medicaid and/or Medicare was significant only for use of medical and drug services. Among the need factors, measures of mental health status were analyzed as indices of distress to test a stress-utilization model of prediction for all four types of service use. While these measures did not predict use of nonmental health services, physical health problems were associated with use of all four types of services. Implications for future health services research and for service delivery to the homeless are discussed, including the need for more information on availability of services and on psychosocial and cultural characteristics of homeless persons that may affect their help-seeking behavior.     

Effects of the amphiphilic peptides melittin and mastoparan on calcium influx, phosphoinositide breakdown and arachidonic acid release in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells.

Two amphiphilic peptides from hymenopterid insects, melittin and mastoparan, stimulate secretion in a variety of cell types. In PC12 cells, both peptides stimulate calcium influx with melittin some 20-fold more potently than mastoparan. Melittin stimulates both breakdown of phosphoinositides (Pl) by phospholipase C to yield inositol phosphates and hydrolysis of phospholipids by phospholipase A2 to release arachidonic acid (AA). Mastoparan stimulates Pl breakdown, but has no effect on AA release. Maximal stimulation of Pl breakdown occurs at 1 to 2.5 micrograms/ml melittin and 30 micrograms/ml mastoparan, whereas maximal stimulation of AA release occurs at 2 to 5 micrograms/ml melittin. Organic calcium channel blockers (nifedipine, verapamil, diltiazem) have little or no effect on responses to the peptides. The influx of calcium elicited by melittin or mastoparan is completely or nearly completely blocked by inorganic calcium channel blockers (Co++, Mn++, Cd++). Mn++ and Cd++ inhibit melittin-induced Pl breakdown and AA release and mastoparan-induced Pl breakdown. Co++ has no effect on melittin-induced Pl breakdown and potentiates mastoparan-induced Pl breakdown. Pertussis toxin has no effect on the Pl breakdown induced by either peptide. The responses to melittin and mastoparan in PC12 cells are compared to those reported for maitotoxin.     

Safety and pharmacokinetic analysis of methotrexate administered directly into the fourth ventricle in a piglet model

We have developed a piglet model to assess chemotherapy administration directly into the fourth ventricle as a potential treatment for medulloblastoma and other malignant posterior fossa tumors. The objective of this study was to assess safety and pharmacokinetics after methotrexate infusions into the fourth ventricle. Catheters were inserted into the fourth ventricle and lumbar cistern in five piglets. Two milligrams of Methotrexate (MTX) was infused into the fourth ventricle on five consecutive days. Safety was assessed by neurological examination, 4.7 T MRI, and post-mortem pathological analysis. MTX levels in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were measured, and area under the concentration–time curve (AUC) was calculated for CSF samples. No neurological deficits were caused by MTX infusions. One piglet died from complications of anesthesia induction for MRI scanning. MRI scans showed accurate catheter placement without signal changes in the brainstem or cerebellum. One piglet had asymptomatic ventriculomegaly. Pathological analysis demonstrated meningitis and choroid plexitis consisting predominantly of CD-3 positive T-lymphocytes in all piglets and a small focal area of subependymal necrosis in one. In all piglets, mean peak MTX level in fourth ventricular CSF exceeded that in lumbar CSF by greater than five-fold. Serum MTX levels were undetectable or negligible. Statistically significant differences between fourth ventricle and lumbar AUC were detected at peaks (P = 0.01) and at all collection time points (P = 0.01) but not at troughs (P = 0.36). MTX can be infused into the fourth ventricle without clinical or radiographic evidence of damage. An inflammatory response without clinical correlate is observed. Significantly higher peak MTX levels are observed in the fourth ventricle than in the lumbar cistern.