脊髓ERK-CREB信号通路在吗啡依赖大鼠戒断反应中的作用

目的 评价脊髓背角神经元细胞外信号调节激酶-cAMP反应元件结合蛋白(ERKCREB)信号通路在吗啡依赖大鼠戒断反应中的作用.方法 健康雄性SD大鼠,体重200 ～ 250 g,2月龄.经枕骨大孔行鞘内置管,取置管成功的50只大鼠,采用随机数字表法,将其随机分为5组(n=10):对照组(C组)、吗啡依赖组(MD组)、吗啡戒断组(MW组)、U0126组和二甲基亚砜组(DMSO组).皮下注射吗啡10mg/kg,2次/d,隔天每次增加10 mg/kg,至第6天末次注射50 mg/kg,建立吗啡依赖模型.末次注射后4h,MW组、U0126组和DMSO组腹腔注射纳洛酮激发吗啡戒断反应.给予纳洛酮前30 min时,U0126组和DMSO组分别鞘内注射U0126(溶于10μlDMSO中)150 μg和DMSO 10 μl.于注射纳洛酮后1h内行戒断反应评分和促诱发痛评分,注射纳洛酮后1h处死大鼠,取脊髓组织,分别采用免疫组织化学法和Western blot法测定脊髓背角磷酸化ERK(p-ERK)和磷酸化CREB(p-CREB)的表达.结果 与C组比较,MW组脊髓背角p-ERK和p-CREB表达上调(P＜0.05);与MD组比较,MW组、U0126组和DMSO组戒断反应评分和促诱发痛评分升高(P＜0.05);与MW组比较,U0126组戒断反应评分和促诱发痛评分降低,脊髓背角p-ERK和p-CREB表达下调(P＜0.05),DMSO组上述指标差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).结论 脊髓背角神经元ERK-CREB信号通路参与了吗啡依赖大鼠的戒断反应.     

氦氖激光对小鼠小脑信息传递物质一氧化氮及环磷酸鸟苷含量的影响

目的：研究低功率氦氖激光对小鼠小脑信息传递物质的影响。方法：采用雄性BALB／C小鼠,随机分为对照组,辐射后即刻组、1h组、2h组,注入氮氖合酶（NOS）抑制剂的辐射后即刻组、副射后1h组,用波长632．8nm、功率密度5mW/cm^2连续氦氖激光每天局部辐射1次,每次1h,连续5d。对照辐射功率密度为0。结果：辐射组分别于辐射后即刻、1h小脑组织中一氧化氮（NO）代谢产物亚硝酸根（NO2^-)及环磷酸鸟苷（cGMP)含量均升高（P＜0．01）,辐射2h二者均降至正常,此增高效应可同时被NOS抑制剂阻断。结论：低功率氦氖激光可使小鼠小脑NO代谢产物NO2^-及cGMP含量短暂性升高,在氦氖激光辐射产生的生物学效应中涉及NO／cGMP信息传递机制。     

Cyclic AMP: A potent inhibitor of DNA synthesis in cultured arterial endothelial and smooth muscle cells

Summary The effect of dibutyryl cyclic AMP on DNA synthesis was studied in cultured human umbilical endothelial cells and rat aortic smooth muscle cells. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP (2×10^-4mol/l) inhibited DNA synthesis in both arterial cell types when they were grown in medium supplemented with whole serum or with platelet poor serum, but had no effect in the absence of serum. An effect was seen one hour after the addition of the nucleotide, and the threshold concentration was between 2×10^-6 and 2×10^-5mol/l. These results may have relevance to the interaction of platelets and insulin with the arterial wall in the development of atherosclerosis in diabetes.     

CLINICAL EXPERIENCES WITH HUMAN PARATHYROID HORMONE 1–34*

Human parathyroid hormone (PTH) 1–34 was given to nine normal subjects and to 10 patients with hypoparathyroidism. There were no side effects associated with the protocol employed. In normal subjects, five statistically significant changes occurred during the period of observation: plasma cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) rose by a factor of 3 (at 30 min), nephrogenous cyclic AMP rose approximately 40-fold (at 60 min), urinary phosphate rose by a factor of 2 (at 120 min), urine calcium levels fell by 50% between 60 and 120 min, and plasma prolactin rose by a factor of 1.4 (at 60 min). The cAMP responses were significantly blunted in five patients with chronic hypocalcemia, chronic hyperphosphatemia, and detectable serum immunoreactive PTH levels. On the basis of this test these patients were designated as suffering from pseudohypoparathyroidism. The acute phosphaturic and hypocalciuric responses were apparently intact in these five individuals. Human PTH 1–34 is likely to replace bovine material in the delineation of syndromes associated with PTH resistance.     

Relationship between stimulated prolactin release from GH cells and cyclic AMP degradation and formation

We have studied the relationship between the prolaction (PRL) release induced by thyroliberin (TRH) and theophylline and the formation and inactivation of adenosine 3', 5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) in cultured rat-pituitary cells (GH3 cells). TRH, which stimulated prolactin release, increased cyclic AMP formation and stimulated transiently both the low- and high-Km cyclic phosphodiesterases. The maximal effect on the phosphodiesterase was observed at 30 mM TRH. The stimulatory effect of TRH on the activity of the cyclic AMP phosphodiesterases was duplicated by incubation of the cells with cyclic AMP (2-10 mM). In washed particulate GH3 cell fractions, TRH increased the adenylyl cyclase activity up to 180%. Treatment of GH3 cells with theophylline stimulated the release of PRL and inhibited cyclic AMP degradation probably leading to the measured increase in cellular concentrations of the nucleotide. The effects of TRH and theophylline on cellular cyclic AMP concentrations and on PRL release were additive. There was a positive correlation between PRL release and cellular cyclic AMP concentration (r = 0.97). The elevations observed in cellular cyclic AMP concentration after TRH treatment are due to increased formation which in turn leads to phosphodiesterase activation. Therefore, cyclic AMP formation appears to be an intermediary step in the stimulus-secretion coupling caused by the tripeptide.     

Effects of chemical denervation with 6-hydroxydopamine on myocardial responsiveness to isoproterenol in rabbits

This study examined the hypothesis that chemical denervation with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) would increase myocardial responsiveness to isoproterenol. Five days previously, 15 New Zealand white rabbits were given 60 mg/kg 6-OHDA intravenously. Fifteen control rabbits received vehicle. Hemodynamic, coronary blood flow (CBF), and cardiac output measurements were obtained before and during isoproterenol infusion (0.5 g/kg/min for 15 min). Norepinephrine tissue content, -adrenoceptor number (Bmax) and affinity (Kd), cyclic AMP content and cyclic AMP-phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity were measured in the subepicardium (EPI) and subendocardium (ENDO). Myocardial norepinephrine content was significantly decreased from 1263±292 (EPI) and 874±221 ng/g tissue (ENDO) in the control to 148 ±33 (EPI) and 90±45 ng/g tissue (ENDO) in the denervated group. There were no significant changes in cyclic AMP-PDE activity of Bmax and Kd of -adrenoceptors. Cyclic AMP content was similar at baseline, but controls had a significantly larger increase (123–155 %) during isoproterenol infusion when compared to the denervated group (27–37%). The denervated animals showed a smaller increase in cardiac output during isoproterenol infusion (from 203±30 to 235±26 ml/min), when compared to the control animals (from 135±18 to 216±42 ml/min). Baseline CBF was significantly higher in the EPI but not ENDO of the denervated group (185±20 ml/ 100 g/min in EPI and 150±8 in ENDO) compared to the control group (108±13 in EPI and 133±17 in ENDO). The relative increase in CBF during isoproterenol infusion was smaller in the denervated group (44–45%) than the control group (107–109%). Isoproterenol infusions of 0.1 and 2.5 g/kg/min showed similarly depressed coronary blood flow responses in denervated animals. Thus, the chemically denervated animals did not have -adrenoceptor upregulation, exhibited a lesser increase in cyclic AMP with isoproterenol, and had a reduced functinal and coronary blood flow response to isoproterenol. This occurred without any significant change in -adrenoceptor number or affinity, or in cyclic AMP-phosphodiesterase activity, indicating there may be receptor uncoupling or other changes in the signal transduction pathway.     

Serum nitrate and NOx levels in preeclampsia are higher than in normal pregnancy

Objectives: To compare nitric oxide (NO) serum levels in women with and without preeclampsia. Methods: 106 women were classified into preeclampsia group (n = 40) and normotensive group (n = 66). NO content was measured in the serum. Clinical and laboratorial data were recorded for comparison. Results: Preeclampsia presented a significant increase in nitrate and NOx levels compared to the control group. Uric acid, gestational age, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and creatinine showed correlation with nitrates and NOx. Conclusion: Increase of NO was observed in preeclampsia women. Failure in the mechanism of action, dependent on cyclic GMP, may justify this finding.     

Metabolic clues regarding the enhanced performance of elite endurance athletes from orchiectomy-induced hormonal changes

This article examines the metabolic performance of an elite cyclist, Lance Armstrong, before and after his diagnosis with testicular cancer. Although a champion cyclist in 1-day events prior to his diagnosis of testicular cancer at age 25, he was not a contender in multi-day endurance cycle races such as the 3-week Tour de France. His genetic makeup and physiology (high VO2max, long femur, strong heavy build) coupled with his ambition and motivation enabled him at an early age to become one of the best 1-day cyclists in the world. Following his cancer diagnosis, he underwent a unilateral orchiectomy, brain surgery and four cycles of chemotherapy. After recovering, he returned to cycling and surprisingly excelled in the Tour de France, winning this hardest of endurance events 7 years running. This dramatic transformation from a 1-day to a 3-week endurance champion has led many to query how this is possible, and under the current climate, has led to suggestions of doping as to the answer to this metamorphosis. Physiological tests following his recovery indicated that physiological parameters such as VO2max were not affected by the unilateral orchiectomy and chemotherapy. We propose that his dramatic improvement in recovery between stages, the most important factor in winning multi-day stage races, is due to his unilateral orchiectomy, a procedure that results in permanent changes in serum hormones. These hormonal changes, specifically an increase in gonadotropins (and prolactin) required to maintain serum testosterone levels, alter fuel metabolism; increasing hormone sensitive lipase expression and activity, promoting increased free fatty acid (FFA) mobilization to, and utilization by, muscles, thereby decreasing the requirement to expend limiting glycogen stores before, during and after exercise. Such hormonal changes also have been associated with ketone body production, improvements in muscle repair and haematocrit levels and may facilitate the loss of body weight, thereby increasing power to weight ratio. Taken together, these hormonal changes act to limit glycogen utilization, delay fatigue and enhance recovery thereby allowing for optimal performances on a day-to-day basis. These insights provide the foundation for future studies on the endocrinology of exercise metabolism, and suggest that Lance Armstrong's athletic advantage was not due to drug use.     

Inhibition of Basal and Stimulated Release of Endothelin-1 from Guinea Pig Tracheal Epithelial Cells in Culture by Beta 2-adrenoceptor Agonists and Cyclic AMP Enhancers

The effects of cyclic AMP-related compounds and beta adrenoceptor agonists on the basal and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated release of endothelin-1 (ET-1) from guinea-pig tracheal epithelial cells (GPTEpCs) in culture were studied. Forskolin (a potent activator of adenylyl cyclase), 8-bromo-cyclic AMP (a cyclic AMP analogue), salbutamol and salmeterol (two beta 2-adrenoceptor agonists), were used to increase cyclic AMP levels. Cultured GPTEpCs released ET-1 continuously over a 24 h incubation period. The values reached 1,938 ± 122 pg/mg of total cell proteins after 24 h. LPS (10 μg/ml) significantly stimulated the release of ET-1 by 1.6- to 1.8-fold, up to 1,262 ± 56 pg/mg total cell proteins after an 8 h incubation period. Compound 8-bromo-cyclic AMP (10⁻⁵, 10⁻⁴ and 10⁻³ M) reduced the basal release of ET-1 from GPTEpCs by up to 31% (P < 0.01) and the LPS stimulated release by up to 42% (P < 0.05), after an 8 h incubation period. Forskolin (10⁻⁶, 10⁻⁵ and 10⁻⁴ M) also inhibited the basal release of ET-1 by up to 28% (P < 0.05) and LPS-stimulated release of ET-1 by up to 50% (P < 0.05), after an 8 h incubation period. At the concentration of 10⁻⁵ M, forskolin increased cyclic AMP levels in GPTEpCs by 17-fold (P < 0.001) in the medium, 15 min after the beginning of the incubation. Salbutamol (10⁻⁸ to 10⁻⁶ M) had no effect on the basal production and release of ET-1 after 8 h. Conversely, this short acting beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist significantly reduced LPS-mediated increase of ET-1 production by up to 55% (P < 0.05) after an 8 h incubation period. Salmeterol (10⁻⁹ M to 10⁻⁵ M) inhibited basal and LPS-stimulated production and release of ET-1 after an 8 h incubation period (between 44 and 51%, P < 0.01). Both salbutamol and salmeterol (10⁻⁶ M) increase cyclic AMP levels by five- and twofold, respectively (P < 0.05). In summary, these observations indicate that beta 2-adrenoceptor agonists or cyclic AMP enhancers can modulate both basal and more markedly, the enhanced production of ET-1 from LPS-activated guinea pig airway EpCs. In addition, these compounds increase cyclic AMP levels in the cells. It is suggested that there is a correlation between cyclic AMP increase and inhibition of ET-1 release by guinea pig airway EpCs. Since ET-1 production was shown to be elevated in asthmatic subjects and in patients suffering from other inflammatory lung disorders, the inhibition of its production by beta adrenoceptor agonists, such as salbutamol and salmeterol, could be added to their therapeutical benefits.