Microvascular transfers of serratus anterior muscles in rats

Summary The serratus anterior muscle in the rat is supplied by the serratus division of thoracodorsal vessels, in a pattern similar to man [2]. The serratus anterior muscles were transferred to the groin area as a free muscle flap in 17 rats and as a free muscle graft in 13 rats. In the free muscle flap group, the serratus anterior muscles of 8 of 10 rats survived; histological examination showed them to be viable and the vascular anastomoses were patent at the 30th day. In the free muscle graft group, all of the muscle grafts became necrotic. As a result, it is concluded that the microvascular transfer of serratus anterior muscles in rats is a useful small animal model for microsurgical laboratory training of clinical free flap transfers and also for performing pharmacological and biochemical studies in transplanted muscle.     

The effect of adrenalectomy on stress-induced c-fos mRNA expression in the rat brain

Previously, we determined the pattern of stress-induced c-fos mRNA expression throughout the brain in order to gain further insight into the identification of the neural circuits mediating stress-induced regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. In the present study, we determined if rapid effects of increased glucocorticoid levels after stress contribute to changes in c-fos mRNA expression. To this end, stress-induced c-fos expression was characterized in adrenalectomized (ADX) or adrenalectomized and corticosterone replaced (ADX/B) male rats. Animals were sacrificed 30 min post-onset of a 10 min swim stress, and in situ hybridization histochemistry was used to detect c-fos mRNA throughout the brain. The pattern of c-fos induction in the ADX and ADX/B animals was similar to that observed in the sham operated animals. Additionally, densitometric measurements were made to quantify the c-fos response in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and the CA1/2 region of the hippocampus. We found that ADX did not alter the magnitude of the c-fos response to stress in these areas, but there was a slight dampening of the response in ADX/B animals. In sum, these results suggest that the pattern of c-fos expression observed 30 min post-stress is independent of stress-induced increases in circulating glucocorticoid concentrations.     

Post-translational processing of thyrotropin-releasing hormone precursor in rat brain: identification of 3 novel peptides derived from pro TRH

The sequence of rat hypothalamic pro-thyrotropin releasing hormone, deduced by sequencing of cDNA, in addition to 5 TRH progenitor genitor sequences contains leader, trailer and 4 intervening sequences separated by paired basic amino acid sequences. We have developed radioimmunoassays to synthetic peptides corresponding to portions of these cryptic proTRH sequences and have used these assays to identify and partially characterize proTRH peptides, distinct from TRH, in extracts of rat brain. Two of these peptides correspond closely in size to one intervening sequence and the car☐y-terminal sequence of proTRH. Three other peptides correspond to the intact amino-terminal leader sequence and two peptides formed by a further cleavage of the leader sequence at an internal paired basic amino acid sequence.     

中药骨康对去卵巢大鼠腰椎骨形态计量学的影响

目的 探讨中药骨康对卵巢切除大鼠骨质疏松症的治疗作用。方法 选择6m龄SD大鼠48只。随机分为假手术模型组（Sham）、手术模型组（OVX）、尼尔雌醇组（E2）、中药骨康组。切除大鼠卵巢3m后。大鼠骨质疏松症模型制备成功，分别给予尼尔雌醇、中药骨康灌胃治疗，并与Sham组和OVX组对照。治疗3m后，体内双荧光标记，取第2腰椎包埋切片。全自动图像分析及松质骨骨形态计量学软件处理。观察中药对骨形态计量学参数的影响。结果 卵巢切除后大鼠骨小梁面积百分数（％Tb．Ar）下降35．84％，骨小梁数量（Tb．N）下降16．60％，骨小梁宽度（Tb．Th）下降25．79％，表明绝经后骨质疏松症动物模型成立。骨康治疗3个月后，与OVX组相比，Oc．N／mm^2下降42．80％，有显著性差异（P〈0．01）；％Tb．Ar、Tb．Th、Tb．N和MAR有上升趋势（P〉0．05）；15．Sp，％L．Pm、BFR／BS、BFR／TV和Oc．N／mm，BFR／BV有下降趋势（P〉0．05）。结论 中药骨康具有降低骨转换以及促进骨形成和抑制骨吸收的双重作用，说明中药骨康对骨质疏松有明显的治疗作用。     

压迫及非压迫因素在实验性神经根性疼痛中的作用

目的：探讨压迫及非压迫因素在实验性椎间盘源性神经根性疼痛中的作用。方法：取大鼠白体脊椎关节突修剪后放置在L5神经根下．造成对L5神经根的直接压迫（压迫组）；取大鼠白体尾椎椎间盘组织无压迫下放置在L5神经根表面（非压迫组）：同时设立对照组。术后不同时间点测定各组大鼠后足底机械刺激疼痛阈值的变化。结果：压迫组与非压迫组大鼠后足底均产生了一个长时程机械刺激疼痛阈值的降低；与压迫组相比．非压迫组大鼠术后1天就开始出现了疼痛阈值降低（P〈0．05），明显早于压迫组大鼠，并且疼痛阈值降低更加显著：而压迫组大鼠术后1周时才出现明显的疼痛阈值降低（P〈0．05）。对照组大鼠疼痛阈值没有发生明显的改变。结论：尽管压迫和非压迫因素都参与椎间盘源性神经根性疼痛的发生．但二者作用的时间不同＋在椎间盘突出的早期阶段非压迫因素可能在疼痛中起着重要的作用：随后压迫因素可能逐渐成为致痛的主因。     

Cytotoxicity of propyl gallate and related compounds in rat hepatocytes

 The cytotoxic effects of propyl gallate (PG), its related gallates and gallic acid have been studied in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes. Addition of PG (0.5–2.0 mM) to hepatocyte suspension elicited concentration-dependent cell death accompanied by losses of intracellular ATP, adenine nucleotide pools, glutathione (GSH) and protein thiols. The rapid loss of intracellular ATP preceded the onset of cell death caused by PG. In the comparative toxic effects of PG and related gallates at concentration of 1 mM, octyl gallate (OG), dodecyl gallate (DG) and butyl gallate (BG) elicited an abrupt depletion of ATP, followed by an acute cell death. These gallates were more toxic than PG; the toxic effects of PG were similar to those of methyl gallate (MG) and ethyl gallate (EG). In mitochondria isolated from rat liver, PG caused a concentration-dependent increase in the rate of state 4 oxygen consumption, indicating an uncoupling effect. The rate of state 3 oxygen consumption was inhibited by OG and DG. According to the respiratory control index, the order of impairment potency to mitochondria was OG>BG, DG>PG>EG, MG>gallic acid. These results indicate that PG and related gallates are toxic to hepatocytes and that the acute cytotoxicity may be due to mitochondrial dysfunction. Received: 16 May 1994 / Accepted: 15 August 1994     

Age-related changes in the turnover rates of D1-dopamine receptors in the retina and in distinct areas of the rat brain

The steady-state density and the turnover rates of D₁-dopamine receptors were investigated in the striatum, nucleus accumbens, substantia nigra, and retina of adult (3-month-old) and aged (23-month-old) rats. The turnover rates were measured by monitoring the repopulation kinetics of D₁-dopamine receptors labeled with [³H]-SCH 23390 after the irreversible inactivation induced by a single dose of N-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline (EEDQ, 10 mg/kg, s.c.). In all the neural tissues examined, the repopulation of D₁ dopamine receptors could be adequately described by a theoretical model that assumes a constant rate of receptor production (i.e. zero order) and a rate of degradation that is dependent on the receptor density at any time (i.e. first order). The results obtained indicate that the reduction in the density of D₁-dopamine receptors in the striatum, nucleus accumbens and substantia nigra of aged rats is the result of a larger decrease in the receptor production rate (−44 to −60%) than in the receptor degradation rate (−21 to −46%). By contrast, the production rate of D₁-dopamine receptors in the retina of aged rats remains unchanged, whilst the degradation rate is reduced by 25%. This results in an age-related increase in the density of D₁-dopamine receptors in the rat retina.     

Investigations of neurotoxicity and neuroprotection within the nucleus basalis of the rat

The present study investigated the specific ways by which cytotoxicity due to glutamate receptor stimulation could be attenuated by the administration of agonists and antagonists of the ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors within the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) of rats as measured by cortical choline acetyltransferase activity. The results of these studies suggest that (1) the cytotoxicity of ibotenate to NBM cholinergic cells is not dependent upon stimulation of metabotropic glutamate receptors, but results from activation of (NMDA) receptors, (2) the cytotoxicity of quisqualate to cholinergic cells within the NBM is not dependent upon stimulation of NMDA or metabotropic receptors, and (3) the cytotoxicity of NMDA was prevented by administration (i.p.) of the un-competitive NMDA antagonist memantine (30 mg/kg), resulting in plasma levels of 2.5 μg/ml, a concentration known to block efficiently NMDA receptors in vitro. Finally, performance of a food-motivated, delayed-alternation task on a T-maze was impaired by injections of NMDA into the NBM, but was prevented by co-administration of NMDA with memantine.     

Post-traumatic brain hypothermia reduces histopathological damage following concussive brain injury in the rat

The purposes of this study were (1) to document the histopathological consequences of moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI) in anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats, and (2) to determine whether posttraumatic brain hypothermia (30°C) would protect histopathologically. Twenty-four hours prior to TBI, the fluid percussion interface was positioned over the right cerebral cortex. On the 2nd day, fasted rats were anesthetized with 70% nitrous oxide, 1% halothane, and 30% oxygen. Under controlled physiological conditions and normothermic brain temperature (37.5°C), rats were injured with a fluid percussion pulse ranging from 1.7 to 2.2 atmospheres. In one group, brain temperature was maintained at normothermic levels for 3 h after injury. In a second group, brain temperature was reduced to 30°C at 5 min post-trauma and maintained for 3 h. Three days after TBI, brains were perfusion-fixed for routine histopathological analysis. In the normothermic group, damage at the site of impact was seen in only one of nine rats. In contrast, all normothermic animals displayed necrotic neurons within ipsilateral cortical regions lateral and remote from the impact site. Intracerebral hemorrhagic contusions were present in all rats at the gray-white interface underlying the injured cortical areas. Selective neuronal necrosis was also present within the CA3 and CA4 hippocampal subsectors and thalamus. Post-traumatic brain hypothermia significantly reduced the overall sum of necrotic cortical neurons (519±122 vs 952±130, mean ±SE, P=0.03, Kruskal-Wallis test) as well as contusion volume (0.50±0.14 vs 2.14±0.71 mm³, P=0.004). These data document a consistent pattern of histopathological vulnerability following normothermic TBI and demonstrate hypothermic protection in the post-traumatic setting.Supported by USPHS Grants NS30291 and NS27127