Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors Inhibiting Excitatory Synapses in the CA1 Area of Rat Hippocampus

In the CA1 region of hippocampal slices prepared from young adult rats, we studied the ability of several specific agonists of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) to depress excitatory synaptic transmission at the CA3–CA1 pyramidal cell synapses. Three groups of mGluRs have been described: group 1 (mGluR1 and 5) receptors are positively coupled to phospholipase C whereas group 2 (mGluR2 and 3) and group 3 (mGluR4, 6, 7 and 8) receptors are negatively coupled to adenylate cyclase. We found that the broad-spectrum agonist (1 S ,3R)-1-aminocyclopentyl-1,3-dicarboxylate and the group 1-specific agonist ( R,S )-dihydroxyphenylglycine both reversibly inhibited evoked field excitatory postsynaptic potentials, indicating the involvement of group 1 mGluRs. ( R,S )-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine presumably inhibited transmission via a presynaptic mechanism, as whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings revealed that inhibition of the synaptic transmission was always accompanied with an increase in paired-pulse facilitation. Treatment with a specific blocker of mGluR1 receptors, the phenylglycine derivative ( S )-4-carboxyphenylglycine, was without effect on the (1 S ,3 R )-1-amino-cyclopentyl-1,3-dicarboxylate-induced depression of the field excitatory postsynaptic potentials, strongly suggesting that mGluR5 receptors are responsible for the (1 S ,3 R )-1-aminocyclopentyl-1,3-dicarboxylate effect. Two selective agonists of group 2 mGluRs, (2 S ,1' s ,2' s )-2-(2'-carboxycyclopropyl)glycine and 4-carboxy-3-hydroxyphenylglycine, were totally ineffective in blocking CA3-CA1-evoked synaptic transmission, excluding the involvement of mGluR2/3 subtypes at this developmental stage.     

Secretion of a chemotactic factor for neutrophils and eosinophils by alveolar macrophages from asthmatic patients

The studies presented in this article demonstrate the release of an IgE-dependent chemotactic factor for polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and eosinophils by alveolar macrophages (AMs) from normal subjects (n = 15) and allergic asthmatic patients (n = 15). A 60-minute incubation of normal AMs previously sensitized by 20% nonheated allergic sera with anti-human IgE antibody or the related allergen induced the release of a chemotactic activity (CA) for PMN and eosinophils in culture supernatants. When AMs were obtained from asthmatic patients, direct incubation with anti-IgE or the related allergen induced the same CA, whereas incubation with an unrelated allergen failed to produce CA (neutrophil CA after addition of anti-IgE, 22.5 +/- 3.5 cells per high power field; with related allergen, 15.8 +/- 3.6; with unrelated allergen, 0.7 +/- 1.8; p less than 0.0001). A partial characterization of the neutrophil chemotactic factor was carried out. Enzymatic treatment by trypsin or carboxypeptidase or by heating (56 degrees C for 3 hr) failed to abolish the neutrophil CA. After gel filtration the greater part of the neutrophil CA (80%) was recovered among low-molecular-weight components (300 to 1300 daltons). A preliminary deactivation of PMN by leukotriene B4 suppressed the CA of AM supernatants. These results indicate that IgE-dependent stimulation of AMs produces a neutrophil and eosinophil CA, present in a low-molecular-weight fraction possibly related to leukotrienes, and emphasizes the role of AMs in inflammatory lung processes during allergic asthma.     

Sputum induction as a research tool for the study of human respiratory mucus

The study objectives were to compare in vitro transportability and physical properties of respiratory mucus, obtained invasively by direct collection (DC) right after endotracheal intubation and non-invasively by sputum induction with 3% hypertonic saline solution inhalation (SI) 24 h before the anesthesia. Twenty-two patients with no pulmonary disease scheduled for elective abdominal surgical procedures were studied. The parameters analyzed and the main results are as follows. (1) Transportability by cilia (MCT), SI was higher than DC (0.94+/-0.25 and 0.62+/-0.25; P<0.001). There was a significant correlation between the two methods and DC could be estimated by: DC=0.21+(0.44 SI) (r=0.44; P<0.001). (2) Transportability by cough (CC), SI was higher than DC (68.23+/-32.1 and 33.58+/-19.04 mm; P=0.002). (3) Contact angle (CA), SI was lower than DC (10+/-3 degrees and 22+/-14 degrees ; P=0.025). (4) Rheological properties (no significant difference obtained between SI and DC). These results indicated that SI changes mucus physical properties and transportability in non-expectorators.     

血清可溶性上皮钙粘蛋白，CA724和CA199联合检测对胃癌诊断的临床意义

目的探讨血清sE—cad、CA724、CA199联合检测在胃癌诊断中的价值。方法应用酶联免疫吸附法（ELISA）技术检N30例正常对照组、35例良性胃病、45例胃癌患者血清sE—cad的含量，CA724和CA199则采用电化学发光技术检测。结果胃癌患者血清sE—cad、CA724和CA199的含量明显高于正常对照组和良性胃病组，差异有显著性（P〈0．01），三者联合检测敏感性、准确性均显著提高（P〈0．05）。结论血清sE—cad、CA724和CA199联合检测有助于提高胃癌诊断的敏感性和特异性。     

树鼩脑干儿茶酚胺神经元的分布

应用FAGLU荧光组化技术观察了树鼩脑干儿茶酚胺神经元(简称CA神经元)的位置分布及其形态特征。结果表明,CA神经元主要分布于下列核区:延髓的腹外侧网状核(LRN),孤束核(Sol);脑桥的面神经核(nVll).脑桥尾侧网状校(PnC),第四脑室顶外侧壁,蓝斑(Lc),脑桥头端与中脑尾端移行部的中缝背核(DR)、中央上核(cs),腹外侧臂旁核(VLPB)、中央灰质腹侧(Vcg);中脑的黑质(SN)、和腹侧被盖区(VTA)。     

血清、腹水中AFP、CEA及CA125水平对良、恶性腹水的诊断价值

目的 :探讨检测血清、腹水AFP、CEA及CA1 2 5对良、恶性腹水的诊断价值。方法 :放射免疫分析 86例患者血清和腹水AFP、CEA及CA1 2 5的含量。结果 :恶性腹水组血清、腹水AFP、CEA及CA1 2 5水平较之良性腹水组差异非常显著 (p <0 0 1 )。在鉴别结核、肝硬化腹水和恶性腹水时 ,以CA1 2 5≥ 5 0 0U/ml、AFP≥ 30 0ng/ml为临界值[1 ] ,可提高诊断的特异性和准确性。结论 :血清和腹水中AFP、CEA及CA1 2 5水平具有鉴别良、恶性腹水的重要意义。     

The dual effect of L-proline on spreading depression in the chicken retina

Evidence was presented for a glutamate agonistic effect of L-proline which promotes K+-based spreading depressions (SD) in chick retinas at relatively high concentrations (5 mM), in addition to an antagonistic effect which inhibits glutamate-based SDs at lower (2 mM) concentrations. Together these effects explain the observed biphasic effect of L-proline on the incidence of SD in the retina.     

Lymphoma arising in an adenolymphoma

A malignant lymphoma that originated in association with an adenolymphoma (Warthin's tumor) of the parotid salivary gland is reported. The occurrence of lymphomas in salivary glands is discussed briefly.     

Correlation of flunisolide plasma levels to eosinopenic response in humans

Plasma levels of flunisolide were measured in healthy male volunteers after the administration of single doses of the drug by the intravenous, oral, intranasal, and bronchial inhalation routes. The systemic availability of a 1-mg dose orally was only 21%. After a single dose of approximately 0.117 mg intranasally plasma levels ranged up to 1 ng/ml. When 1 mg was administered by bronchial inhalation, peak or near peak plasma levels were recorded at 2 min and remained near this level throughout the first hour before declining at a rate similar to that observed after flunisolide intravenously (plasma ). Gargling with an alcoholic mouthwash immediately after inhalation reduced plasma levels at 30 and 60 min but not earlier, suggesting rate-limiting dissolution of flunisolide in bronchial fluids or rate-limiting diffusion across the mucociliary blanket or pulmonary membrane. The systemic availabilities of the inhaled-mouthwash and inhaled-no mouthwash doses were 32% and 39%, respectively. Systemic potency of flunisolide, measured by eosinopenic response, was oral < inhaled < intravenous and correlated with the systemic availability of flunisolide after drug administration by these three routes. These pharmacokinetic properties of flunisolide are clinically advantageous in that relatively small doses are delivered topically to the target organs, i.e., the nasal mucosa and lungs, whereas a large portion of the dose is swallowed and subsequently extensively metabolized to relatively inactive metabolites.     

血清CA125测定对卵巢恶性肿瘤的诊断及随访复发的价值

本文采用放射免疫法对９８例６１５份血清进行糖类抗原ＣＡ１２５值的测定，其中正常对照３０例，卵巢良性肿瘤２５例，交界性肿瘤１例，卵巢恶性肿瘤４２例。对恶性肿瘤患者中２４例同时进行了阴道超声检查的随访监测，发现卵巢恶性是血清ＣＡ１２５值明显高于良性肿瘤和正常对照组（Ｐ〈０．０１）；良性肿瘤ＣＡ１２５值与正常对照组无显著性差异（Ｐ〉０．０５）。术前卵巢恶性肿瘤阳性检出率８５．１９％，其中卵巢上皮性癌阳性