Effects of immobilization stress on hippocampal monoamine release: Modification by mivazerol, a new α2-adrenoceptor agonist

Mivazerol is a new and selective α₂-adrenoceptor agonist which has demonstrated anti-ischemic effects, both in animals and in patients with myocardial ischemia. In the present study, mivazerol was evaluated for its ability to inhibit the release of catecholamines and serotonin (5-HT) in the hippocampus of freely moving rats, and also was compared to clonidine. In vivo microdialysis in combination with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed. Intravenous administration of mivazerol (8.0 μg/kg) had no effect on basal outflow of norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC). In contrast, clonidine (8.5 μg/kg, i.v.) attenuated the basal release of DOPAC, which has been proposed to reflect NE biosynthesis, suggesting that clonidine has an inhibitory effect on NE synthesis. In addition, both mivazerol and clonidine decreased the spontaneous release of 5-HT, which provided further evidence that α₂-adrenoceptors in the hippocampus modulate 5-HT. Sixty-min immobilization stress significantly increased the release of NE (177 ± 28%), DA (209 ± 46%) and DOPAC (337 ± 72%). Mivazerol (2.5, 8.0 and 25 μg/kg, i.v.) completely prevented the immobilization stress-induced enhancement of NE, DA and DOPAC, which was equi-effective to clonidine at a dose of 8.5 gmg/kg, i.v. These findings demonstrate that mivazerol has a profound modulatory effect on stress-induced neurotransmitter release in the hippocampus, at dose levels reported to protect against myocardial ischemia.     

Urinary excretion of acid-soluble peptides in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

In order to investigate the validity of the hypothesis that acid-soluble peptides (ASP) in urinary excreta can be applied as an index of the protein catabolism of the whole body, we measured the urinary excretion of ASP in 46 normal children and in 18 children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), in which continuous breakdown of skeletal muscle protein is presumed. The mean value of ASP in the children with DMD was significantly higher than that in normal controls. The concentration of ASP was correlated with that of 3-methylhistidine (3MH), which has been proposed as an index of muscle breakdown. This finding indicates that urinary ASP reflects the catabolism of body proteins. No correlation was observed between the concentration of ASP and that of 1-methylhistidine (1MH), which is used as an objective index of meat and fish ingestion. After the administration of bestatin, an inhibitor of leucine aminopeptidase, for 9 months, the urinary ASP concentration of children with DMD increased markedly. This increase is thought to have been directly caused by the bestatin itself. Urinary ASP is therefore apparently a more conveniently applied index of protein catabolism than is urinary 3MH, which requires the application of several restrictions. However, it should not be applied when the effect of bestatin administration is evident.     

Hemoglobin constant spring defined by specific oligonucleotide hybridization and hemoglobin D Punjab (beta 121----Gln) in a Batak Indonesian family

A Batak Indonesian from North Sumatra with hemoglobin (Hb) D Punjab (alpha 2 beta 2 121----Gln) and hemoglobin Constant Spring (Hb CoSp) is described. The 24-year-old man did not have clinical symptoms, and his hematological indices were normal. However, he had a persistent slight elevation of fetal hemoglobin level. His mother and his brother were heterozygous for Hb D Punjab; his father had Hb CoSp trait. A sister did not have any abnormal hemoglobin. To show the exact molecular defect leading to the synthesis of Hb CoSp in this family, genomic DNA from the father was analyzed by hybridization with synthetic oligonucleotides. Genomic DNA was digested with Sst I and Hind III producing a 1.05-kb fragment from the 3' end segment of the alpha 2-globin gene, including the termination codon. Two nonadecamers were synthesized to serve as probes: one, entirely homologous to the normal 3' end of alpha 2A-globin gene sequence, including the termination codon TAA, the other different from it by a replacement of the T in the termination codon TAA with C, changing it to CAA, the codon for the amino acid glutamine. DNA from normal controls gave a positive signal with the normal alpha 2TAA oligonucleotide probe but negative with the alpha 2 CAA probe. The father of propositus who had Hb CoSp trait gave a positive signal with the normal alpha 2TAA oligonucleotide probe as well as with the alpha 2CAA oligonucleotide probe, showing him to be heterozygous for the alpha 2CAA-globin gene. This result shows that the Hb CoSp in the Batak family is indeed due to a replacement of T by C in the TAA termination codon of the alpha 2-globin gene changing it to CAA the condon for glutamine. This explains the resulting readthrough of the untranslated sequence of the mRNA.     

Detection of Epstein Barr virus in an hepatic leiomyomatous neoplasm in an adult human immunodeficiency virus 1-infected patient

We report the first case of a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related primary hepatic leiomyoma in an adult patient. The diagnosis was made at autopsy and confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Epstein Barr virus (EBV) was identified in tumour cells by in situ hybridization. Review of the literature revealed 13 cases of visceral myogenic tumours occuring in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome children, and only 2 cases in adults. One was a spinal epidural leiomyoma, the other multiple smooth muscle tumours of the colon and adrenal gland. This is the first report of EBV in smooth muscle neoplastic cells in an HIV-infected adult patient.     

老年人长跑锻炼后血浆白细胞介素—1活性的变化

用刺激C_(57)小鼠胸腺细胞增生后H-TdR参入量的多少来表示IL-1活性的方法,研究长跑锻炼对老年人血浆白细胞介素-1(IL-1)活性的影响。结果表明,长跑锻炼10年以上老年人安静时血浆IL-1活性在14.7～18.7KD、3.8～7.0KD、1.5～2.6KD呈现三个淋巴细胞增生峰,分別为对照组老年人的214％、179％和146％(以对照组为100％)。对这种改变的机制和生理意义进行了讨论。     

Effects of histamine on inositol phosphates and intracellular Ca2+ in human glomerular epithelial cells

The effect of histamine on the phosphoinositide turnover andintracellular free calcium activity [Ca²⁺]_i was examined inhuman glomerular epithelial cells in culture. Addition of histamineto glomerular epithelial cells resulted in formation of inositolphosphates in a time- and dose-dependent manner. A transientmaximum of inositol trisphosphate (InsP₃) was observed within10 s. Stimulation of protein kinase C by short-term pretreatment(15 mm) of glom erular epithelial cells with phorbol 12-mynstate13-acetate caused a dose-dependent inhibition of the histamine-inducedinositol phosphate accumulation. The baseline of [Ca²⁺]_i inthe cells was 115 ±2.7 nmol/l (n=103). Histamine (ED₅₀:approx. 2x10^–7mol/l) caused a rapid and transient increasein [Ca²⁺]_i, as detected by fura-2 microfluorimetry studies.In a calcium-free extracellular solution the rapid increaseof [Ca²⁺]_i was still present. The H₁ receptor antagonist mepyramine(IC₅₀: approx. 8 x 10^–9 mol/l) inhibited the histamine(10^–6 mol/l) response on [Ca²⁺]_i Cimetidine, a potentH₂ receptor antagonist, showed no effect. This data indicates that H₁ receptor activation causes hydrolysisof phosphatidylinositol 4, 5-bisphosphate by phospholipase Cactivation, and consecutive mobil ization of intracellular calcium.Since histamine is a mediator of inflammation, antigen responseand cellular injury, these findings could be of importance forthe understanding of glomerular epithelial cell pathology.     

The evolution of a neo-XY1Y2 sex chromosome system by autosome–sex chromosome fusion in Dundocoris nodulicarinus Jacobs (Heteroptera: Aradidae: Carventinae)

Sibling subspecies of Dundocoris nodulicarinus, inhabiting different isolated indigenous evergreen forests in South Africa, have chromosome numbers of 2n(male) = 14XY, 9XY1Y2 and 7XY1Y2. The ancestral chromosome number of Dundocoris is probably 2n(male) = 28XY and several chromosome fusions were involved in the karyotype evolution of these taxa. The XY1Y2 sex chromosome system of the 9XY1Y2 D. nodulicarinus novenus originated by the fusion of a large autosome with the X-chromosome, forming a neo-X with the homologue of the fused autosome forming the neo-Y (=Y1) and the original Y-chromosome, the Y2. While the original X- and Y-chromosomes are heterochromatic and heteropycnotic during prophase I, the autosomal part of the neo-X and the neo-Y stay euchromatic and behave like a normal autosomal pair, forming synapsis and chiasmata. The XY1Y2 sex chromosome system of the 7XY1Y2 D. nodulicarinus septeni probably originated from the 9XY1Y2 karyotype when the homologous chromosomes of a small autosomal pair fused with the original X- and Y-chromosomes, respectively. In both the subspecies with the neo-XY1Y2 systems, the original sex chromosomes still undergo chromatid segregation at anaphase I (= post-reductional). The evolution and behaviour of the karyotypes and sex chromosome systems during the course of meiosis in the subspecies of D. nodulicarinus are described, discussed and illustrated.     

M_2和β_1受体抗体与慢性肺源性心脏病关系的实验研究

目的用缺氧方法制备的肺源性心脏病(肺心病)大鼠为对象,研究肺心病中M2和β1受体抗体的含量及其与疾病的关系。方法选取健康雄性Wistar大鼠36只,随机分为3组:单纯缺氧组,缺氧加注射FeCl3组,健康对照组。SA-酶联免疫吸附测定(ELISA)法检测血清M2和β1受体抗体变化。最后处死大鼠观察心脏指标,并分析它与抗体滴度的相关性。结果血清中M2和β1受体抗体随缺氧时间延长而升高,滴度分别到第3周达高峰M2受体抗体为1∶80(单纯缺氧组)和1∶53(缺氧加注射FeCl3组),β1受体抗体为1∶60(单纯缺氧组)和1∶45(缺氧加注射FeCl3组),并且P/N值从第2周开始有阳性意义,到第3周同样达高峰M2和β1受体抗体分别为2.88(单纯缺氧组)、2.76(缺氧加注射FeCl3组)和3.25(单纯缺氧组)、3.99(缺氧加注射FeCl3组)。而肺心病大鼠心脏指标最终改变为R/(L+S)0.333±0.027(单纯缺氧组),0.348±0.033(缺氧加注射FeCl3组),R/BW×10-30.58±0.13(单纯缺氧组),0.60±0.15(缺氧加注射FeCl3组),(L+S)/BW×10-32.000±0.024(单纯缺氧组),2.081±0.037(缺氧加注射FeCl3组),并且抗体滴度与心脏改变呈正相关。结论M2和β1受体抗体阳性率及抗体滴度在大鼠肺心病模型中明显增高,表明肺心病的发生发展与M2和β1受体的自身抗体密切相关。     

血清1,5-脱水葡糖醇的测定及在糖尿病诊断中的应用

目的:应用血清1,5-脱水葡糖醇(1,5AG)的酶动力学法,探讨其在糖尿病诊断中的应用价值。方法:应用全自动生化分析仪,采用全酶法测定健康人和糖尿病患者血清1,5AG的含量。结果:该法测定血清1,5AG精密度好,高、低值混合血清的CV分别为1.47％和1.70％;回收率分别为98.28％、101.32％和97.64％、103.36％,平均回收率为100.15％;在1,5-AG浓度为360μmol/L内呈良好的线性;60例糖尿患者血清1,5AG(5.38-59.54μmol/L)明显低于健康人(60.89～269.79μmol/L),P<0.01。结论:该方法重复性好,准确度高,工作试剂在2 d内稳定,适合常规实验室开展;血清1,5AG测定有助于糖尿病的诊断和治疗过程的监控。     

Expression of Na+/HCO3− co‐transporter proteins (NBCs) in rat and human skeletal muscle

Aim: Sodium/bicarbonate co‐transport (NBC) has been suggested to have a role in muscle pH regulation. We investigated the presence of NBC proteins in rat and human muscle samples and the fibre type distribution of the identified NBCs. Methods and results: Western blotting of muscle homogenates and sarcolemmal membranes (sarcolemmal giant vesicles) were used to screen for the presence of NBCs. Immunohistochemistry was used for the subcellular localization. The functional test revealed that approximately half of the pH recovery in sarcolemmal vesicles produced from rat muscle is mediated by bicarbonate‐dependent transport. This indicates that the NBCs are preserved in the vesicles. The western blotting experiments demonstrated the existence of at least two NBC proteins in skeletal muscle. One NBC protein (approximately 150 kDa) seems to be related to the kidney/pancreas/heart isoform NBC1, whereas the other protein (approximately 200 kDa) is related to the NBC4 isoform. The two NBC proteins represent the electrogenic isoforms named NBCe1 and NBCe2. Membrane fractionation and immunofluorescence techniques confirmed that the two NBCs are located in the sarcolemmal membrane as well as in some internal membranes, probably the T‐tubules. The two NBCs localized in muscle have distinct fibre type distributions. Conclusions: Skeletal muscle possesses two variants of the sodium/bicarbonate co‐transporter (NBC) isoforms, which have been called NBCe1 and NBCe2.