Autoradiographic localization of dopamine uptake sites in the rat brain with3H-GBR 12935

Summary The firing rate and terminal excitability of identified nigrostriatal dopamine (DA) neurons was determined before, and over a 10–15 min period following, direct intrastriatal administration of the glutamate (GLU) agonist NMDA, or saline. NMDA (0.025 and 0.075 mol) produced a short latency increase in DA cell firing rate. In 7/8 cases, this increase in firing rate was accompanied by a profound reduction in terminal excitability. The decrease in excitability usually outlasted the increase in firing rate (sometimes by more than 8 min), and was superseded at a later stage by a marked increase in excitability. None of these effects were seen with saline (n=5), and they could all be blocked by preadministration of the competitive NMDA antagonist AP-7 (0.025 mol; n=6). The sequence of events leading to the observed results is argued to be as follows; NMDA initially excites striatal efferents to the DA cell, which through disinhibition and direct stimulation increase DA cell firing rate. Increased firing rate leads to enhanced striatal DA release. Dopamine's inhibitory influence pre-empts any effect NMDA itself may have on the terminals of nigrostriatal neurons, and counteracts NMDA's stimulatory effect on striatal output cells. Furthermore, the marked reduction in terminal excitability suggests that DA becomes the dominant influence in the striatum for a time. Hence, the net outcome of the injection is augmented striatal DA tone. Later, the effect of residual NMDA becomes predominant once more.     

Localization and Quantitative Autoradiography of Glutamatergic Ligand Binding Sites in Chick Brain

The anatomical localization of glutamate receptor subtype-selective ligand binding sites was investigated in 1-day-old chick brain using quantitative autoradiography. Under the conditions used, the regional distributions of [3H]glutamate, [3H]AMPA (a selective quisqualate receptor ligand) and [3H]kainate binding sites are manifestly different. [3H]l-glutamate binding is densely localized in the telencephalon, particularly in the neostriatum (2.8 pmol/mg protein). In addition, [3H]l-glutamate labels the thalamus, the nucleus mesencephalicus lateralis pars dorsalis, the superficial layers of the optic tectum and the molecular layer of the cerebellum. [3H]AMPA binding sites are most densely localized in the hippocampus (0.90 pmol/mg protein), with an otherwise relatively uniform distribution of binding within the telencephalon. [3H]AMPA also labels the striatum griseum et fibrosum superficiale of the optic tectum and the molecular layer of the cerebellum. [3H]Kainate binding sites are extremely densely packed in the molecular layer of the cerebellum (10 pmol/mg protein). Other regions of [3H]kainate binding include the hyperstriatum and the thalamus. The binding of the NMDA receptor channel blocker [3H]MK-801 is increased in the presence of 1 mM l-glutamate. [3H]MK-801 binding is generally widespread in the telencephalon but is notably absent from the ectostriatum. No evidence of [3H]MK-801 binding sites was detected in the cerebellum, even in the presence of 1 mM l-glutamate. The relatively high densities and the well-defined localizations of the glutamate receptor subtype binding sites suggest that chick brain provides a useful system for the further study of excitatory amino acid receptors.     

Detection of the homology among proteins by immunochemical cross-reactivity between denatured antigens. Application to the glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenases from different species

It was previously proposed that an immunological cross-reaction between two denatured proteins is evidence for an homology betweeen their amino sequence (Arnon &; Maron, 1971; Arnheim et al., 1971) and that detection of such a cross-reaction could then be a rapid method to detect sequence homologies (Zakin et al., 1978). In order to test the possibilities of such a methodology, using proteins of known structure, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenases from different sources are compared by immunochemical techniques. The antibodies raised against the native enzyme from E. coli K 12 can only recognize the homologous antigen, the glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase from B. stearothermophilus and to a lesser extent that from halibut. In contrast, the antibodies raised against the denatured enzyme from E. coli K 12 can recognize the glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenases from man, ostrich, chicken, sturgeon, halibut, lobster and yeast, when in their denatured state. The present results show unambiguously that through exposure of buried sequences, the immunochemical detection of sequence homologies among proteins is more discriminating when unfolded proteins are used, rather than native ones. It is also proposed that the use of denatured proteins both as immunogens and antigens would be a useful tool in studying biochemical evolution.     

Role of a conserved amino-terminal sequence in the ecotropic MLV receptor mCAT1

The amino-terminus of mCAT1 and homologous proteins is predicted to form a positively charged, amphipathic alpha helix on the cytoplasmic side of the plasma membrane. Peptides with similar sequence motifs often provide membrane anchors, protein-protein interaction domains, or intracellular transport-targeting signals. Deleting most of the cytoplasmic N-terminal sequence of mCAT1 led to reduced expression on the cell surface and accumulation in the endoplasmic reticulum but did not abrogate receptor function. Surprisingly, when the N-terminal 36 or 18 amino acids of mCAT1 were fused to green fluorescent protein (gfp), gfp accumulated almost exclusively in mitochondria. Mitochondrial targeting depended on arginines at positions 15 and 16 and was inhibitable by downstream transmembrane sequences. Although the full-length mCAT1 was not detected in mitochondria, the mitochondrial-targeting property of the N-terminal sequence fused to gfp is conserved in orthologous and paralogous proteins that diverged approximately 80 million years ago, suggesting a conserved biological function. We propose that the conserved N-terminal motif of CAT proteins provides a regulatable signal for transport to, or retention in, different cell membrane compartments.     

Mutation analysis of two Japanese patients with Fanconi-Bickel syndrome

Fanconi-Bickel syndrome (FBS), or glycogen storage disease type XI, is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by hepatorenal glycogen accumulation, Fanconi nephropathy, and impaired utilization of glucose and galactose. Recently, this disease was elucidated to link mutations in the glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) gene. Only three mutations in three FBS families have been reported. Therefore, it is important to elucidate mutations in the GLUT2 gene in FBS by answering the question of whether the syndrome is a single gene disease. In this report, we describe two patients in two unrelated families clinically diagnosed with FBS. No mutation in the entire protein coding region of the GLUT2 gene was detected in patient 1, which suggested that no mutation existed in the GLUT 2 gene, or that some mutations had affected the expression of the GLUT 2 gene. In patient 2, a novel homozygous nonsense mutation (W420X, Trp at codon 420 to stop codon) was detected. These results support the correlation between GLTU2 gene mutation and FBS syndrome. However, many patients must be analyzed to determine whether other genes are involved in FBS. Received: July 16, 1999 / Accepted: September 3, 1999     

Excitatory amino acids and potassium release in the frog spinal cord

Synaptic release of excitatory amino acids such as L-glutamate and/or L-aspartate and subsequent activation of specific receptors by these putative transmitters appears necessary for the release of K+ by afferent stimulation in the isolated frog spinal cord. This conclusion is based on the findings that (-)baclofen, which is thought to reduce the presynaptic release of putative excitatory amino acid transmitters, and some amino dicarboxylic amino acids (D, L-alpha-aminoadipic acid, 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid, and D, L-alpha, epsilon-diaminopimelic acid), which are believed to interfere with the activation of receptors by these same excitatory amino acids, significantly attenuate the increment in extracellular K+ evoked by tetanic dorsal root stimulation.     

Modification of Redox Sites of N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptors Affects Anoxia-Induced Changes in the Bioelectrical Activity of Rat Brain Olfactory Cortex Slices

Living slices of Wistar-Kyoto rat brain olfactory cortex were used to study the effects of the thiol-oxidizing agent 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB), which inhibits NMDA receptor activity, on changes in the generation of evoked focal potentials (NMDA and non-NMDA EPSP) in response to long-term and short-term anoxia, which induces functional damage and facilitates increases in the resistance of neurons to severe hypoxia respectively. These studies showed that DTNB (200 'M) efficiently prevented the suppression of focal EPSP generation due to long-term anoxia in most slices. In addition, DTNB partially reversed the protective effect of preconditioning with short-term anoxia on the impairment of focal EPSP generation induced by long-term anoxia. This affected the NMDA component of the EPSP to a greater extent than the non-NMDA component. The possible role of changes in the state of modulatory redox sites of NMDA receptors in the mechanisms of functional damage and increases in neuron resistance due to hypoxia is discussed.     

Comparison of Changes in Glutamate Levels in the Nucleus Accumbens of the Rat Brain during Food Consumption in Conditions of Blockade of Dopamine D1 and D2 Receptors

The effects of blockade of D₁ and D₂ dopamine receptors in the nucleus accumbens on changes in glutamate levels in the intercellular space of this structure during food consumption were studied in Sprague–Dawley rats by intracerebral microdialysis combined with HPLC. These experiments showed that food consumption was accompanied by decreases in glutamate levels in the intercellular spaces of the nucleus accumbens. Blockade of D₁ dopamine receptors with SCH-23390 (0.01 mM) produced no changes in the dynamics of glutamate release during food consumption. Food consumption in conditions of blockade of D₂ dopamine receptors with raclopride (0.01 mM) induced increases in glutamate levels. These data suggest that glutamate levels during food consumption are controlled by the dopaminergic system of the nucleus accumbens, mediated by D₂ but not D₁ dopamine receptors.