Circling behavior in honey bees

Unilateral microinjections of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), acetylcholine (ACh) and related substances into central parts of the brain of the honey bee elicit a quantifiable circling behavior. GABA (40 nl, 10(-2) M, muscimol (40 nl, 10(-4) M) and flaxedil (10(-3) M, 40 nl) induce contralateral circling whilst ACh (40 nl, 10(-2) M), nicotine (40 nl, 10(-4) M) and picrotoxin (40 nl, 10(-3) M) induce ipsilateral circling if injected in the proximity of the alpha-lobe (50-100 microns) of the of the mushroom body. Mechanical lesions of the pedunculus induce ipsilateral circling. This can be reversed by ipsilateral injections of GABA and flaxedil. Intracellular recordings demonstrate a hyperpolarizing effect of GABA and a depolarising effect of ACh on individual neurons in this region. These results suggest that circling behavior in the bee is controlled by the balance of GABA in the alpha-lobes and mediated by acetylcholinergic neurons.     

细胞色素b在早产新生大鼠高氧肺损伤肺组织中的表达和意义

目的探讨细胞色素b（cytochrome b，Cytb）与高氧肺损伤发生、发展的关系。方法早产新生SD（Sprague-Dawley）大鼠生后1d随机分为空气组、高氧组，高氧组持续暴露于常压氧舱中，氧浓度〉85％；空气组置于同一室常压空气中。两组分别于高氧或空气暴露后1、4、7、10和14d时提取肺组织RNA，采用半定量逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）测定CytbmRNA表达；同时应用免疫组化方法检测肺组织切片中Cytb蛋白表达；应用Western-blot检测高氧肺损伤肺组织中Cytb蛋白水平的表达变化。结果与空气组相比，高氧暴露1d、4d CytbmRNA含量及其表达显著增强（P〈0．05）；7d后Cytb呈下降趋势，其表达较空气组减弱，但两者相比差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。高氧暴露后，随日龄变化肺组织Cytb免化结果与CytbmRNA表达相似；与空气组相比，高氧暴露1d、4d肺组织Cytb表达显著增强（P〈0．05）；7d后Cytb呈逐渐下降趋势，其表达较空气组减弱，但7、10d两组相比差异无统计学意义，14d极显著减弱（P〈0．01）。Western-blot实验结果：与空气组相比，高氧暴露1d、4dCytb蛋白水平表达增强但两组相比差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）；7d后Cytb呈下降趋势，其表达较空气组减弱，但7、10d两组相比差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05），而14d显著减弱（P〈0．05）。结论85％高浓度氧暴露诱导早产新生大鼠线粒体编码的Cytb异常表达，这种变化可能参与高氧肺损伤的发生。     

SLE小鼠高IgG血症Fcgr2b基因序列分析

目的: 测定系统性红斑狼疮(SLE)小鼠模型-NZB/WF1双亲NZB,NZW小鼠 Fcgr2b基因启动子区核酸序列,明确Fcgr2b基因启动子区的突变性质.方法:扩增NZB,NZW小鼠Fcgr2b基因启动子DNA进行核酸序列分析.采用ELISA法测定、比较(NZB×NZW )F1×NZW回交小鼠Fcgr2b基因B/W型与W/W型组间血清总IgG 水平.结果:NZB小鼠Fcgr2b基因启动子区与正常鼠Balb/C相比存在2个部位碱基缺失,分别为13 bp及3 bp.NZW小鼠除有3个碱基置换外,与Balb/C鼠该基因启动子区序列相同.回交小鼠Fcgr2b基因B/W型组血清总 IgG水平明显高于W/W型组(P<0.0001).结论:NZB小鼠Fcgr2b基因启动子区存在碱基缺失,且该缺失突变可能与血清总IgG水平升高有关.     

Interferon-induced depressive illness in hep C patients responds to SSRI antidepressant treatments

This paper examines the role of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in the treatment of hepatitis-C virus (HCV) patients who have developed interferon-α induced depression. A 2-year data analysis of HCV psychiatric liaison clinic has been undertaken. The diagnosis, treatment, and progress of those patients who were treated with interferon-α (INF-α) are reported. 53 of the 78 patients enrolled at the HCV Clinic and treated with INF-α were referred for psychiatric consultation. Six patients developed major depressive illness following INF therapy. They were all treated with SSRIs and they made full recovery. This is a significant observation and is concordant with other studies. Its biochemical ramifications are presented. It is concluded that INF-induced depression is fully reversible. A hypothesis is proposed that SSRIs modulate the neuro-protective neurotoxic ratio by possibly inhibiting the indole-2,3-dioxygenase induction of the kynurenine pathway.     

Fever and feeding in the rat: Actions of intrahypothalamic interleukin-6 compared to macrophage inflammatory protein-1β (MIP-1β)

The chemokines, macrophage inflammatory protein-1 (MIP-1) and its subunit MIP-1β, induce an intense fever in the rat when they are injected directly into the anterior hypothalamic, pre-optic area (AH/POA), a region containing thermosensitive neurons. The purpose of this study was to compare the central action on body temperature (T_b) of MIP-1β with that of interleukin-6 (IL-6), which also has been implicated in the cerebral mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of fever. Following the stereotaxic implantation in the AH/POA of guide cannulae for repeated micro-injections, radio transmitters which monitor T_b continuously were inserted intraperitoneally in each of 15 male Sprague-Dawley rats. Each micro-injection was made in a site in the AH/POA in a volume of 1.0 μl of pyrogen-free artificial CSF, recombinant murine MIP-1β, or recombinant human IL-6. MIP-1β in a dose of 25 pg evoked an intense fever characterized by a short latency, a mean maximum rise in T_b of 2.4 ± 0.21°C reached by 3.7 ± 0.42 hr, and a duration exceeding 6.5 hr. Injected into homologous sites in the AH/POA, IL-6 induced a dose dependent fever of similar latency and a mean maximal increase in T_b of 1.2 ± 0.25°C, 1.8 ± 0.15°C, and 2.1 ± 0.22°C and duration of 6.2 ± 1.28 hr, 6.7 ± 0.49 hr, and 6.8 ± 0.65 hr when given in doses of 25, 50, and 100 ng, respectively. These results show that MIP-1β and the highest dose of IL-6 induce a fever of comparable intensity, but MIP-1β exerts its action in a much lower concentration. Thus, the de novo synthesis and subsequent action of the MIP-1 family of cytokines on neurons of the AH/POA in response to a pyrogen challenge apparently play a functional role in the pathogenesis of fever. Further, the endogenous activity of IL-6 in the hypothalamus which is enhanced in response to a lipopolysaccharide also may reflect its essential part in the acute phase response to a bacterial challenge. Copyright © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

α-Bungarotoxin blocks the nicotinic receptor mediated increase in cell number in a neuroendocrine cell line

Exposure of H69 small cell lung carcinoma cells to nicotinic agonists resulted in a significant increase (up to 100%) in cell number after 6 to 12 days. The effect of nicotine (10⁻⁸ M to 10⁻⁴ M) was both dose and time dependent as was that of another nicotinic agonist cytisine (10⁻⁶ M to 10⁻⁴ M). Interstingly, both the nicotine and cytisine induced increases in H69 cell number were blocked by α-bungarotoxin, as well as d-tubocurarine a nicotinic blocker which appears to interact with most nicotinic receptors. These results suggest that the nicotine induced increase in cell number is mediated through an interaction at the nicotinic α-bungarotoxin receptor. This idea is further supported by experiments which show (1) that H69 cells possess high affinity α-bungarotoxin sites (K_d = 25 nM, B_max = 10.4 fmol/10⁶ cells) with the characteristics of a nicotinic α-bungarotoxin receptor and (2) that the potencies of nicotinic receptor ligands in the α-bungarotoxin binding assay were similar to those observed in the functional studies. Northern analysis showed that mRNA for α7, a putative nicotinic α-bungarotoxin binding subunit, and for α5 were present in H69 cells. The present data provide further evidence that nicotine increases cell number in small cell lung carcinoma and are the first to show that this effect is mediated through an interaction at the nicotinic α-bungarotoxin receptor population. These results suggest that the α-bungarotoxin site may be involved in modulating proliferative responses in neuroendocrine derived SCLC cells.     

Time-dependent changes in sensitivity to apomorphine and monoamine receptors following withdrawal from continuous cocaine administration in rats

The effects of withdrawal from continuous administration of cocaine on behavioral sensitivity to apomorphine and monoamine receptor density were examined in rats. Subdermal minipumps that delivered either saline or 20 mg/kg/day cocaine hydrochloride were implanted for 2 weeks. Apomorphine-induced stereotypy (0.5 mg/kg, SC) was examined in separate groups of rats either 4 hr or 7, 28, or 60 days after removal of the minipumps. Transient enhanced sensitivity to apomorphine-induced stereotypy occurred during the course of withdrawal. Animals withdrawn from cocaine for 4 hours did not differ from controls in their sensitivity to apomorphine, whereas animals withdrawn from cocaine for 7 days exhibited an increase in apomorphine-induced oral stereotypy relative to controls. However, the enhanced stereotypy response was no longer evident in animals withdrawn for 28–60 days. The animals were sacrificed after behavioral testing, and their brains were assayed for changes in monoamine receptor density in the frontal cortex, caudate-putamen, and nucleus accumbens. The density of ³H-SCH-23390-labeled D1 receptors was altered in all three regions examined in a time-dependent manner that paralleled the changes in behavioral sensitivity to apomorphine. There was a transient decrease in D1 receptor density that was evident by 7 days following withdrawal from continuous cocaine administration and was no longer evident 28 or 60 days posttreatment. There were no changes in ³H-spiroperidol-labeled D2 receptors, ¹²⁵-pindolol-labeled β-adrenergic receptors, or ³H-ketanserin-labeled 5-HT₂ receptors in any of the regions examined at both 4 hr and 7 days after termination of the cocaine infusion. These findings are discussed in terms of their relevance to developing pharmacologic treatments for withdrawal from cocaine. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Therapeutic effects of liposomal adriamycin in combination with tumor necrosis factor-alpha.

Liposomes as drug carriers in cancer chemotherapy have attracted considerable interest. To enhance the therapeutic effect of Adriamycin entrapped in liposomes (Lip-ADM) on human solid tumors, we investigated the therapeutic effects of Lip-ADM in combination with recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (rTNF-alpha), which is known to have specific effects on tumor vasculature. rTNF-alpha or saline solution was injected intravenously into nude mice bearing a human colon cancer strain, HC-1, at 1 hour before intravenous administration of Lip-ADM. The significant therapeutic effect of Lip-ADM in combination with rTNF-alpha was demonstrated by the evaluation with tumor growth curve and the actual tumor weights, in comparison with groups of mice treated with saline solution, rTNF-alpha alone, or with a Lip-ADM after saline. Levels of Adriamycin in tumor tissue in the Lip-ADM in combination with rTNF-alpha-treated group were higher than those in Lip-ADM with saline solution-treated group.