Microinjection of neurotensin into the ventral tegmental area produces hypothermia: Evaluation of dopaminergic mediation

Neurotensin-producing perikarya and fibers have been identified in the ventral tegmental area of the rat, and recent microinjection studies indicate that neurotensin may function in the ventral tegmental area to regulate body temperature. In this study, the hypothermic response produced by intraventral tegmental injection of neurotensin was shown to be dose-dependent, with a threshold dose between 0.25 and 0.75 micrograms. When fluphenazine, a dopamine receptor antagonist, was microinjected into various forebrain nuclei simultaneous with neurotensin infusion into the ventral tegmental area, it was found to block neurotensin hypothermia. In contrast, injection with fluphenazine into the nucleus accumbens, lateral septum or preoptic area did not alter the hypothermic response. Furthermore, injection with atropine, phentolamine or diphenhydramine into the diagonal band of Broca did not block neurotensin hypothermia. Neurotensin was also injected directly into the preoptic region and shown to produce hypothermia. However, concurrent infusion of fluphenazine with neurotensin into the preoptic region did not attenuate neurotensin hypothermia. These data are consistent with the postulate that neurotensin acts in the ventral tegmental area to enhance dopamine release in the diagonal band of Broca, thereby producing hypothermia. However, neurotensin-induced hypothermia occurring after injection into the preoptic area does not appear to involve dopamine systems.     

下丘脑胰岛素及其受体在高血压大鼠的变化及与血压的关系

目的 探讨下丘脑胰岛素及其受体在高血压大鼠的变化及与血压的关系.方法 比较自发性高血压大鼠(spontaneous hypertensive rats,SHR)与正常血压Wistar大鼠对照下丘脑的胰岛素含量、胰岛素受体最大结合容量(maximum binding capacity,Bmax)和平衡解离常数(equilibrium dissociation constant,KD),观察下丘脑前区微量注射胰岛素对平均动脉血压(mean arterial pressure,MAP)的影响.结果 下丘脑胰岛素含量SHR高于Wistar大鼠,而血浆胰岛素与Wistar大鼠无明显变化.SHR下丘脑胰岛素受体Bmax显著低于Wistar大鼠,KD值无显著变化.SHR下丘脑前区微量注入0.2 pmol胰岛素,在注射1 h后MAP显著下降,Wistar大鼠组MAP无变化.结论 下丘脑胰岛素在高血压发生发展过程可能起到保护作用,抑制血压的过度升高.     

携带xylE的转基因小鼠的制备

建立了一种新的转基因小鼠致突变检测模型．选用ｘｙｌＥ基因作为诱变的靶基因,以ｐＥＳｎｘ穿梭质粒作为载体,通过显微注射法将线状ｐＥＳｎｘ导入ＩＣＲ小鼠制备Ｇ０小鼠．将显微注射后存活的３５２／５４９枚受精卵分别移入２４只受体雌鼠的输卵管中,共产生４１只仔鼠,存活３０只（Ｇ０）,经过整合检测,检测出转基因小鼠１７只,阳性率为５７％．从中筛选出２只完整整合了ｐＥＳｎｘ的转基因小鼠作为首建鼠（ｆｏｕｎｄｅｒｍｏｕｓｅ）进行繁育,目前已繁殖到第三代（Ｇ３）．经过逐代整合检测,证明转入的基因可稳定地遗传．上述结果表明已成功地制备了在基因组中整合了ｐＥＳｎｘ质粒携带ｘｙｌＥ的转基因小鼠．     

大鼠CVLM中NMDA和非NMDA受体在介导动脉压力感受器反射中的作用

在氨基甲酸乙酯麻醉、制动的大鼠 ,研究尾端延髓腹外侧区 (CVLM)中 NMDA和非 NMDA受体在介导动脉压力感受器反射 (ABR)中的作用。双侧 CVLM微量注射选择性 NMDA受体拮抗剂氯胺酮 (50mmol/L ,1 0 0 nl)或非 NMDA受体拮抗剂 kynurenic acid(KYA,50 mmol/L ,1 0 0 nl)后平均动脉压 (MAP)和心率 (HR)均明显升高 (P<0 .0 5) ,同时观察到 CVLM微量注射氯胺酮或 KYA后电刺激主动脉神经(AN)导致的血压下降比对照有明显的减少 ,双侧 CVLM微量注射氯胺酮和 KYA的混合物 (均为 50mmol/L,50 nl)后能完全阻断电刺激 AN后导致的降压反应。本研究结果提示 CVLM中 NMDA和非 NM-DA受体在紧张性维持交感神经的兴奋活动和介导 ABR中起十分重要的作用     

Transposable Elementmediated Transgenesis in Insects Beyond Drosophila

In the last few years, cases of transformation involving insects other than Dipterans have been reported. Although transgenics have been created only in a few species, transposable element vectors may be successfully developed in most insect forms in the near future. The major remaining problems revolving round transformation in wide-ranging species of insects are mainly related to methods of DNA delivery. Transposable element-mediated gene transfer in non-Drosophila insects is reviewed. In addition, the current status of honeybee transformation will be explained as an example of an insect transgenic system that faces substantial obstacles to the creation of germ-line transformants.     

Calcitonin: brainstem microinjection but not systemic administration inhibits spinal nociceptive transmission in the cat

In anaesthetized cats, nociceptive responses of lumbar dorsal horn neurons were studied during administration of salmon calcitonin (sCT). Systemic sCT administration (4–95IU/kg i.v.) produced no change in neuronal responses produced by noxious skin heating or by impulses evoked electrically in afferent C-fibres. Responses to skin heating were reduced during electrical stimulation in the brainstem, but the efficacy of this descending inhibition was not altered by systemic sCT administration. In contrast, noxious heat responses were clearly reduced by microinjection of sCT into the mesencephalic periaqueductal grey or the medullary raphe regions. These results suggest that calcitonin or a related peptide could act at specific brainstem sites to inhibit the spinal transmission of nociceptive information.     

Pattern formation and rhythm generation in the ventral respiratory group

1. There is increasing evidence that the kernel of the rhythm-generating circuitry for breathing is located within a discrete subregion of a column of respiratory neurons within the ventrolateral medulla referred to as the ventral respiratory group (VRG). It is less clear how this rhythm is transformed into the precise patterns appearing on the varied motor outflows. 2. Two different approaches were used to test whether subregions of the VRG have distinct roles in rhythm or pattern generation. In one, clusters of VRG neurons were activated or inactivated by pressure injection of small volumes of neuroactive agents to activate or inactivate groups of respiratory neurons and the resulting effects on respiratory rhythm and pattern were determined. The underlying assumption was that if rhythm and pattern are generated by neurons in different VRG subregions, then we should be able to identify regions where activation of neurons predominantly alters rhythm with little effect on pattern and other regions where pattern is altered with little effect on rhythm. 3. Based on the pattern of phrenic nerve responses to injection of an excitatory amino acid (DL-homocysteate), the VRG was divided into four subdivisions arranged along the rostrocaudal axis. Injections into the three rostral regions elicited changes in both respiratory rhythm and pattern. From rostral to caudal the regions included: (i) a rostral bradypnoea region, roughly associated with the B?tzinger complex; (ii) a dysrhythmia/tachypnoea area, roughly associated with the pre-B?tzinger complex (PBC); (iii) a second caudal bradypnoea area; and, most caudally, (iv) a region from which no detectable change in respiratory motor output was elicited. 4. In a second approach, the effect of unilateral lesions of one subregion, the PBC, on the Breuer-Hering reflex changes in rhythm were determined. Activation of this reflex by lung inflation shortens inspiration and lengthens expiration (TE). 5. Unilateral lesions in the PBC attenuated the reflex lengthening of TE, but did not change baseline respiratory rhythm. 6. These findings are consistent with the concept that the VRG is not functionally homogenous, but consists of rostrocaudally arranged subregions. Neurons within the so-called PBC appear to have a dominant role in rhythm generation. Nevertheless, neurons within other subregions contribute to both rhythm and pattern generation. Thus, at least at an anatomical level resolvable by pressure injection, there appears to be a significant overlap in the circuitry generating respiratory rhythm and pattern.     

Vasoactive intestinal peptide modulates luteinizing hormone subunit gene expression in the anterior pituitary in female rat

The direct monosynaptic pathway which exists between vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and GnRH neurons in the hypothalamic preoptic area provides a neuroanatomical background for the modulatory effects of VIP exerted on GnRH neurons activity. Though central microinjection of VIP revealed its involvement in the modulation of LH release pattern, there is a lack of data concerning a possible VIP influence on the alpha and LHbeta subunit gene expression in the pituitary gland. Using a model based on intracerebroventricular pulsatile peptide(s) microinjections (1 pulse/h [10 microl/5 min] over 5 h) the effect of exogenous VIP (5 nM dose) microinjection on subunits mRNA content in ovariectomized/oestrogen-pretreated rats was studied. Subsequently, to obtain data concerning the involvement of GnRH and VIP receptor(s) in the regulation of alpha and LHbeta subunit mRNA expression, OVX/estrogen-primed rats received a pulsatile microinjections of 5 nM VIP with 3 nM antide (GnRH receptor antagonist) or 5 nM VIP with 15 nM VIP 6-28 (VIP receptor antagonist). In this case, substances were given separately with a 30 min lag according to which each antagonist pulse preceded a VIP pulse. Northern-blot analysis revealed that VIP microinjection resulted in a decreased alpha and LHbeta mRNA content in pituitary gland and this effect was dependent on GnRH receptor activity. Moreover, obtained results indicated that centrally administered VIP might operate through its own receptor(s) because a receptor antagonist, VIP 6-28, blocked the inhibitory effect of VIP exerted on both LH subunit mRNA content and LH release.     

Effects of microinjected small GTPases on the actin cytoskeleton of human neutrophils

This paper describes a method for microinjection of proteins (Rho GTPases) into neutrophils and observations on the responses of the cells to these injections. Neutrophils are extremely difficult to inject because of their small size, complex morphology and fragility. To allow microinjections they must be cultured on a substrate that enables them to settle, adhere and spread. We determined that fibronectin- and/or collagen-coated coverslips are the best substrates and we used very fine needles and short microinjection times to minimize cell damage. These methods permitted us to inject up to 100 cells in a single preparation over a period of 30 min. Effects of microinjection were assessed by using tetramethylrhodamine isothiocyanate (TRITC)-phalloidin to label F-actin filaments, and observation by fluorescence and confocal scanning microscopy. Microinjection alone resulted in cell rounding and some changes in the F-actin cytoskeleton but injected cells remained adherent at the substrate, were able to respond to microinjected GTPases (V12Rac, V14RhoA, V12Cdc42) and continued to be responsive to activation by exposure to fMet-Leu-Phe (fMLP) or O-tetradecanoylphorbal 13-acetate (TPA). V12Rac caused an increase in neutrophil membrane ruffling and short protrusions from the cell membrane, whereas V14RhoA induced a large increase in punctate F-actin structures. V12Cdc42 produced focal condensation of F-actin and induced the formation of small microspikes. The differences between these responses of neutrophils and those of other similarly treated cell types are discussed. Our findings demonstrate that microinjection is a valuable technique for studying the role of individual proteins in neutrophils.