Mapping the rat somatosensory pathway from the anterior cruciate ligament nerve endings to the cerebrum

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) serves as the primary restraint to anterior tibial translation. In addition to this biomechanical function, the ACL appears to have a function in neuromuscular control. This hypothesis was formulated after the discovery of mechanoreceptors within the ACL. The full somatosensory pathway from the ACL to the cerebrum has yet to be elucidated. In order to map this sensory pathway, we conducted a viral trans-synaptic tracing experiment using the neurotropic pseudorabies virus (PRV). The pseudorabies virus was injected into the ACL of rats and allowed to replicate and spread trans-synaptically for 6-7 days. The brain and spinal cord of each sacrificed rat was then removed and processed immunohistochemically to detect the presence of PRV. PRV-immunoreactive neurons were found to be localized in several different regions from the spinal cord to the cerebrum. Four nuclei in the reticular formation of the brain stem demonstrated strong positive labeling: the mesencephalic reticular nucleus, magnocellular reticular nucleus, paragigantocellular reticular nucleus, and gigantocellular reticular nucleus. This finding suggests that the nerve endings of the rat ACL project into the cerebrum and that the reticular formation may play an important role in the afferent pathway of those nerve endings.     

Axonal transport of dopamine D1 receptors in the rat brain

Binding of a specific dopamine D₁ receptor antagonist,¹²⁵I-SCH 23982, was measured in rat brain sections by quantitative autoradiography at various time intervals, following a knife cut through the striatonigral pathway. Twenty-four hours after lesioning, accumulations of D₁ receptor binding sites were found in sagittal sections both rostral and caudal to the lesion site. No other regions studied (caudate-putamen, nucleus accumbens, olfactory tubercle, and substantia nigra pars reticulata) showed any change in D₁ receptor binding 24h after the lesion. In brain sections obtained 10 days after lesioning, only the substantia nigra pars reticulata had a significant decrease in D₁ receptors ipsilateral to the lesion. These findings suggest the possibility of a presence of bidirectional axonal transport of D₁ receptors in rat striatonigral pathway.     

The effects of anesthesia on otoacoustic emissions

We have measured transient-evoked and distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) in the chinchilla and compared them in the awake and anesthetized animal (using either ketamine or barbiturate agents). We report a significant increase in OAE amplitudes during anesthesia, particularly using ketamine. These effects are most evident for transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) as measured in the non-linear mode. Our data support the hypothesis that tonic activity levels in cochlear efferents may be reduced by anesthetic effects, either directly or indirectly (e.g., by general reductions in descending pathway activity), and that reduced cochlear efferent activity will result in the observed increase of OAE amplitudes.     

Orthograde transport and release of insulin-like growth factor I from the inferior olive to the cerebellum

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and its receptor are expressed in functionally related areas of the rat brain such as the inferior olive and the cerebellar cortex. A marked decrease of IGF-I levels in cerebellum is found when inferior olive neurons are lesioned. In addition, Purkinje cells in the cerebellar cortex depend on this growth factor to survive and differentiate in vitro. Thus, we consider it possible that IGF-I forms part of a putative trophic circuitry encompassing the inferior olive and the cerebellar cortex and possibly other functionally connected areas. To test this hypothesis we have studied whether IGF-I may be taken up, transported, and released from the inferior olive to the cerebellum. We have found that ¹²⁵I-IGF-I is taken up by inferior olive neurons in a receptor-mediated process and orthogradely transported to the cerebellum. Thus, radioactivity found in the cerebellar lobe contralateral to the injection site in the inferior olive was immunoprecipitated by an anti-IGF-I antibody, co-eluted with ¹²⁵I-IGF-I in an HPLC column, and co-migrated with ¹²⁵I-IGF-I in an SDS-urea polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Time-course studies indicated that orthograde axonal transport is relatively rapid since 30 min after the injection, radiolabeled IGF-I was already detected in the contralateral cerebellum. Furthermore, transport of IGF-i from the inferior olive is specific since when ¹²⁵I-neurotensin was injected in the inferior olive or when ¹²⁵I-IGF-I was injected in the pontine nucleus, no radiactivity was found in the contralateral cerebellum. In addition, no specific transport of ¹²⁵I-IGF-I was found in climbing fiber-deafferented rats or when excess unlabeled IGF-I was co-injected with ¹²⁵I-IGF-I. We next studied whether IGF-I is released by inferior olive neurons. We found that the release of IGF-I from cerebellar slices of normal rats was significantly greater in response to depolarizing stimuli than that from slices obtained of climbing fiber-deafferented animals. Indeed, in vitro release of IGF-I in response to KCI or veratridine was almost completely abolished in the latter. These data suggest that IGF-I is taken up by inferior olive neurons through IGF-I receptors and transported to the cerebellum through their axons without any major modification. Moreover, the release of IGF-I from the cerebellum after depolarization depends on the presence of climbing fiber afferents. Altogether these results indicate that the olivo-cerebellar pathway is able to take up, orthogradely transport, and release IGF-I. Since a similar process has been described in the visual system for basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), we propose that IGF-I, bFGF, and possibly other growth factors may constitute afferent trophic signals involved in plastic mechanisms within specific neural circuitries. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Proteolytic Processing Mechanisms in the Biosynthesis of Neuroendocrine Peptides: The Subtilisin-like Proprotein Convertases

The recent discovery of a novel family of precursor processing endoproteases has greatly accelerated progress in understanding the complex mechanisms underlying the maturation of prohormones, neuropeptides, and many other precursor-derived proteins. At least six members of this family have been found thus far in mammalian species, several having alternatively spliced isoforms, and related enzymes have been identified in many invertebrates, including molluscs, insects, nematodes, and coelenterates. The proprotein convertases are all dependent on calcium for activity and all possess highly conserved subtilisin-like domains with the characteristic catalytic triad of this serine protease (ordered Asp, His, and Ser along the polypeptide chain). Two members of this family, PC2(SPC2) and PC1/PC3(SPC3), appear to play a preeminent role in neuroendocrine precursor processing. Both convertases are expressed only in the brain and in the extended neuroendocrine system, while another important family member—furin/PACE (SPC1)—is expressed more ubiquitously, in almost all tissues, and at high levels in liver. SPC2 and SPC3 exhibit acidic pH optima and other properties which enhance their activity in the acidic, calcium-enriched environment of the dense-core secretory granules of the regulated pathway in neuroendocrine cells, while furin has a neutral pH optimum and is localized predominantly to the trans Golgi network where it is retained by a C-terminal transmembrane domain. Furin processes a wide variety of precursors in the constitutive pathway, such as those of growth factors, receptors, coagulation factors, and viral glycoproteins. Recent findings on the processing of proopiomelanocortin, proinsulin, proglucagon, and several other neuroendocrine precursors by SPC2 and SPC3 are discussed, along with information on the structure, properties, evolution, developmental expression, and regulation or the convertases. An inherited defect in the fat/fat mouse which affects the processing of proinsulin, and probably also many other prohormones, due to a point mutation in carboxypeptidase E has recently been identified and has begun to provide new insights into the functional integration of the individual processing steps.     

导管射频消融术治疗持续性交界区反复性心动过速2例报告

本文报告两例持续性交界区反复性心动过速(PJRT)患者,应用导管射频消融术治疗,成功地阻断了位于后间隔具有递减传导特性的稳若旁路.随访7～10个月.病人无心动过速发作,提示导管射频消融术是治疗PJRT的有效方法.     

急性冠脉综合征患者强化抗栓治疗研究进展

急性冠脉综合征（ACS）是冠心病的严重类型,ACS患者不仅病死率较高,还存在缺血事件（如缺血性卒中、心肌梗死）复发风险。血小板聚集及血栓形成是导致ACS的重要原因。为降低缺血事件的发生风险,临床推荐ACS患者接受阿司匹林联合强效P2Y12抑制剂的双联抗血小板治疗12个月。然而在标准双联抗血小板治疗下,ACS患者残余缺血风险（经抗栓治疗后仍残留的缺血事件发生风险）仍旧较高。因此为进一步降低缺血事件发生风险,临床对强化抗栓方案的研究也逐渐增多。本文通过总结强化抗栓治疗方案的作用机制及其最新研究进展,发现延长双联抗血小板治疗时间、三联抗血小板治疗、双通道抑制（抗血小板联合抗凝治疗）等强化抗栓治疗方案可降低缺血事件发生风险,为进一步指导临床个体化抗栓治疗及明确最佳抗栓策略提供了参考。     

Molecular basis for treating endometriosis with aromatase inhibitors

Although treatment of one unusually aggressive case of postmenopausal endometriosis with an aromatase inhibitor has been strikingly successful, large clinical trials are required to establish whether aromatase inhibitors will have a significant role in the medical management of endometriosis. Introduction of aromatase inhibitors into the treatment of endometriosis underscores the importance of basic research leading to the development of novel strategies in reproductive disorders. It was shown earlier that aromatase activity was not detectable in normal endometrium. Aromatase, however, is expressed inappropriately in endometriosis and stimulated by prostaglandin E2. Aromatase activity gives rise to local biosynthesis of oestrogen, which, in turn, stimulates prostaglandin E2 production, thus establishing a positive feedback cycle. This favours accumulation of oestrogen and prostaglandins in endometriosis, which is an inflammatory disorder dependent on oestrogen for growth.     

蜥蜴中脑神经通路和起源细胞的形态

本文采用 HRP 法研究了蛤蚧(Gekko gekko)和鳄蜥(Shinisaurus crocodilurus)视顶盖、中脑深核(NPM)与峡核之间的通路和起源细胞的形态。结果指出:1.顶盖与峡核大细胞部(Imc)呈相互区域对应投射;2.同侧顶盖—Imc 投射细胞主要位于第7层,系有径向树突的梨形细胞;同侧 Imc—顶盖投射细胞为小树突域的梨形或多角形细胞;3.顶盖注射标记的 NPM细胞呈纺锤形,染色浅;峡核注射标记的 NPM 细胞,其粗树突往往伸向顶盖;4.NPM 注射标记顶盖细胞和峡核细胞,前者主要位于顶盖第7层,后者散布在峡核大细胞部(Imc)和峡核小细胞部(Ipc)内。     

Synthesis of gonadotrophins and its regulation in the pituitary gland

Regulation of the synthesis of pituitary gonadotrophins LH andFSH has been studied in the rat using either cell-free translationof pituitary mRNAs, or hybridization techniques with syntheticoligodeoxynucleotides or cloned complementary DNAs. Gonadectomygreatly increases and supplementing gonadectomized rats withgonadal steroids diminishes the rate of synthesis of the gonadotrophinsubunits. Hybridization experiments suggest that gonadal steroidsregulate the expression of the genes coding for pituitary gonadotrophinsubunit precursors. Using the incorporation of labelled methionineby pituitary cells in culture, followed by specific immunoprecipitationof LH-related subunits and SDS-poly-acrylamide gel analysisof immunoprecipitated peptides, there was evidence that gonadotrophinreleasing hormone (GnRH) significantly enhances the radioactivityincorporated into both - and LH-subunits. This effect is specific,it is not a secondary effect due to the release of LH. A cyclicAMP (cAMP) analogue, 8-Br-cAMP, as well as forskolin and choleragen,which are cAMP generators and a diacylglycerol analogue, tetradecanoylphorbolacetate (TPA), mimic the stimulatory action of GnRH on the synthesisof the polypeptide chains of LH. However, no evidence has beenobtained that either cAMP or diacylglycerols mediate this GnRHeffect. These results suggest that the synthesis of pituitarygonadotrophins is under a double control of gonadal steroidsand GnRH which exert opposite effects, inhibitory for steroidsand stimulatory for GnRH. The negative control by steroids occursat the genomic level, while the positive effect of GnRH proceedsvia different mechanisms which remain to be elucidated.