Cannabinoid receptor down-regulation without alteration of the inhibitory effect of CP 55,940 on adenylyl cyclase in the cerebellum of CP 55,940-tolerant mice

The objective of this study was to determine whether the development of tolerance to CP 55,940, a potent cannabinoid agonist, was due to changes in the receptor or second messenger system. ICR mice treated with CP 55,940 (2 mg/kg) twice a day for 6 and one-half days developed a high degree of tolerance to the pharmacological effects of CP 55,940. The ability of CP 55,940 to produce motor hypoactivity, hypothermia and immobility was reduced 163-, 97- and 19-fold, respectively. Evaluation of 3H-CP 55,940 binding to rat brain membranes indicated no difference in receptor affinity between the vehicle- and CP 55,940-treated animals. However, these binding studies revealed a 50% decrease in receptor number in the cerebellum of the CP 55,940-tolerant mice. Although cAMP is generally considered to be the second messenger for cannabinoid receptors, little difference was observed in the inhibitory effects of CP 55,940 on adenylyl cyclase activity in cerebellum between vehicle and drug-treated mice. However, there was an increase in receptor mRNA which suggests a compensation for receptor loss. There are several possible explanations for these results. There may be sufficient spare receptors such that CP 55,940-tolerant mice are capable of producing a maximal effect on the second messenger system. On the other hand, one could conclude that cannabinoid receptor down-regulation does not account for the development of tolerance to all of the effects of CP 55,940 in mice.     

前列腺带性结构及其雄激素、雌激素、表皮生长因子受体分布特征的研究

为了探讨雄激素受体（ＡＲ）、雌激素受体（ＥＲ）、孕激素受体（ＰＲ）和表皮生长因子受体（ＥＧＦＲ）在前列腺带性结构中的分布，应用单饱和剂量测定法，分别测定了前列腺移行带、外周带组织中ＡＲ、ＥＲ、ＰＲ和ＥＧＦＲ的含量。结果表明，在１１例前列腺增生症（ＢＰＨ）患者２２份标本中，移行带和周围带ＡＲ全部阳性；尽管ＡＲ浓度个体差异很大，但是两带之间仍有密切相关性（Ｐ＜０００１）；周围带ＡＲ浓度高于移行带，两带ＡＲ浓度均高于ＰＲ、ＥＲ；ＰＲ和ＥＲ在前列腺带性结构上没有明显差异。ＥＧＦＲ在移行带明显高于周围带。研究证实了ＡＲ、ＥＲ、ＰＲ，ＥＧＦＲ在前列腺移行带和周围带上的分布特征。     

人胎盘微绒毛膜的制备及其转铁蛋白受体研究

作者分别用差速离心法及蔗糖梯度离心法制备胎盘微绒毛膜(PMM),用受体放射分析法研究了PMM的转铁蛋白受体(TfB),结果表明:两种方法制备的PMM均可用于受体分析,但差速离心法更为简便。测定60例产妇PMM的TfR,其数目为3.53±1.98×10~(12)个位点/mg膜蛋白,最大结合容量为6.33±4.21×10~(-12)mol/mg膜蛋白,Kd值为4.95±3.39×10~(-9)mol/L。受体结合反应体系最适实验条件为,膜蛋白浓度每管50μg,标记物浓度每管50 000cpm,孵育30分钟,B/F分离的聚乙二醇浓度为12％(W/V)。对TfR的特性研究表明:TfR与转铁蛋白的结合具有高度亲和力、高度特异性及可饱和性。     

Ethanol Feeding Causes Inactivation of Both State 1 and State 2 Rat Hepatic Asialoglycoprotein Receptors

Previous studies have shown that ethanol feeding in rats causes inactivation and redistribution of ˜50% of the total asialoglycoprotein receptors (ASGPRs) in hepatocytes (Tworek et al., J. Biol. Chem. 271:2531, 1996), and that two equal populations of hepatic ASGPRs mediate ligand uptake and processing via two functionally different pathways (Weigel in Glycoconjugates: Composition, Structure and Function , Marcel Dekker, 1992, p. 421). The purpose of this study was to determine if ethanol feeding causes preferential inactivation of only one of these two ASGPR populations, which have been designated state 1 and state 2 ASGPRs. The state 2, but not state 1, ASGPRs are inactivated in isolated hepatocytes by a variety of drugs and inhibitors. State 2 ASGPRs can also be inactivated in permeable cells by ATP treatment and then reactivated by treatment with fatty acyl coenzyme As. In the present study, permeable cell assays for state 2 ASGPR inactivation and reactivation were used to assess whether hepatocytes from ethanol-fed rats contain inactive state 2 ASGPRs. The results show that preferential inactivation of one ASGPR population does not occur after ethanol feeding. That inactive ASGPRs could not be reactivated by treatment with palmitoyl-coenzyme A to a greater extent in ethanol-fed versus control cells indicates there is not a larger pool of inactivated state 2 ASGPRs in treated cells. We conclude that ethanol feeding causes equal inactivation of both state 1 and state 2 ASGPRs. Ethanol feeding may represent the first treatment found to inactivate state 1 ASGPRs.     

胃癌组织中雌激素受体的表达及其临床意义

采用石蜡切片免疫组化法，测定了４８例胃癌组织中雌激素受体的分布。结果阳性者１７例，阳性率３５．４％；同时测定１２例非肿瘤性胃粘膜（慢性炎症及胃溃疡）作为对照，结果仅１例阳性（８．３％），两者之间有明显差异（Ｐ＜０．０１）。各年龄组及性别间差异均无统计学意义。将胃癌分成分化型及未分化型（包括印戒细胞癌）两组，结果显示未分化型癌的阳性率（６１．５％）比分化型者（１８．２％）明显增高（Ｐ＜０．０ｌ）。表示雌激素在癌的发生、发展中有明显的刺激作用，癌细胞的生长及恶性度对雌激素有一定依赖性。临床上应用内分泌疗法对雌激素受体阳性肿瘤进行辅助治疗是行之有效的。     

Localization and characterization of epidermal growth-factor receptors in the developing rat medial septal area in culture

The presence and binding properties of epidermal growth-factor receptors (EGF-Rs) in different cell types purified from the rat medial septal area in culture were investigated. We report that astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and neurons from this area possess EGF-Rs while microglia do not. EGF-binding sites are detectable on astrocytes derived from the medial septum of both embryonic and neonatal rats. Scatchard analysis of the data for astrocytes from the fetal rats show that EGF specifically binds to both high- (K_d = 7.21 × 10⁻¹⁰ M, B_max = 3602 receptors/cell) and low-affinity (K_d = 3.99 × 10⁻⁸ 10⁻⁸ M, B_max = 6,265 receptors/cell) receptors on these cells. On the other hand, astrocytes purified from neonatal tissue possess a greater number of high-affinity receptors (B_max = 10,938 receptors/cell) when compared with the embryonic astroglia. With time in culture, the number of both types of receptors on neonatal astrocytes decreases. Oligodendrocytes also possess high- and low-affinity EGF-Rs with dissociation constants of 3.25 × 10⁻¹⁰ M and 3.85 × 10⁻⁸ M, respectively. The number of receptors on oligodendrocytes is significantly lower than those on neonatal astrocytes (B_max = 1185 and 25,081 receptors/cell for high- and low-affinity binding sites, respectively). Finally, neurons from this area also exhibit two different EGF-R types with dissociation constants similar to those described for astrocytes. As the number of receptors/neuron (B_max = 136 and 1159 receptors/cell for high- and low-affinity binding sites, respectively) appears to be extremely low, it is possible that EGF specifically binds only to a subpopulation of neurons from this area. These studies demonstrate which cell types in the developing medial sepal area posses EGF-Rs and provide a detailed characterization of these binding sites. These EGF-R-bearing cells may be potential targets for this growth factor or for transforming growth factor α in this brain area.     

Differential effects of substance P on serotonin-modulated spinal nociceptive reflexes

Recent immunohistochemical studies indicate the presence of a bulbospinal substance P (SP) system, as well as a bulbospinal serotonin (5-HT) system, involved in spinal pain transmission. Although electrophysiological studies indicate that SP may modulate the effects of 5-HT on post-synaptic spinal nociceptive neurons, the functional relationship between SP and 5-HT on “pain behavior” remains obscure. To bridge this gap between mechanism and behavior, the purpose of the present study was to determine specific postsynaptic behavioral effects of SP and 5-HT on local spinal nociceptive reflexes in spinally transected animals. Administration of the 5-HT agonists 5-methoxydi-methyltryptamine (5-MeODMT) (0, 0.5, 1.5, 2.0 mg/kg) and quipazine (0, 5, 10, 20 mg/kg) 2 days after transection significantly expanded the receptive field (RF) areas of three spinal reflexes, as previously reported. Intrathecal administration of SP alone (0, 0.25, 2.5, 7.5 ng) also resulted in hyperalgesia, indicated by a significant expansion of the RF areas of all three nociceptive reflexes. However, administration of SP, in animals pretreated with 5-HT agonists, decreased the 5-HT-induced expansion of RF size. Therefore, SP had opposite effects on spinal nociceptive reflexes depending on whether or not the animal was pretreated with 5-HT agonists, i.e., hyperalgesia in the absence of 5-HT agonists, and analgesia in the presence of 5-HT agonists. The two effects of SP on local spinal reflexes may be related to the anatomical organization of the two spinal SP systems: 1) SP released from primary afferents facilitates nociceptive reflexes, and 2) SP associated with the descending bulbospinal system interacts with the descending bulbospinal 5-HT system and inhibits nociceptive reflexes. The present results help explain contradictory literature regarding the effect of SP on spinal nociceptive reflexes.     

Age-related changes in the turnover rates of D1-dopamine receptors in the retina and in distinct areas of the rat brain

The steady-state density and the turnover rates of D₁-dopamine receptors were investigated in the striatum, nucleus accumbens, substantia nigra, and retina of adult (3-month-old) and aged (23-month-old) rats. The turnover rates were measured by monitoring the repopulation kinetics of D₁-dopamine receptors labeled with [³H]-SCH 23390 after the irreversible inactivation induced by a single dose of N-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline (EEDQ, 10 mg/kg, s.c.). In all the neural tissues examined, the repopulation of D₁ dopamine receptors could be adequately described by a theoretical model that assumes a constant rate of receptor production (i.e. zero order) and a rate of degradation that is dependent on the receptor density at any time (i.e. first order). The results obtained indicate that the reduction in the density of D₁-dopamine receptors in the striatum, nucleus accumbens and substantia nigra of aged rats is the result of a larger decrease in the receptor production rate (−44 to −60%) than in the receptor degradation rate (−21 to −46%). By contrast, the production rate of D₁-dopamine receptors in the retina of aged rats remains unchanged, whilst the degradation rate is reduced by 25%. This results in an age-related increase in the density of D₁-dopamine receptors in the rat retina.     

食管癌、胃癌组织的低密度脂蛋白受体分析

以１２５Ⅰ－ＬＤＬ为配体对食管癌、胃癌及其相应的正常组织进行了ＬＤＬ受体水平的测定，同时分析了各组织中蛋白质、ＤＮＡ的含量，以探讨食管癌和胃癌发生与ＬＤＬ代谢之间的关系。结果显示，癌组织和正常组织的ＬＤＬ受体亲和性差异无显著性，但癌变组织的蛋白质、ＤＮＡ和ＬＤＬ受体水平均明显高于相应正常组织。癌细胞需要大量的胆固醇满足其有丝分裂，细胞通过受体升高机制使ＬＤＬＲ增多，以增加对ＬＤＬ的摄取和利用。     

Effects of naftidrofuryl oxalate, a 5HT2 antagonist, on neurotransmission and transduction systems in the gerbil hippocampus

We investigated the effects of age and naftidrofuryl oxalate (Naftidrofuryl), a 5-HT₂ antagonist, on neurotransmission and transduction systems in the gerbil hippocampus using quantitative autoradiography. [³H]Quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB), [³H]cyclohexyl-adenosine (CHA), [³H]MK-801, and [³H]muscimol were used to label muscarinic acetylcholine, adenosine A1, N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA), and γ-aminobutyric acid-A (GABA_A) receptors, respectively. [³H]PN200-110 labeled L-type Ca²⁺ channels. [³H]Forskolin, [³H]cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), [³H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu), and [³H]inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP₃) were used to label adenylate cyclase, cAMP-dependent protein kinase, protein kinase C (PKC), and IP₃ receptors, respectively. Approximately 20% reductions in [³H]QNB, [³H]forskolin, and [³H]PDBu binding were observed in the hippocampus of 9-month-old gerbils in comparison with 5-week-old gerbils. Treatment with Naftidrofuryl (10 mg/kg, i.p., once a day for 7 days) ameliorated these reductions. No changes were found in [³H]CHA, [³H]MK-801, [³H]muscimol, [³H]PN200-110, [³H]cAMP, and [³H]IP₃ binding. The results suggest that Naftidrofuryl may have beneficial effects on the age-related alterations in signal transmission and transduction systems in the brain. Because the acetylcholine system, adenylate cyclase, and PKC are considered to be involved in learning and memory processes, the result may have clinical implications.