The accumulation of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate in cerebral cortical slices of the quaking mouse, a neurologic mutant

Norepinephrine, adenosine, veratridine, and adenosine-biogenic amine combinations elicit an accumulation of cyclic AMP in cerebral cortical slices from C57B1/6J control (+/+), quaking (qk/qk) and heterozygous (qk/+) mice. The percent conversion of radioactive adenine nucleotides to cyclic AMP in slices previously incubated with radioactive adenine or adenosine is markedly lower in slices from quaking and heterozygous mice compared to controls with all stimulatory agents except an adenosine-norepinephrine combination. Total incorporation of radioactive adenine or adenosine into adenine nucleotides is, however, significantly higher with slices of quaking and heterozygous mice. The absolute amount of radioactive cyclic AMP and the levels of endogenous cyclic AMP are nearly identical in the 3 groups of mice following incubation with all stimulatory agents except adenosine. The absolute accumulation of both radioactive and endogenous cyclic AMP was significantly lower in quaking and heterozygous mice after incubation with adenosine. The ratio of ¹⁴C]- to ³H]cyclic AMP in slices previously incubated with ¹⁴C]adenine and ³H]adenosine is dependent upon the stimulatory agent. The ratio with each agent is consistently lower in quaking mice compared to controls. The data provide evidence for biochemical alterations in nucleotide metabolism in cortical slices ofboth quaking and heterozygous mice. These effects would not appear to be directly associated with hypomyelination and tremor of the quaking mouse, since the heterozygous mouse, with one quaking gene does not show the latter gross abnormalities.