Catecholaminergic contributions to the neuronal machinery of the olfactory bulb: aftoradiographic, immunohistochemical and evoked feild potential studies

aftographic exeperiments on the localization of radiolabelednoradrenaline, dopamine and dopa, as well as immunohistochemicalstudies on hydroxylase-like activity, are summarized and comparedin both rat and turtle olfactory bulbs. Evoked field potentialstudies on effects of dopamine are also discussed. The histochemicalstudies suggest that dopaminergic periglomerular neurons arethe most significant cellular component of the catecholaminergicsystem in the olfactory bulb of both species. Scattered fluorescentcell group was also present in the internal plexiform layerand superficial granule cell layer of the turtle olfactory bulb.Other fibres, not related to intrinsic bulbar neuronal cellbodies, were also labeled, mostly in the granule cell layerbut also in the external plexiform layer. These might belongto a centrifugal catecholaminergic system from brain stem neurons.In the in vitro turtle olfactory bulb, dopamine and apomorphinedepressed the amplitude of field potentials evoked by a singlevolley in the olfactory nerve or lateral olfactory tract, andreduced the depression and latency of reponses when paired volleywere delivered. It is suggested that catecholaminergic systemsplay a key role in modulating mitral cell activity through actionsin both superficial (glomerular) and deep (granule) layers.This may involve direct actions, or other, non-catecholaminergicinterneurons.     

Alterations in high-affinity binding characteristics and levels of opioids in invertebrate ganglia during aging: Evidence for an opioid compensatory mechanism

In Mytilus and Leucophaea the high-affinity binding site density is significantly lower in old animals than in young animals, whereas the low-affinity site density remains unchanged. In Mytilus the estimated met-enkephalin and met-enkephalin-Arg6-Phe7 levels are significantly higher in old than in young animals. In Leucophaea only the met-enkephalin level can be determined, and it is also higher in old animals. The decrease in the high-affinity binding site density and the corresponding increase in endogenous enkephalin levels suggest the existence of an opioid compensatory mechanism associated with the aging process. In Mytilus there is a demonstrated decrease with age in intraganglionic dopamine levels in response to applied opiates. In addition, the inhibition of dopamine-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity by opiates also decreases in older animals. In Leucophaea the sex difference in opioid binding densities diminishes with age.     

Ntau-methylhistidine excretion is a valid index of myofibrillar protein breakdown in the guineapig (Cavia porcellus).

The recovery of radioactivity in the urine of guineapigs following a bolus intravenous dose of chromatographically pure 14C-Ntau-methylhistidine was measured in order to test whether the excretion of Ntau-methylhistidine (Ntau-MH) is a valid index of myofibrillar protein breakdown in these animals. Four male and four female guineapigs were dosed and after 7 days, 91.65+/-2.82% and 3.58+/-0.91% of injected radioactivity was recovered in the excreta and tissues, respectively. The average total recovery of 95.2+/-3.0% was not significantly different from 100%. Male guineapigs excreted the radioactivity more slowly than females (70% of the dose excreted within 74 h vs 39 h, respectively) but cumulative excretion at 7 days was the same for each sex. Chromatographic analysis of the urine showed almost all of the radioactivity to be associated with a single peak corresponding to Ntau-MH, indicating a lack of significant metabolism. These data show that although the clearance of 14C-Ntau-MH is slower than in rats or humans the urinary excretion of Ntau-MH is a valid index for myofibrillar protein degradation in the guineapig.     

Increased Concentrations of 3-Hydroxykynurenine in Vitamin B6 Deficient Neonatal Rat Brain

Increased concentrations of the endogenous tryptophan metabolite 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK) were measured in the brains of vitamin B6 deficient neonatal rats. Mean concentrations of 3-HK in B6 deficient cerebellum, corpus striatum, frontal cortex, and pons/medulla ranged from 9.7 to 18.6 and 102 to 142 nmol/g of wet tissue at 14 and 18 days of age, respectively. 3-HK was not significantly increased in control neonatal or adult rat brain, vitamin B6 deficient rat brain at 7 days of age, or in brains from adult rats deprived of vitamin B6 for 58 days. The administration of daily intraperitoneal injections of vitamin B6 from the 14th to the 18th day of age decreased the concentration of 3-HK to control levels. 3-HK has been shown by other investigators to produce seizures when injected into the cerebral ventricles of adult rodents. Thus, our studies show the accumulation in brain of a putative endogenous convulsant as the result of a nutritional deficiency.     

Extracellular and cell-bound lipase activity in relation to growth of Geotrichum candidum

Summary The imperfect fungus Geotrichum candidum produced extracellular lipase in a basic peptone-salt medium. By adding olive oil or Tween 80 to the basic medium the lipase yields could be enhanced and the maximal yields were found with Tween 80, which resulted in a sixfold increase in extracellular lipase activity as compared with basic medium. During the early phase of growth in medium with olive oil the proportion of cell-bound activity was higher than that of extracellular activity, and a delay in the secretion of extracellular lipase was found. The proportion of cell-bound activity from growth in basic medium and in basic medium with Tween 80 was lower than that of extracellular activity during the entire growth phase. Analyses by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that the lipase activity from growth in all three media could be ascribed to equivalent protein bands at 57 000 and 61 000 daltons. Immunodiffusion showed that the cell-bound preparation contained lipase that was immunologically identical with purified extracellular lipase from G. candidum.     

Effects of chronic alcoholism on the amygdaloid complex. A study in human and rats

The effect of chronic alcoholism on the amygdaloid complex was studied in 16 humans and 10 rats. Eighteen patients whose death was due to extraneural causes were selected as controls with 3 rats. The alcoholic cases, in addition to the data collected in their clinical history, showed, microscopically confirmed, liver cirrhosis or steatosis. The alcoholics and controls were divided into 4 groups: 35-44 years old (4 cases), 45-54 (5 cases), 55-64 (5 cases) over 65 (2 alcoholics and 4 controls). The alcoholic ingestion in the rats (Wistar, 10 weeks old) was 3 ml at a concentration of 30% in water solution administered by esophagic intubation, for 48 (5 rats) or 58 weeks (5 rats). To judge the state of the amygdaloid nuclei, a neuronal count and caryometry were carried out. The numerical data obtained in this study were analyzed statistically. The results in humans have paralleled those obtained in rats and the behaviour of the different nuclei of the amygdala was uniform and can be summarized as follows: 1) ethanol provoked a prominent and early loss of neurons, and 2) the remainder of non-affected neurons did not react in order to compensate for this neuronal loss.