EFFECTS OF POTASSIUM AND GLUTAMATE ON BRAIN CORTEX SLICES: UPTAKE AND RELEASE OF GLUTAMIC AND OTHER AMINO ACIDS

Abstract— Effects of an increased concentration of K⁺ (55 m m ) in the medium on fluxes of glutamate and other amino acids in the presence and absence of 10 m m -glutamate were studied. The following observations were made:
(1) The efflux of glutamate is slightly increased by excess K⁺. The glutamate efflux is smaller than the potassium fluxes.
(2) The K⁺-induced increase of glutamate efflux is enhanced under anoxia or in glutamate-containing media.
(3) The influx of glutamate is unaffected or slightly increased by excess K⁺.
(4) The efflux of GABA is increased by excess K⁺, both in the absence and in the presence of glutamate.
(5) Efflux of glutamine, leucine and lysine is increased by excess K⁺, but only provided that glutamate is also present in the medium.
(6) Efflux of glutamate and of GABA is increased by addition of 10 m m -glutamate.     

RELEASE OF GLUTAMATE AND OTHER AMINO ACIDS FROM ARTHROPOD NERVE–MUSCLE PREPARATIONS

—A study has been made of the release of glutamate and other amino acids from perfused leg preparations from Carcinus and Schistocerca, at rest and during stimulation of motor nerves to the leg muscles. Stimulation caused an increase in release af many amino acids. No evidence was obtained to link glutamate release from such preparations with synaptic function. If release of transmitter glutamate is to be demonstrated in arthropods, techniques must be devised to avoid contamination with large quantities of non-transmitter glutamate.     

氨基酸对蟾蜍卵母细胞膜电位的影响及其作用机制

本文采用微电极细胞内记录方法观察了23种氨基酸处理后蟾蜍卵母细胞膜电位的变化。丙氨酸、亮氨酸和赖氨酸可致膜电位去极化和膜K~+通透性降低,而色氨酸可致膜电位超极化和膜K~+通透性增加。其他19个氨基酸未见对膜电位有何作用。丙氨酸、亮氨酸和赖氨酸于引起去极化同时,还使卵母细胞孕酮含量成倍增加和卵母细胞趋于成熟。这些作用可被1mmol/L 丁酰 cAMP(db-cAMP)或 50μmol/L 雌二醇完全阻断。另一方面,色氨酸能阻断孕酮(10μmol/L)所致的去极化,但对 db-cAMP 所致的超极化无作用。本文讨论了氨基酸和甾类激素对卵母细胞成熟的调节作用。     

THE EFFECTS OF SOME NEWER ANAESTHETICS ON THE IN VITRO ACTIVITY OF GLUTAMATE DECARBOXYLASE AND GABA TRANSAMINASE IN CRUDE BRAIN EXTRACTS AND ON THE LEVELS OF AMINO ACIDS IN VIVO

—The effects of several anaesthetic and hypnotic compounds with well-defined excitatory side-effects on glutamate decarboxylase and γ-aminobutyric acid transaminase activity have been examined. The dissociative anaesthetics ketamine and γ-hydroxybutyric acid produced competitive inhibition of glutamate decarboxylase with respect to glutamate at concentrations which had no effect on GABA transaminase activity. The inhibitor constant (K_i) values were, ketamine: 13.3 mm , γ-hydroxybutyric acid; 8.8 mm . The steroid anaesthetic alphaxalone was also a potent competitive inhibitor of glutamate decarboxylase K_i= 4.1 mm ). Pentobarbitone, thiopentone and methohexitone non-competitively inhibited both glutamate decarboxylase and GABA-transaminase but only at high concentration (> 20 mm ). None of the drugs tested produced any significant change in brain GABA or glutamate levels following the injection of an hypnotic or anaesthetic dose. It is proposed that an alteration in the rate of GABA synthesis as a result of the inhibition of glutamate decarboxylase could explain the convulsive properties of the dissociative anaesthetics when given at high doses.     

EFFECTS OF EXOGENOUS AMINO ACIDS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF MARCHANTIA POLYMORPHA GEMMALINGS

The effects of various nitrogenous compounds in concentrations ranging from 10^-4 to 10^-3 m on the growth and morphology of gemmae of Marchantia polymorpha L. were investigated under axenic conditions. Only nine of the 24 compounds tested were effective in altering the normal developmental pattern of this plant. l -Isoleucine, l -leucine, l -methionine or l -threonine resulted in a disruption of the apical regions at concentrations of 10^-3 m . The addition of lower concentrations of l -arginine, l -histidine, l -hydroxyproline, l -lysine or l -tryptophan to the nutrient medium resulted in morphological irregularities. These latter abnormal growth patterns were highly specific for the individual amino acids and ranged from lack of air chamber development to complete thallus disorganization. Both the formation and duration of abnormal developmental patterns were dependent upon the concentration of the amino acids employed. Although the experimental results are inconsistent with certain physiological mechanisms such as a general nitrogen toxicity, alternative possibilities are discussed.     

THE EFFECT OF HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF HISTIDINE ON THE LEVEL OF OTHER AMINO ACIDS IN PLASMA AND BRAIN OF THE MATURE RAT

—Changes in plasma and brain amino acids have been observed in adult rats 1 h after intraperitoneal injections of histidine and in others maintained on high histidine diets for 8 days. In the injection studies the compounds most consistently affected were the aromatic and branched chain amino acids and methionine. Reductions in their concentrations in the brain were explained by a competition with histidine for uptake into the tissue. There was little change in plasma amino acid levels. In the animals fed the highest concentration of histidine there was a generalized increase in brain, and a reduction in plasma, amino acid concentrations. A decrease in protein synthesis is postulated to explain this effect in brain.     

培养方式对纤细裸藻脂肪酸与氨基酸含量的影响

以纤细裸藻(Euglena gracilis)为实验对象,研究了培养方式对纤细裸藻生长、脂肪酸、氨基酸的影响,并探讨了可能的作用机理。结果表明,与其他培养方式相比,光诱导可提高纤细裸藻总脂肪酸、单不饱和脂肪酸(MUFA)和多不饱和脂肪酸(PUFA)含量,分别为2.69、0.52和1.475 g/100 g;饱和脂肪酸(SFA)含量由高到低依次为异养组、光诱导组、自养组和兼养组,其中异养组含量达1.008 g/100 g;游离氨基酸含量由高到低依次为光诱导组、兼养组、异养组和自养组,分别为381.57、358.1、330.17和231.1 mg/g;兼养组必需氨基酸含量最高,为134.37 mg/g。实验结果说明光诱导培养可显著提高纤细裸藻总脂肪酸、MUFA和PUFA含量(P<0.05);异养培养可显著提高纤细裸藻饱和脂肪酸含量(P<0.05);兼养培养可显著提高纤细裸藻必需氨基酸含量(P<0.05)。研究结果为阐明纤细裸藻对不同培养方式的响应提供了科学依据,同时为其开发应用提供数据支持。     

温光对稻米蛋白质及氨基酸含量的影响

研究水稻结实期的温、光条件对稻米蛋白质与氨基酸含量的影响,其结果表明：同一品种作为早季栽培时,稻米氨基酸含量比作晚季栽培时低,分期播种时,以结实期日平均气温为２４℃时蛋白质含量为最高;不同海拔高度种植时,以８００ｍ处蛋白质含量为最高;结实期人工高温处理,稻米蛋白质和氨基酸含量降低,低温（２１／２０℃）处理时,粳稻的氨基酸含量增加而籼稻则有所降低,籼稻氨基酸形成的适温在２４￣２６℃之间,弱光下,糙米     

DISTRIBUTION OF FOUR POTENTIAL TRANSMITTER AMINO ACIDS IN MONKEY RETINA

Discrete layers from frozen dried sections of Rhesus monkey retina were analyzed for each of four amino acids. Peak levels of glycine were found near the border of the inner nuclear and inner reticular layers, and were high throughout these two layers. The levels were less than 50% of the peak in the adjacent ganglion cells and outer reticular layers and fell to very low levels elsewhere. GABA was much more sharply restricted to the inner reticular layer and fell off on both sides to levels of 10% or less of the peak in the fiber and photoreceptor cell layers. Glutamate and aspartate were highest in the ganglion cell layer. On a lipid-free dry weight basis the peak aspartate level was about twice that of brain. Moderately high levels of both aspartate and glutamate were found in the inner reticular and fiber layers. Elsewhere the levels ranged from 20 to 50% of the peak, and both amino acids were relatively low in optic nerve. The amino acid distributions are compatible with a transmitter function for GABA in amacrine cells and for glycine in horizontal and amacrine cells. Glutamate and aspartate may be especially high in Müller fibers, ganglion cells or both.     

FREE AMINO ACIDS IN DEVELOPING RAT RETINA

—During postnatal growth the free amino acids pattern of rat retina differs at various developmental stages. The adult level for individual amino acids is reached on the 30th day of maturation. During differentiation the taurine, glutamic acid, GABA, glutamine, aspartic acid, glycine arginine, methionine and histidine levels increase while proline. alanine, ornithine and tyrosine decrease.     

THE EFFECT OF METHIONINE SULPHOXIMINE ON THE INCORPORATION OF LABELLED GLUCOSE, ACETATE, PHENYLALANINE AND PROLINE INTO GLUTAMATE AND RELATED AMINO ACIDS IN THE BRAINS OF MICE

—The incorporation of radioactivity from labelled glucose, acetate, phenylalanine and proline into glutamate, aspartate and glutamine was measured in mice treated with methionine sulphoximine and in the control animals. The labelled precursors were injected and their incorporation determined before the onset of convulsions. The incorporation of radioactivity from labelled glucose into the dicarboxylic amino acids was reduced, in particular the incorporation into glutamine. The incorporation of radioactivity from labelled acetate and phenylalanine into glutamate and aspartate was increased by methionine sulphoximine, while the incorporation into glutamine was not changed very much. The labelling of glutamine, relative to glutamate, was reduced with all precursors, indicating that glutamine synthetase was inhibited in vivo by methionine sulphoximine. It is very likely that methionine sulphoximine affects many aspects of energy metabolism in brain; in particular the metabolism of glucose seems to be inhibited, while the rate of conversion of substrates other than glucose seems to be increased.     

不同形式蛋氨酸对建鲤生长性能及血清游离氨基酸含量的影响

为考察不同形式蛋氨酸对建鲤生长的作用效果, 实验以豆粕、鱼粉、棉粕为蛋白源, 配制缺乏蛋氨酸的基础饲料(对照组, 蛋氨酸含量为0.48%), 在基础饲料中分别添加晶体蛋氨酸、微囊蛋氨酸、蛋氨酸羟基类似物(MHA)及蛋氨酸羟基类似物钙盐(MHA-Ca), 使蛋氨酸含量达到0.58%, 获得5个饲料处理组, 饲养平均体重为(8.61.0) g的建鲤(Cyprinus carpio var Jian)8周。结果显示: 各组鱼体增重率分别为343.51%、350.77%、382.80%、384.02%和385.59%; 饲料系数分别为1.58、1.55、1.42、1.42和1.41; 晶体蛋氨酸组鱼体增重率、饲料系数与对照组无显著差异(P0.05), 微囊蛋氨酸组、MHA组、MHA-Ca组增重率较对照组提高11.4%、11.8%、12.2% (P0.05), 饲料系数降低10.1%、10.1%、10.8% (P0.05)。各处理组在肌肉水分、脂肪含量间无显著差异(P0.05), MHA组肌肉粗蛋白含量较晶体蛋氨酸组显著下降, 其他各组间无显著差异(P0.05)。对摄食后不同时间的血清游离氨基酸浓度变化的分析表明, 对照组在摄食后2h或3h达到峰值, 晶体蛋氨酸组、MHA组在摄食后1h达到吸收峰值, 微囊蛋氨酸组在摄食后1h或2h达到峰值, 而MHA-Ca组则在摄食后3h达到峰值。上述结果表明, 在蛋氨酸缺乏的颗粒饲料中补充晶体蛋氨酸, 对建鲤生长性能无改善作用, 而添加微囊蛋氨酸、蛋氨酸羟基类似物、蛋氨酸羟基类似物钙盐则显著提高了鱼体生长性能, 降低饲料系数。       

THE EFFECTS OF 4-HYDROXYBUTYRIC ACID ON THE BIOSYNTHESIS OF AMINO ACIDS IN THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

—The effect of 4-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) on cerebral glucose metabolism has been studied. GHB increases the glucose level, decreases the lactate concentration and diminishes the incorporation of glucose carbon into glutamic acid, glutamine, aspartic acid and GABA in the brain of the rat in a state of general anaesthesia. The data reported here suggest that GHB interferes in the metabolism of glucose in brain.     

EFFECTS OF CHLORAMPHENICOL AND KINETIN ON UPTAKE AND INCORPORATION OF AMINO ACIDS BY TOBACCO LEAF DISKS

The effects of chloramphenicol and kinetin on uptake and incorporationof ³⁵S-methionine and some ₁₄C-amino acids have been investigatedin leaf-disks of Nicotiana rustica in light and dark. Chloramphenicolin a concentration of 1 mg per ml inhibits the uptake of aminoacids from 30 to 60 per cent compared with the water control.The incorporation of amino acids into bulk protein is stronglyinhibited in light (40 to 70 per cent), but only to a smalldegree in dark (10 to 20 per cent), as revealed also by ¹⁴CO₂-photosynthesisof the disks and following treatment with chloramphenicol indark. The stimulating effect of kinetin on uptake and incorporationof amino acids is dependent upon its concentration (10^–5to 10^–6 M ; but 10^–4 M solution inhibits stronglyboth uptake and incorporation). The stimulation seems to influencemore incorporation than uptake processes. Possible interactionsof chloramphenicol and kinetin in the protein metabolism oftobacco leaves have been discussed. (Received April 27, 1964; )     

EFFECTS OF TETRODOTOXIN, CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM ON THE RELEASE OF AMINO ACIDS FROM SLICES OF GUINEA-PIG CEREBRAL CORTEX

Abstract— Tetrodotoxin, Ca²⁺-deprivation and high-Mg²⁺ were used in an effort to identify the portion of the evoked release of endogenous amino acids, labelled via metabolism of [¹⁴C]-glucose, and several exogenous labelled amino acids, that came from nerve terminals when slices of guinea pig cerebral cortex were superfused with glucose-free solutions and stimulated electrically. With some exceptions, spontaneous release of labelled amino acids was decreased by 2 μm -tetrodotoxin but increased in Ca²⁺-free medium and in solutions containing an extra 24 mm -MgCl₂. Tetrodotoxin suppressed 85–90% of the stimulated release of almost all labelled amino acids, but had a smaller effect on the release of endogenous ¹⁴C-labelled threonine-serine-glutamine (unseparated). In Ca²⁺-free solution, the stimulated release of endogenous ¹⁴C-labelled glutamate, aspartate and GABA was suppressed by 80–90%, but that of endogenous ¹⁴C-labelled threonine-serine-glutamine was unaffected as was most of the release of the other labelled amino acids. In medium containing an extra 24mM-MgCl₂, the stimulated release of endogenous ¹⁴C-labelled glutamate, aspartate and GABA was suppressed by 75-85%, that of exogenous labelled aspartate and GABA by 50–65%, but the release of the other labelled amino acids was unaffected. The control stimulated releases of endogenous ¹⁴C-labelled glutamate, aspartate and GABA were much larger than those of other labelled amino acids but were reduced by tetrodotoxin, Ca²⁺-deprivation and high-Mg²⁺ to a level similar to that of the control stimulated releases of the other labelled amino acids. These results suggest that almost all of the stimulated release of endogenous ¹⁴C-labelled glutamate, aspartate and GABA came from nerve terminals while those of the other labelled amino acids came from other tissue elements. In addition, they are in accord with a transmitter role for glutamate, aspartate and GABA in cerebral cortex.     

ON THE PERMEABILITY OF THE STOMACH MUCOSA FOR ACIDS AND SOME OTHER SUBSTANCES

1. Solutions approximately isotonic with blood of strong and weak acids, several salts, glucose, and glycine were introduced in the resting stomachs of cats. The concentration and volume changes were recorded. 2. It was found that the stomach mucosa was permeable to the majority of the ions tested. There was also a permeability in the opposite direction from the blood (mucosa) to the stomach content, particularly of alkali chlorides. Poorly permeable substances were glucose, glycine, and sodium iodate. Pure weak acids such as acetic acid penetrated very rapidly. 3. The electrolyte concentration changes in the stomach content (or gastric juice) are pictured as an exchange diffusion; for instance, the hydrogen ions of an acid are exchanged against alkali ions of the mucosa or blood. 4. It is pointed out that the concept of the mucosa as an ion permeable membrane could be used as the foundation of a "diffusion theory," which can explain the acidity and chloride variations of the gastric juice without postulating neutralizing or diluting secretions.     

THE INCORPORATION OF DOUBLE-LABELLED ACETATE INTO GLUTAMATE AND RELATED AMINO ACIDS FROM ADULT MOUSE BRAIN: COMPARTMENTATION OF AMINO ACID METABOLISM IN BRAIN

Abstract– We have determined the incorporation of [³H]-, [1-¹⁴C]- and [2-¹⁴C]acetate into glutamate, glutamine and aspartate of the adult mouse brain. All these three acetates were incorporated more extensively into glutamine than into glutamate. This has been reported by several authors for each of these labelled acetates in separate experiments. It was shown that [³H, 2-¹⁴C]acetate can be used to obtain an acetate labelling ratio analogous to the previously used [2-¹⁴C]acetate/[1-¹⁴C]acetate labelling ratio. From these acetate labelling ratios of glutamine and glutamate conclusions can be deduced about the dynamic relationship of these amino acids with each other and with the tricarboxylic acid cycle.
A fairly large isotope effect between acetate and glutamate was observed. As this isotope effect is very likely caused by the citrate synthase reaction, it can be argued that citrate synthase involved in the conversion of labelled acetate into glutamate is far out of equilibrium in vivo. Comparing our data with literature data, the possibility can be suggested that citrate synthase in the acetate metabolizing compartment is in situ kinetically distinct from citrate synthase in other compartments of the brain.     

THE METABOLISM OF GABA AND OTHER AMINO ACIDS IN RAT SUBSTANTIA NIGRA SLICES FOLLOWING LESIONS OF THE STRIATO-NIGRAL PATHWAY

The metabolism of GABA and other amino acids from various radioactive precursors has been studied in the rat substantia nigra using a sensitive double isotope dansyl derivative assay. Labelled acetate gave greater labelling of glutamate than of glutamine in substantia nigra slices whereas the reverse was the case for cerebral cortex slices. Unilateral transection of the striato-nigral pathway caused a parallel decrease in the GABA and GAD content of the substantia nigra. It also reduced the total synthesis of GABA from all labelled precursors used, namely acetate, glutamate and glucose. After incubation with [1-¹⁴C]acetate the specific activity of glutamate and aspartate, but not that of GABA, increased on the lesioned side compared with the normal side. The specific activity of glutamate, but not that of GABA or aspartate, decreased after incubation with [U-¹⁴C]glucose on the lesioned side compared with the normal side. The results could be explained by the previously proposed hypothesis concerning differential labelling of metabolic pools by the two precursors. [U-¹⁴C]Glutamate lead to increased labelling of GABA on the lesioned side relative to the normal side. Incubation of slices from substantia nigra with β-mercaptopropionic acid caused a decrease of labelling of GABA from glucose and acetate, probably as the result of GAD inhibition. The labelling pattern of the other amino acids, apart from that of glutamate which showed a decrease when synthesised from acetate, did not change appreciably.     

UPTAKE AND METABOLISM OF GLUTAMATE BY ISOLATED TOAD BRAINS CONTAINING DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ENDOGENOUS AMINO ACIDS

—The uptake of [U-¹⁴C]glutamate into the amphibian brain was studied in vitro using brains from toads (Bufo boreas) adapted either to a fresh water (FWA) or an hyperosmotic saline (HOA) environment. Initial rates of ¹⁴C-glutamate uptake showed a single apparent K_m of about 0·2 mm . Uptake by HOA brains was slower than that by FWA brains, reflecting perhaps a non-competitive type of inhibition by the higher content of glutamate in the HOA brains. Although the glutamate content of HOA brains was maintained during prolonged incubation at twice the level found in FWA toads, other metabolic parameters measured in the two types of brain preparations were surprisingly similar. Tissue to medium concentration ratios of greater than 3000:1 were generated by both FWA and HOA brains. In both brain systems the clearance of glutamate from the medium was accompanied by a rapid conversion of the amino acid to glutamine and its release into the medium. In both the FWA and HOA toad brain systems some [U-¹⁴C]glutamate was metabolized to aspartate and GABA; in both systems the specific radioactivity (SA) of glutamine in the tissue was from two to four times greater than that of glutamate; also the SA of glutamine released into the medium was higher by several orders of magnitude than the SA of glutamine in brain tissues. These and other findings support the concept that, in both the FWA and HOA toad brains, transport processes are instrumental in preserving low extracellular levels of glutamate but that mechanisms other than transport are responsible for the maintenance of different levels of glutamate in the FWA and HOA toad brains.