Erythrocyte pyrimidine 5'-nucleotidase inhibition by acute lead exposure in neonatal rats

Inhibition by lead of erythrocyte pyrimidine 5'-nucleotidase (P5N) is thought to contribute to morphological abnormalities observed in red blood cells (RBC) of lead-exposed subjects. However, neither the mechanism of lead inhibition of P5N nor the relationship of this inhibition to blood lead levels attained in exposed subjects is known. In the present investigation, acute in vivo and in vitro lead acetate effects on erythrocyte P5N from 21-day-old rat pups were determined and were related to blood lead concentrations ascertained by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Acute lead administration to rat pups resulted in a 16% to 21% reduction in erythrocyte P5N, with mean blood lead levels ranging from 77 to 108 micrograms/dl 24 hours later. Inhibition of erythrocyte P5N was linearly related to blood lead level (r = -0.67, P less than 0.05) following acute lead administration. Lead acetate addition to RBC preparations from 21-day-old rats resulted in concentration-dependent P5N inhibition which was comparable to that produced following acute in vivo exposure. The results indicate that acute P5N inhibition in lead-treated neonatal rats is due to noncompetitive P5N inhibition by lead. The inhibition of P5N produced by acute lead treatment is linearly related to blood lead concentrations.     

Effects of acute and chronic administration of exorphin C on behavior and learning in white rat pups

We studied the behavior of 21- and 35-day-old white rat pups in the “open field” and the learning of 36- to 41-day-old pups in a maze with food reinforcement. An opioid fragment of wheat gluten exorphin C (YPISL) was injected to pups chronically from day 1 to day 14 of their life or immediately prior to testing. We found that an acute peptide injection did not change animal behavior. The chronic intraperitoneal administration of the peptide at the same dose of 5 mg/kg significantly increased exploratory activity, decreased anxiety, and improved learning. Delayed exorphin C effects were more expressed in female rats.     

The effect of therapeutic drugs and other pharmacologic agents on activity of porphobilinogen deaminase, the enzyme that is deficient in intermittent acute porphyria.

Drugs and toxins precipitate life-threatening acute attacks in patients with intermittent acute porphyria. These materials may act by directly inhibiting enzyme activity, thus further reducing porphobilinogen (PBG) deaminase activity below the ca. 50% level that results from the gene defect. To test this, we studied the effects of drugs that precipitate acute attacks (lead, phenobarbital, griseofulvin, phenytoin, sulfanilamide, sulfisoxazole, 17alpha-ethinyl estradiol, 5beta-pregnan-3alpha-ol-20-one), drugs that are safe (lithium, magnesium, chlorpromazine, promethazine), and those with uncertain effects (ethyl alcohol, imipramine, diazepam, haloperidol) on activity of PBG deaminase in vitro and in vivo. In the in vitro studies, of PBG deaminase from human erythrocytes from normals and individuals with IAP, only lead (> or = .01 mM) inhibited enzyme activity. Chlorpromazine (> or = .01 mM), promethazine (> or = .01 mM) and imipramine (1 mM) seemed to increase enzyme activity. In most in vivo experiments, male rats were injected intraperitoneally with test material twice daily for 3 days and once on day four; and erythrocyte and hepatic PBG deaminase activity was assayed thereafter. Effects on enzyme activity were observed only with 17alpha-ethinyl estradiol (0.05 microg/kg/day; reduction of 11% in erythrocyte enzyme [NS], and of 20% in liver enzyme [P=.02]), and imipramine (12.5 mg/kg/day; reduction in erythrocyte enzyme activity of 13% [P<.001]). Rats given lead acetate in their drinking water (10 mg/ml) for the first 60 days of life, resulting in high blood and liver lead levels, had increased erythrocyte PBG deaminase (167% of control; P=.004). Thus, enzyme inhibition by lead in vitro was not reflected in a similar in vivo inhibition. The only inhibitory effects in vivo, with ethinyl estradiol and imipramine, appear to be mild and biologically inconsequential. We conclude that inhibition of PBG deaminase activity by materials that precipitate acute attacks is an unlikely mechanism by which these materials exert their harmful effects in patients with IAP.     

Effect of insulin and 2-deoxy-d-glucose on the food intake of infant rats

The effects of glucoprivation on the food intake have been determined in infant rats up to weaning. It was found that insulin reduced the milk intake of 9, 13 and 17-day-old males and females for three hours after treatment. In 24-day-old pups food intake increased for three hours after insulin administration, and decreased during the next 21-hour period. 2-deoxy-D-glucose increased the food intake in 28-day-old rat pups only. It was concluded that the inability of rat pups to correct glucoprivation by a subsequent increase of food intake is a consequence of the inadequate development of hypothalamic regulatory mechanisms. Glucoprivation stimuli are ineffective inducers of short-term hyperphagia of rat pups until the age of 24-28 days.     

Inhibition of delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase in human red blood cells by lead and activation by zinc or cysteine.

Inhibition of blood delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase(ALA-D) activity by lead was studied in vivo and in vitro. In vivo, a negative linear correlation (r = -0.85) was found between the logarithmic values of ALA-D activity and blood lead levels. In vitro the inhibitory effect of lead on blood ALA-D activity increased both with contact time and contact temperature of lead with blood before ALA-D assay. Maximum enzyme inhibition occurred after 14 h of contact at 25 degrees C. Inhibition of ALA-D activity by lead, in vivo as well as in vitro, is suppressed by the addition of zinc or cysteine. The logarithmic values of the activity ratios increase linearly with blood lead concentrations. The increase in ALA-D activity brought about by the addition of zinc or cysteine can be used to identify cases of low enzyme activity with no lead intoxication involved. The same technique can also detect cases in which ALA-D inhibition may be concealed by a presumably high initial enzyme activity as observed in some patients.     

Melatonin in rat milk and the likelihood of its role in postnatal maternal entrainment of rhythms

The rhythm of melatonin in rat milk and the capacity of pups to synthesize and metabolize melatonin were studied. Melatonin was undetectable in milk in the light (< 21 pM), but increased rapidly 2-4 h after dark to peak at 357 +/- 66 pM at mid-dark. Oral or subcutaneous administration of melatonin to 5- and 10-day-old pups resulted in peak plasma melatonin levels 30 min after administration and rapid metabolism. Increases in pineal and plasma melatonin levels at night were detected at 5 and 6 days of age, respectively. Isoproterenol administration (2 microg/g body wt) at mid-light to day 10 pups increased plasma melatonin from 312 +/- 40 pM to 1,298 +/- 160 pM, whereas propranolol (2 microg/g body wt) suppressed nocturnal melatonin secretion from 1,270 +/- 128 pM to 395 +/- 66 pM. The rise of pineal and plasma melatonin in day 10 pups occurred 1 and 2 h after dark onset, respectively, preceding the onset in dams by 3 and 4 h, respectively. Propranolol administration to 2- and 5-day lactating dams inhibited plasma and milk melatonin at night but had no effect on their suckling pups. Transfer of melatonin via the milk is unlikely to provide an entraining signal for rat pups.     

Effect of erythropoietin on the different ATPases and acetylcholinesterase of rat RBC membrane

The effect of Ep on different ATPases and acetylcholinesterase of rat RBC membrane was studied. Starvation caused a slight decrease in Mg2+-, Ca2+-, and Na+ + K+-ATPases. However, these enzyme activities were markedly increased on Ep treatment of starved rats. Specific activities of all three ATPases increased linearly with increasing concentration of Ep. Under identical conditions the hormone failed to stimulate the ATPase activity of liver plasma membrane. Desensitization by fluoride of allosteric inhibition of erythrocyte membrane-bound Na+ + K+-ATPase was observed under starvation which showed a return to normal n values on Ep administration. The enzyme from normal animals was inhibited almost completely at 0.1 mM fluoride whereas enzyme from starved and Ep-treated animals showed only about 50% inhibition at that fluoride concentration. Ep increased the acetylcholinesterase activity of normal RBC membrane to a small extent whereas the stimulation was much higher under starvation. The fluoride inhibition curve of this enzyme changed from sigmoidal to hyperbolic under starvation which again changed to allosteric on administration of Ep. These changes were closely correlated to n values. Red blood cells of Ep-treated animals became more susceptible to osmotic shock under the experimental conditions.     

Interaction of adrenergic and purinergic receptors in the regulation of rat myocardial contractility in postnatal ontogeny

β-Adrenergic receptor agonist isoproterenol and purinergic receptor agonist 2-methylthio-ATP have a positive effect on the myocardial contractile force and show different efficiencies depending on the age of animals. The maximum inotropic effect of agonists on the ventricular myocardial contractility was observed in 21-day-old rat pups. The study of a combined effect of isoproterenol and 2-methylthio-ATP showed that an increase in the sympathetic regulatory effects on the heart of 21-day-old animals, against the background of a high functional activity of β-adrenergic receptors and P2X receptors of the heart, a combined administration of the agonists led to a mutually complementing effect of an increase in the myocardial contractility.     

Maternal separation and gastrointestinal transit time in neonate rats

Gastrointestinal transit times (GItts) were compared in separate litters of 10- and 15-day-old Sprague Dawley rats using barium sulphate. By tracking the leading front of the bolus on radiographs, the gastrocaecal transit times in pups were estimated. To measure the total GItt, the duration from orogastric gavage until an observable defecation of barium sulphate was recorded. The gastrocaecal times for 10-day-old pups maintained with their dam (n = 5) ranged from 4-5 h and those removed from the dam ranged from 2.5-5 h. For 15-day-old pups with their dam (n = 6) and without dam (n = 5), gastrocaecal times ranged from 4-6 h and 3.5-5 h, respectively. Ten-day-old pups that remained with the dam had a GItt of 13.8 ± 0.9 h and those kept in the absence of the dam had a time of 9.3 ± 0.7 h. This decrease (P < 0.05) in GItt in the absence of the dam was age-dependent in 10-day-old pups, and was not observed (P > 0.05) in 15-day-old pups. The results provide a basis, for the design of future studies involving neonate rat metabolism, to include maternal presence.     

华广虻溶纤活性蛋白(TAFP)的性质和对大鼠血液流变学的影响

华广虻溶纤活性蛋白 (TAFP)经血纤蛋白平板法和试管凝块法测定表明 ,TAFP只具有纤溶酶作用 ,不具有激活纤溶酶原的作用 .TAFP的最适 p H为 7.5,且在 p H为 6.0时最稳定 .蛋白水解酶抑制剂对 TAFP的抑制作用显示 :STI>antipain>SBBI>antitrypsin>TLCK>leupeptin>bacteracin>PMSF>TPCK,金属蛋白酶抑制剂 1 ,1 0 - phenanthroline对 TAFP没有抑制作用 .TAFP能显著的延长大鼠出血时间、抑制血小板聚集性 ;显著降低血浆中血纤蛋白原含量、全血粘度、血浆粘度、红细胞压积 ;减慢血沉速度     

延迟5分钟剖宫产造全脑缺氧缺血新生大鼠模型

目的建立围产期全脑缺氧缺血性损伤的新生大鼠模型。方法 SD雌性大鼠妊娠21 d时,颈椎脱臼法处死,用止血钳夹闭双侧子宫角血管5 min后,剖宫产取出新生大鼠,交由代乳鼠喂养。结果造模组雌性大鼠9只,共娩出新生大鼠91只,出生3 d内死亡7只,死亡率7.7%。新生大鼠出生第2天进行翻身实验,第14天进行悬吊实验和斜坡实验,造模组和其余各组均有显著性差异。新生大鼠出生后21 d,取脑组织切片行HE染色,显示大脑皮层典型的缺氧缺血性损伤,与正常组相比,可见神经细胞明显的病理形态学改变。结论采用延迟5min剖宫产和代乳鼠喂养的方法,操作简便,并结合行为学测试筛选行为异常者,可建立稳定可靠、可供长期实验使用的围产期全脑缺氧缺血性损伤的新生大鼠模型。     

Influence of adenosine A(1)-receptor blockade and vagotomy on the gasping and heart rate response to hypoxia in rats during early postnatal maturation.

Failure to autoresuscitate from apnea has been suggested to play a role in sudden infant death. Little is known, however, about factors that influence the gasping and heart rate response to severe hypoxia that are fundamental to successful autoresuscitation in the newborn. The present experiments were carried out on 184 rat pups to investigate the influence of the parasympathetic nervous system, as well as adenosine, in mediating the profound bradycardia that occurs with the onset of hypoxic-induced primary apnea and in modulating hypoxic gasping. On days 1 to 2, days 5 to 6, and days 10 to 11 postpartum and following bilateral cervical vagotomy (VAG) or administration of a selective adenosine A(1) receptor antagonist (8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine; DPCPX), each pup was exposed to a single period of severe hypoxia produced by breathing an anoxic gas mixture (97% N(2)-3% CO(2)). Exposure to severe hypoxia resulted in an age-dependent decrease in heart rate (P < 0.001), accentuated with increasing postnatal age, that was attenuated in all age groups by DPCPX but not by VAG. Furthermore, DPCPX but not VAG decreased the time to last gasp but increased the total number of gasps in the 1- to 2-day-old and 5- to 6-day-old pups but not in the 10- to 11-day-old pups during exposure to severe hypoxia. Thus our data provide evidence that adenosine acting via adenosine A(1) receptors plays a role in modulating hypoxic gasping and in mediating the profound bradycardia that occurs coincident with hypoxic-induced primary apnea in rats during early postnatal life.     

Bioavailability of lead from various milk diets studied in a suckling rat model

The bioavailability of lead from various milk diets was studied in 14 day old suckling rats. Human milk, infant formula, cow's milk, rat milk and deionized water labeled with ²⁰³Pb were given to rat pups by gastric intubation. Animals were killed after 2 or 6 h and the radioactivity in the tissues was measured. At 2 h after administration the lead bioavailability, defined as lead uptake in the body, excluding the gastrointestinal tract, was 47% from water, 42% from human milk, 40% from infant formula, 31% from cow's milk and 11% from rat milk. After 6 h the bioavailability of lead was about 50% from water and human milk, 45% from infant formula and cow's milk, and 36% from rat milk. The blood lead levels in the pups reflected the total body uptake and were also correlated to the brain lead levels. Thus, rat pups given lead in human milk had approximately twice as high lead levels in blood and brain than pups given lead in rat milk. The intestinal absorption of lead was dependent on the milk diet given to the sucklings. In duodenum, the highest uptake of lead was found in rats given water or human milk, whereas in rats given rat or cow's milk the highest uptake of lead was found in ileum. The distribution of lead in cream, whey and casein fractions of the milk diets after in vitro labeling with ²⁰³Pb was also studied. The casein fraction in cow's and rat milk contained 90–96% of the total amount of lead in the diet. In infant formula and human milk, 77 and 56% lead was found in the casein fraction, respectively. The higher lead bioavailability observed in the suckling rat fed human milk than in those fed rat and cow's milk may partly be explained by a lower proportion of lead bound to casein in human milk.     

Effects of dieldrin on hepatic carbohydrate metabolism in the suckling and adult rat

Hepatic carbohydrate metabolism was studied in adult and suckling rats given age-specific LD50 doses of dieldrin po. These doses in 5-, 10-, and 60-day-old Wistar rats were 38, 28, and 63 mg/kg, respectively. Plasma glucose and free fatty acids (FFA), and hepatic glycogen, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), fructose-1,6-diphosphatase (FDP), and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6P) were measured 1 and 3 h after administration of the insecticide. Plasma glucose concentrations were elevated (17%) in some 5-day-old rats after 1 h and in all adults after 1 and 3 h (45 and 30%, respectively). Plasma FFA concentrations were decreased (9%) in the 5-day-old rat 1 h after dieldrin. Hepatic glycogen content was reduced in both 5- and 10-day-old pups at 1 hour (22 and 17%, respectively). Hepatic FDP activity was elevated in the 5-day-old rat at 1 h (17%) and was decreased (10%) in the 10-day-old rat at 3 h. Hepatic PEPCK activity was increased in adult animals by 30% 1 h after dieldrin. Furthermore, PEPCK activity was increased at 3 h in rats of all ages (76%, 5-day-old pup; 115%, 10-day-old pup; 56%, 60-day-old adult). Hepatic G6P activity was unaltered by dieldrin. Thus only the activity of hepatic PEPCK is consistently elevated by dieldrin exposure. However, this enhanced PEPCK activity is associated with dieldrin-induced hyperglycemia only in the adult rat.     

Premature induction of hepatic tryptophan oxygenase

Subcutaneous administration of hydrocortisone acetate to the newborn rat produces a premature induction of hepatic tryptophan oxygenase consisting of a transient rise in activity 6–8 h after treatment, followed by a second sustained rise beginning 40 h later, which plateaus at 10 days of age. Cycloheximide treatment at the midpoint of this second elevation inhibits protein synthesis, but not tryptophan oxygenase activity. In older animals, cycloheximide treatment does both. Tryptophan administration at this midpoint rapidly elevates tryptophan oxygenase activity. This elevation can be partially blocked by treatment with actinomycin D within 1 h of tryptophan administration, but not thereafter. Actinomycin treatment is ineffective in blocking the tryptophan-induced rise in older animals. Administration of hydrocortisone acetate to 5- and 10-day-old pups leads to a more rapid and sustained rise in tryptophan oxygenase activity without appearance of a transient induction phase. Neither tryptophan alone, -aminolevulinic acid alone, nor tryptophan plus -aminolevulinic acid prematurely induces tryptophan oxygenase in newborn or 5-day-old rats.     

Age-Related Changes of the Anxiety Level of Male and Female Rats in Elevated Cross-Maze Test

Age-related peculiarities of formation behavior in the elevated cross-maze was studied in male and female Wistar rats of 6 age groups: the 17-, 21-, 30-, and 36-day-old rat pups as well as adult animals. Recorded were duration of animal stay in the open arms of the maze and the number of hanging-down reactions, parameters of the level of anxiety. In the 17-day-old rat pups the anxiety level was higher than the older animals, the 17-day-old pups being characterized by frequent manifestation of freezing reaction. Duration of stay in the open arms of the maze increased in the 26-day-old rat pups. In the 21-day-old animals the number of hanging reactions rose as compared with the 17-day-old ones, but did not differ from that in the 26-day-old animals. The anxiety level in the 30-day-old rat pups was much lower than in animals of younger age groups. In the rats aged 36 days (the age directly preceding sexual maturation) there was a pronounced enhancement of anxiety, recorded using both parameters. In the 42-day-old animals an increased duration of stay in the open maze arms was again observed, which indicates a decrease of the anxiety level. The obtained data demonstrate complex non-linear development of this form of emotional behavior in ontogenesis and allow suggesting an important role of the hormonal-humoral system in its formation.     

The mechanism of decline of age-dependent enzymes in the red blood cell.

Buoyant density centrifugation on discontinuous gradients separates red blood cells (RBCs) according to age, as shown by radiolabelling experiments both in vitro and in vivo. Changes observed in these gradients reflect in vivo rates of decline. A progressive metabolic decline may render the RBC incapable of surviving stresses in the circulation. It was hypothesized that changes only take place at the reticulocyte-mature RBC transition. RBC hexokinase (HK) has two isozymes, one predominant in reticulocytes, the other in mature RBCs. We compared its decline in the density gradient, with that of pyrimidine-5'-nucleotidase (P5N), glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and pyruvate kinase (PK). The decline of HK and P5N was clearly biphasic; for GOT and PK instead there was a single slope. Thus changes taking place at the reticulocyte-RBC transition are clearly identified by a biphasic slope in the gradient. The view of a progressive metabolic decline in vivo for the RBC therefore remains valid.     

Blood rheology of Weddell seals and bowhead whales

Red blood cell (RBC) aggregation and blood viscosity are important determinants of in vivo blood flow dynamics and, in marine mammals, these parameters may impact diving physiology by altering blood oxygen delivery during the diving response. Weddell seals are superb divers and exhibit age-related patterns in blood oxygen chemistry and diving ability. By contrast, bowhead whales are not long duration divers, and little is known of their blood properties relative to diving. The present study was designed to compare rheological characteristics of blood from Weddell seal pups, Weddell seal adults, and from adult bowhead whales: blood viscosity and RBC aggregation in plasma and in polymer solutions (i.e., RBC "aggregability") were measured. Salient findings included: (1) significant 4- to 8-fold greater aggregation in blood from adult seals compared with pups and human subjects; (2) 2-to 8-fold greater aggregation in bowhead whale blood compared with human blood; (3) compared to human red cells, enhanced RBC aggregability of RBC from adult seals and whales as determined by their greater aggregation in polymer solutions; (4) increasing RBC aggregation and aggregability of seal pup blood over a seven day period following birth; (5) significantly greater blood viscosity for adult seals compared with pups at both native and standardized hematocrits. These results indicate that, for both species, hemorheological parameters differ markedly from those of humans, and suggest progressive changes with seal age; the physiological implications of these differences have yet to be fully defined.     

Correlation of Calcium and Magnesium Levels in the Biological Samples of Different Types of Acute Leukemia Children

We aimed to investigate the effect of maternal exposure to NaF on mandibular bone microarchitecture and phosphocalcic plasma parameters of the offspring. For this purpose, 10-, 15-, and 21-day-old pups (n?=?6–8 per group) from two groups of mothers, control and NaF 50mg/L treated dams, were used. Plasma calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) levels and alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) were measured. Fluoride concentration (F^?) in bone and in stomach content was measured using potentiometry after isothermal distillation. Morphometric, histological, and histomorphometric analyses of the jaw bones were performed. Plasma Ca and P levels and ALP activity increased in 10-day and decreased in 21-day-old pups from NaF-treated mothers. Fluoride concentration in stomach content samples of 15- and 21-day-old nursing pups from mothers exposed to NaF in their drinking water was higher compared to that observed in control dam offspring. Mandibular F^? content was higher in 21-day-old pups born to F^?-exposed dams compared to those observed in age-matched control pups. Mandibular area increased in 21-day-old pups born to treated mothers as compared to controls. Mandibular bone volume BV/TV (%) was higher in offspring from NaF-exposed dams than in controls at all the studied times. The increase in bone volume after exposure to F^? was concomitant with the increase in trabecular thickness and the decrease in trabecular separation. Altogether, our results showed that exposure to NaF during gestation and lactation increased mandibular area and bone volume of pups, with concomitant changes in phosphocalcic parameters associated with the bone modeling process.     

Cytotoxic effect of poly-dispersed single walled carbon nanotubes on erythrocytes in vitro and in vivo

Single wall Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs) are hydrophobic and do not disperse in aqueous solvents. Acid functionalization of SWCNTs results in attachment of carboxy and sulfonate groups to carbon atoms and the resulting acid functionalized product (AF-SWCNTs) is negatively charged and disperses easily in water and buffers. In the present study, effect of AF-SWCNTs on blood erythrocytes was examined. Incubation of mouse erythrocytes with AF-SWCNTs and not with control SWCNTs, resulted in a dose and time dependent lysis of erythrocyte. Using fluorescence tagged AF-SWCNTs, binding of AF-SWCNTs with erythrocytes could be demonstrated. Confocal microscopy results indicated that AF-SWCNTs could enter the erythrocytes. Treatment with AF-SWCNTs resulted in exposure of hydrophobic patches on erythrocyte membrane that is indicative of membrane damage. A time and dose dependent increase in externalization of phosphatidylserine on erythrocyte membrane bilayer was also found. Administration of AF-SWCNTs through intravenous route resulted in a transient anemia as seen by a sharp decline in blood erythrocyte count accompanied with a significant drop in blood haemoglobin level. Administration of AF-SWCNTs through intratracheal administration also showed significant decline in RBC count while administration through other routes (gavage and intra-peritoneal) was not effective. By using a recently developed technique of a two step in vivo biotinylation of erythrocytes that enables simultaneous enumeration of young (age <10 days) and old (age>40 days) erythrocytes in mouse blood, it was found that the in vivo toxic effect of AF-SWCNTs was more pronounced on older subpopulation of erythrocytes. Subpopulation of old erythrocytes fell after treatment with AF-SWCNTs but recovered by third day after the intravenous administration of AF-SWCNTs. Taken together our results indicate that treatment with AF-SWCNTs results in acute membrane damage and eventual lysis of erythrocytes. Intravenous administration of AF-SWCNTs resulted in a transient anemia in which older erythrocytes are preferably lysed.