Effects of adequate vestibular stimulation on locomotor activity in fore- and hindlimb muscles in the guinea pig. Movement along a vertical axis

The effects of applying adequate vestibular stimulation to the mesencephalic locomotor region on locomotor activity in fore- and hindlimb muscles was investigated during experiments on decerebrate guinea pigs. This stimulation was produced by linear sinusoidal shifting of the animal along a vertical axis at rates of 0.08, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 Hz (with peak accelerations of 0.010, 0.063, 0.252, and 1.010 m·sec^–2 respectively). A downwards shift was found to increase electromyographic extensor muscle activity in fore- and hindlimbs occurring during the swing phase of the locomotor cycle. An upwards movement was accompanied by the opposite changes in muscle activity. Minimum acceleration required to produce an alteration in muscle activity equaled 0.063 m·sec^–2 (0.006g). These alterations were characterized by cyclical delay in relation to linear (active) acceleration. Phase lags in the activity of fore- and hindlimb extensor muscles at the rate of 0.8 Hz reached 63° and 86° respectively. Changes in flexor muscle activity ran counterphasically to these; phasic delay equalled 264° and 275° respectively. The part played by the vestibular system in control over locomotor activity in vertebrate muscles is discussed.A. A. Bogomolets Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Kiev. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 21, No. 2, pp. 192–197, March–April, 1989.     

Influence of adequate vestibular stimulation on locomotor activity in the guinea pig forelimb muscles. Tilting in relation to the longitudinal axis

The influence of adequate vestibular stimulation occurring as the animal tilted around longitudinal axis on locomotor activity of the forelimb muscles was investigated during experiments on guinea pigs decerebrated at precollicular level. Locomotor activity was produced by electrical stimulation of the mesencephalic locomotor region. An increase in extensor EMG activity was observed when the animal shifted its weight onto the limb ipsilateral to the tilt during the "standing" phase and a reduction in flexor activity during the swing phase. The reverse of these changes was seen in the activity of antagonist muscles in the contralateral limb. It was found that changes in muscular locomotor activity exceeded those observed during animal movements by 60–40° in the extensors and 40–20° in the flexors during cyclic sinusoidal tilting in the 0.02–0.4 Hz range. The mechanisms underlying vestibular control of locomotor activity are discussed.A. A. Bogomolets Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Kiev. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 19, No. 4, pp. 534–541, July–August, 1987.     

Effects of adequate vestibular stimulation on evoked rhythmic activity in the forelimb nerves of immobilized guinea pigs

The effects of adequate vestibular stimulation, achieved by turning the animal around its longitudinal axis, on intensity of rhythmic activity in forelimb muscle nerves were investigated during experiments on immobilized decerebrate guinea pigs. This activity was produced by electrical stimulation of the mesencephalic locomotor region, following the action of DOPA administered i.v. Rhythmic activity arises mainly in the flexor muscle nerve under these circumstances. The intensity of such activity alters as the body was tilted, diminishing and increasing as the body is tilted to the ipsi- and contralateral side, respectively. Alterations in activity are characterized by an acceleration-related phase lag of –110 to –150° during cyclic tilting at the rate of 0.02–0.4 Hz.A. A. Bogomolets Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Kiev. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 223–227, March–April, 1990.     

Functional differentiation of fore- and hindlimb muscles inMacaca fuscata determined on the basis of enzymatic activities

When the functional differentiation of 83 kinds of limb and trunk muscles ofMacaca fuscata was investigated on the basis of the activities of two glycolytic enzymes [lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and aldolase] and one oxidative enzyme [succinate dehydrogenase (SDH)], the forelimb rather than the hindlimb muscles proved have higher oxidative activities. These results indicated that, inMacaca fuscata, the forelimb muscles have a higher resistance to fatigue, and that the hindlimb muscles have a higher tetanic tension on the basis of the relationships between enzymatic activities and functional properties of the muscle fiber types. These findings were interpreted in relation to the fact thatMacaca fuscata is a quadrupedal primate with arboreal habits, as compared with nonprimate terrestrial quadrupeds. The two-joint muscles and the superficial muscles contract more rapidly than do the other muscles in the hindlimb, thereby suggesting that both types of muscles readily adapt to quick movement.     

白藜芦醇对哇巴因所致豚鼠乳头状肌迟后去极化及触发活动的效应

研究旨在应用标准玻璃微电极技术,观察白藜芦醇对哇巴因所引起的离体豚鼠乳头状肌迟后去极化(delayed after depolarization,DAD)及触发活动(triggered activity,TA)的效应。结果显示：(1)预先给予白藜芦醇(30、60、120μmol／L)可剂量依赖性地抑制哇巴因所引起的乳头状肌DAD及TA;(2)预先应用L型钙通道开放剂Bay K8644(0．25μmol／L),可取消白藜芦醇的上述效应;(3)预先应用一氧化氮合酶抑制剂L-NAME(1mmol／L),对白藜芦醇的上述效应无影响;(4)单独应用17β-雌二醇(E2,5μmol／1．0或白藜芦醇(30μmol／L)对DAD及TA无明显影响,而联合应用相同剂量的E2和白藜芦醇则对DAD及TA产生明显的抑制效应;(5)预先应用雌激素受体拮抗剂他莫昔芬(10μmol／L)不能取消白藜芦醇对DAD及TA的抑制作用。以上结果表明,白藜芦醇具有抑制乳头状肌DAD及TA的作用,这一效应可能与其抑制钙离子内流有关,但此作用机制中NO和雌激素受体的作用并不显著。白藜芦醇这种抗心律失常作用对于心血管系统具有一定的保护意义。     

Neuronal activity of the lateral vestibular nucleus of the guinea pig evoked by tilting the animal about the longitudinal axis during locomotion

In experiments on decerebrate guinea pigs, the impulse activity of neurons of the lateral vestibular nucleus evoked by tilting the animal about the longitudinal axis was investigated under conditions of spontaneous and mesencephalon stimulation-evoked locomotor activity. In most investigated neurons, locomotor activity led to changes in their responses to adequate vestibular stimulation. The dominant reaction was intensification of such responses, which was observed in almost all vestibulospinal neurons and in 2/3 of cells not having descending projections. Responses were suppressed only in 1/4 of the neurons not projecting to the spinal cord. The changes in the evoked responses had an amplitude character; the lag of the changes in the discharge frequency relative to the acceleration that caused them was constant. It is suggested that intensification of dynamic reactions of vestibular neurons during locomotion provides maintenance of the animal's equilibrium during movements in space by various gaits and along different trajectories.A. A. Bogomolets Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Kiev. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 23, No. 5, pp. 541–549, September–October, 1991.     

Neuronal firing activity in the lateral vestibular nucleus during locomotion in the guinea pig

The effects of spontaneous locomotor activity on neuronal background firing in the lateral vestibular nucleus was investigated during experiments on decerebrate guinea pigs. The onset of rhythmic muscular activity in the extramities was found to produce a rise in the rate of such discharges, which increased from 10–15 to 100 spikes/sec in most neurons. A higher rate occurred as activity began in the ipsilateral forelimb extensor muscles (the stage corresponding to the end of the swing phase and start of the stance phase in the locomotor cycle). The alterations noted in vestibular neuronal activity during locomotion are thought to ensure the background of high anti-graveity muscle tonus against which rhythmic limb movements take place.A. A. Bogomolets Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Kiev. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 23, No. 5, pp. 536–541, September–October, 1991.     

Genistein对豚鼠右心室肌收缩功能的影响

目的:观察genistein(GEN)对离体豚鼠右心室肌收缩功能的影响,并探讨其作用机理。方法:将离体豚鼠右心室肌置于装有K-H液的灌流肌槽中,待平衡后,加入各种药物观察心室肌收缩活动的变化。结果:GEN和异丙肾上腺素相似,可增强右心室肌的收缩活动,GEN(1～100μmol·L-1)的作用还具有明显的剂量依赖性。心得安(1μmol·L-1)和异搏定(0.5μmol·L-1)虽可明显阻断异丙肾上腺素(1μmol·L-1)的正性肌力作用,但对GEN(50μmol·L-1)的心肌收缩增强效应无明显改变;同时发现GEN(1,10μmol·L-1)温育后,对细胞外液Ca2 浓度升高而诱发的心肌收缩力增强也无明显影响。另外,它莫西芬(1μmol·L-1)及SQ22536(1μmol·L-1)可减弱GEN的正性肌力作用,bpV(1μmol·L-1)也可部分阻断GEN的这种作用。结论:GEN可增强右心室肌的收缩活动,其作用与心肌细胞膜上的β肾上腺素能受体、钙通道的激活无关,可能与cAMP的胞内信号转导以及酪氨酸激酶途径有一定关系。     

植物性雌激素genistein对哇巴因所致豚鼠乳头状肌迟后去极化及触发活动的效应

应用标准玻璃微电极技术,研究了植物性雌激素genistein(GST)对哇巴因所引起的豚鼠乳头状肌迟后去极化（DAD）及触发活动（TA）的效应,结果如下：（1）预先给予是GST（10,50,100umol/L)剂量依赖性地抑制哇巴因（1umol/L)所引起的鼠乳头状肌DAD及TA;（2）预先应用一氧化氮合酶抑制剂L－NAME（1mmol/L),不影响GST（50μmol/L）对DAD及TA的效应;（3）单独应用17β－雌二醇（E2,5μmol/L）或GST（10μmol/L）对DAD及TA无明显影响,而联合应用相同剂量的GST和E2则产生明显儿应,以上结果提示,GST可能通过抑制钙离子内流从而具有抗心律失常作用,这对于心血管系统的保护有一定意义。     

Influence of the efferent vestibular system on vestibulo-spinal reflexes in the guinea pig

The influence of the efferent vestibular system on vestibulo-spinal activity was investigated during experiments on guinea pigs decerebrated and following cerebellar extirpation at precollincular level. Efferent vestibular neurons forming compact groups ventromedially to the vestibular nuclei were excited by means of electrical stimulation. Electromyographic activity in the triceps brachii extensor muscles of the right and left forelimbs was adopted as a test reaction (crossed extensor reflex and locomotor activity produced by stimulating the mesencephalic locomotor region). Adequate stimulation of the vestibular apparatus was accomplished by static tilting and cyclic shifting of the animal around its longitudinal axis at angles of ±20°. The efferent vestibular system was found to exert a bilateral inhibitory action on vestibulo-spinal activity. Vestibular efferent stimulation produced a reduction in the intensity of vestibulo-fugal influences: it does not change the dynamics of vestibulo-spinal reflex effects, however. Mechanisms of vestibular efferent action on vestibular control of spinal motor activity are discussed.A. A. Bogomolets Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Kiev. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 21, No. 1, pp. 78–86, January–February, 1989.     

Effects of calcium on the stability and activity of guinea pig liver transglutaminase

The binding of calcium to transglutaminase was studied by a kinetic method and by spectrophotometric titration. By the first method, we have shown that the binding of a single calcium per molecule, with a binding constant of 7500 +/- 1300 M-1 (at 55 degrees C), was responsible for the enhancement of the thermostability. The kinetic constants of the deactivation for the unliganded native form and the liganded native one are 1.47 +/- 0.04 min-1 and 0.32 +/- 0.05 min-1 respectively. The enhancement of thermostability is due to the stabilization of the native form, since the deactivation constants of the liganded and unliganded intermediate forms are equal. The total number of calcium binding sites, determined by titration is 4, and therefore, only 1 of them should be implicated in the thermostability. The 4 apparent association constants have been determined by a non-linear fitting of the data to the Adair equation. We have also shown a positive co-operative behaviour of the transglutaminase when the transferase is monitored versus calcium concentration.     

Effects of insulin and exercise on rat hindlimb muscles after simulated microgravity.

This study was designed to examine insulin- and exercise-stimulated glucose uptake and metabolism in the hindlimb muscles of rats after conditions of simulated microgravity. To simulate microgravity, male Sprague-Dawley rats were suspended in a head-down (45 degrees) position with their hindlimbs non-weight bearing (SUS) for 14 days. In addition, rats were assigned to suspension followed by exercise (SUS-E), to cage control (CC), or to exercising control (CC-E) groups. Exercise consisted of five 10-min bouts of treadmill running at the same relative intensity for the CC-E and SUS-E rats (80-90% of maximum O2 consumption). Hindlimb perfusion results indicated that glucose uptake for the entire hindquarter at 24,000 microU/ml insulin (maximum stimulation) was significantly higher in the SUS (8.9 +/- 0.5 mumol.g-1.h-1) than in the CC (7.6 +/- 0.4 mumol.g-1.h-1) rats, signifying an increased insulin responsiveness. Glucose uptake at 90 microU/ml insulin was also significantly higher in the SUS (48 +/- 4; % of maximum stimulation over basal) than in the CC (21 +/- 4%) rats. In addition, exercise-induced increases in glucose uptake for the hindlimbs (133%) and glucose incorporation into glycogen for the plantaris (8.4-fold), extensor digitorum longus (5.4-fold), and white gastrocnemius (4.8-fold) muscles were greater for the SUS-E rats than for the CC-E rats (39% and 1.9-, 1.9-, and 3.0-fold, respectively). Therefore, suspension of the rat with hindlimbs non-weight bearing leads to enhanced muscle responses to insulin and exercise when they were applied separately. However, insulin action appeared to be impaired after exercise for the SUS-E rats, especially for the soleus muscle.