THE DETERMINATION OF ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE ACTIVITY OF BRAIN SLICES AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE IN STUDIES OF EXTRACELLULAR ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE

The AChE activity of single slices obtained from the surface of the temporoparietal region of rat brains was measured colorimetrically under anaerobic conditions with acetylthiocholine as substrate. In intact slices from untreated rats AChE activity was only a small proportion of that of homogenates made from the slices, but this proportion increased with the surface area to weight ratio of slices and with an increase in substrate concentration, intact slices not showing substrate inhibition. The inhibition of AChE determined in slices from rats treated with DFP or paraoxon was less than that in homogenates obtained from the slices. When the access of substrate was limited to the cut surface of a slice, the rate of hydrolysis was four times greater than that observed when access was solely from the uncut surface. It is concluded that under anaerobic conditions the substrate diffuses into slices to a depth which is not constant but a function of both substrate and enzyme concentration. Thus the AChE activity of slices cannot be used as a measure of extracellular AChE.     

INHIBITION OF ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE IN THE BRAIN AND DIAPHRAGM OF RATS BY A TERTIARY ORGANOPHOSPHOROUS ANTICHOLINESTERASE AND ITS QUATERNARY ANALOGUE; IN VIVO AND IN VITRO STUDIES

Abstract— Pinacolyl S -(2-dimethylaminoethyl)methylphosphonothioate (compound I) and its quaternary analogue (compound II), are potent anticholinesterases, that form a very stable phosphonylated AChE and differ in their in vitro anticholinesterase potency by a factor of two, but have widely differing lipid solubilities.
In vitro , compound I diffused through a cerebral cortex slice when applied to the intact surface at twelve times the rate of compound II and through a diaphragm segment at four times the rate. When applied to the intact surface of a cerebral cortex slice or a diaphragm segment for 10 min, compound I gained access to AChE sites more readily than compound II but the difference was much less than the difference in their lipid solubilities. There was no discontinuity in the percentage AChE inhibition versus logarithm of the concentration of compound II, indicating that there was no clear separation of AChE into two fractions which differed greatly in their accessibility to quaternary compounds. Both compounds gained access to AChE sites in cerebral cortex slices more readily than in diaphragm segments.
In vivo , the peak plasma levels and the rates of removal from the plasma of free inhibitor were similar for both compounds, given subcutaneously in equimolar amounts. Compound I in high doses inhibited over 90 per cent of the AChE in the cerebral cortex and the diaphragm; compound II even in lethal doses produced only marginal inhibition of AChE in the cerebral cortex and only 50–60 per cent inhibition of AChE in the diaphragm.
These results indicate that the in vivo distribution of quaternary compounds is different from that observed in vitro . The implications of this are discussed.     

Steady-state kinetic analysis of human cholinesterases over wide concentration ranges of competing substrates

Substrate competition for human acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and human butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) was studies under steady-state conditions using wide range of substrate concentrations. Competing couples of substates were acetyl-(thio)esters. Phenyl acetate (PhA) was the reporter substrate and competitor were either acetylcholine (ACh) or acetylthiocholine (ATC). The common point between investigated substrates is that the acyl moiety is acetate, i.e. same deacylation rate constant for reporter and competitor substrate.Steady-state kinetics of cholinesterase-catalyzed hydrolysis of PhA in the presence of ACh or ATC revealed 3 phases of inhibition as concentration of competitor increased: a) competitive inhibition, b) partially mixed inhibition, c) partially uncompetitive inhibition for AChE and partially uncompetitive activation for BChE. This sequence reflects binding of competitor in the active centrer at low concentration and on the peripheral anionic site (PAS) at high concentration. In particular, it showed that binding of a competing ligand on PAS may affect the catalytic behavior of AChE and BChE in an opposite way, i.e. inhibition of AChE and activation of BChE, regardless the nature of the reporter substrate.For both enzymes, progress curves for hydrolysis of PhA at very low concentration (?K_m) in the presence of increasing concentration of ATC showed that: a) the competing substrate and the reporter substrate are hydrolyzed at the same time, b) complete hydrolysis of PhA cannot be reached above 1 mM competing substrate. This likely results from accumulation of hydrolysis products (P) of competing substrate and/or accumulation of acetylated enzyme·P complex that inhibit hydrolysis of the reporter substrate.     

STUDIES OF THE MECHANISM OF DEMYELINATION REGIONAL DIFFERENCES IN MYELIN STABILITY IN VITRO1

—Incubation of slices of rat central nervous system in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer produced a lipoprotein fraction which floated on 10·5% sucrose after homogenization of the slices and centrifugation. This fraction was not found after homogenization and centrifugation of fresh tissue and appeared to depend upon incubation. The amount of the light fraction increased in the following order per 100-mg slice: cerebrum < thalamic area < cerebellum < brain stem < spinal cord. The lipid composition of this fraction was similar to that of myelin, but contained a lower protein content compared to myelin of the corresponding area. This fraction was termed ‘dissociated myelin’. Upon incubation of slices a portion of the basic protein was lost from myelin subsequently isolated, and the dissociated fraction was slightly enriched in basic protein. The distribution of myelin protein among the characteristic three groups (basic, proteolipid and high mol. wt.) was quite different in myelin from spinal cord compared to that from other CNS area. Spinal cord myelin contained about 17% protein compared to about 23% in cerebrum, with brain stem myelin intermediate (19%), and the difference appeared to be due to lesser amounts of proteolipid in the caudal areas. The amount of dissociation after incubation was about 3–5 per cent of the total myelin in the cerebral cortex, 10 per cent in the thalamic area, 20 per cent in cerebellum, 35 per cent in the brain stem, and around 45 per cent in spinal cord. The smaller amount of proteolipid protein in spinal cord myelin may result in a deficiency of cohesive forces holding lipids and proteins together, thus causing greater instability and dissociation. Myelin dissociation increased with time of incubation up to 3 h, was augmented by Ca²⁺, and was substantial at pH 11, reaching a peak at pH 7, then decreased in the acid range. A similar fraction has been isolated previously from fresh CNS tissue made edematous by chronic treatment of rats with triethyl tin. The possible relationship of swelling in the disease process and myelin dissociation are discussed.     

EFFECTS OF POTASSIUM ON INDICATOR SPACES AND FLUXES IN SLICES OF BRAIN CORTEX FROM ADULT AND NEW-BORN RATS

—Inulin, sucrose and chloride spaces were measured in slices of brain cortex from adult and from new-born rats incubated in‘balanced', potassium-rich and sodium-rich media. The efflux of the radioactive markers was followed in the two first media and the following results were obtained: (1) In brain slices from new-born rats inulin and sucrose spaces were of identical magnitude (35 per cent). The space magnitude was essentially unaffected by excess potassium. The chloride space was somewhat larger than the inulin (sucrose) space, and the difference increased continuously but relatively slightly with the external potassium concentration. By far the largest amount (i.e. about 90 per cent) of the efflux of radioactive inulin, sucrose and chloride occurred from a rapidly exchanging compartment during incubation in both ‘balanced’ and potassium-rich media. (2) In brain slices from adult rats the inulin space (35 per cent) was significantly smaller than that of sucrose (50 per cent) and of chloride (65 per cent); it seemed to represent the extracellular space relatively well although 10 per cent of the efflux occurred from a slowly exchanging (probably intracellular) compartment. High concentrations of potassium led to a reduction of the inulin space which was probably a result of the concomitant intracellular swelling. The hyperosmolarity per se did not affect the space magnitude, but an increase of the sodium concentration exerted a competitive inhibition of potassium effects on the inulin space. Of the sucrose efflux, 20 per cent occurred from a slowly exchanging compartment in both ‘balanced’ and potassium-rich media, and 30 per cent of the chloride exchanged with this compartment when the tissue was incubated in a ‘balanced’ medium. An increase of the external potassium concentration caused a drastic increase of the chloride space and a reduction of the slowly exhanging fraction of chloride efflux to less than 10 per cent.     

THE FORMATION OF CHOLINE AND OF ACETYLCHOLTNE BY BRAIN IN VITRO

Abstract— Free choline and acetylcholine (ACh) in mouse or rat brain were assayed biologically. The subcellular distribution of ACh in brain slices that had been incubated in the presence of eserine was compared to that in control brain; during incubation, the ACh outside nerve endings increased four-fold, the ACh released from synaptosomes by osmotic shock doubled but the ACh bound firmly within nerve endings did not increase. The two nerve ending stores of ACh were labelled to similar specific radioactivities when slices were incubated with [³H]choline, but the specific radioactivity of the ACh formed was much lower than that of the added choline. Tissue incubated in the presence of eserine released choline and ACh into the medium and the tissue levels of both substances increased. Brain tissue exposed to Na⁺-free medium lost 84 per cent of its ACh and 66 per cent of its free choline; the amounts of both substances returned towards control values during subsequent incubation in a normal-Na⁺ medium (choline-free). Both the ACh outside nerve endings and the ACh associated with synaptosomes were depleted when tissue was incubated in Na⁺-free medium.     

EFFECT OF DENERVATION AND OF AXOPLASMIC TRANSPORT BLOCKAGE ON THE IN VITRO RELEASE OF MUSCLE ENDPLATE ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE

Abstract— Cat geniohyoid muscle samples containing endplate regions, when incubated in vitro at 37°C in phosphate buffer (pH 73, release acetylcholinesterase (AChE; EC 3.1.1.7) to the bathing medium. By treating the muscle samples with collagenase (EC 3.4.4.19), it was confirmed that most of the AChE released came from the endplates. Enzyme liberation was studied 10 days after either local injection of 10mM-cokhicine into the hypoglossal nerve or following nerve transection. Results showed that the rate of release is increased by denervation, but is not affected by axoplasmic transport blockage. It is postulated that the cellular contact between nerve and muscle—altered by denervation but not by interruption of axoplasmic transport—is an essential factor in maintaining the localization of end-plate AChE within the synaptic cleft substance. This does not invalidate the possible participation of ACh and muscle activity in such enzyme localization.     

PYRUVATE METABOLISM BY HOMOGENATES OF HUMAN BRAIN: EFFECTS OF PHENYLPYRUVATE AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ETIOLOGY OF THE MENTAL RETARDATION IN PHENYLKETONURIA

Abstract— The effect of phenylalanine and phenylpyruvate on the metabolism of pyruvate by homogenates of human brain was investigated. In the presence of 5 mM pyruvate as substrate homogenates of human cerebral cortex fixed about 1 μmol of H¹⁴CO₃^-_- per g of tissue in 30 min. Phenylpyruvate at a concentration of 5 raw inhibited the fixation of H¹⁴ CO₃^-_- by homogenates of human brain by approximately 50 per cent, whereas 5 mM phenylalanine had no effect. The inhibition of pyruvate carboxylation by phenylpyruvate was dependent upon the concentration of the inhibitor. The activity of pyruvate carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.1) in human cerebral cortex was 02–0.4 units, with a K_m for pyruvate of about 0.2 mM. Homogenates of human cerebral cortex decarboxylated [1-¹⁴C]pyruvate to ¹⁴CO₂ at a rate of about 5 μmol per g of tissue per 15 min, with a 20–50 per cent reduction in the presence of 5 mM phenylpyruvate; phenylalanine at the same concentration had no effect. The possible toxic effect of phenylpyruvate on the metabolism of pyruvate in the brains of untreated phenylketonuric patients is discussed.     

Maltose uptake in the Zea mays scutellum

Maltose transport in slices of the maize scutellum was demonstrated despite the presence of an active maltase situated at the cell surface. The maltase could be inhibited or destroyed by treatments (neutral pH during uptake, pretreatment in Tris buffer at pH 7·5, or in 0·01 N HCl) that allowed appreciable rates of maltose uptake to occur. Using Tris- and HCl-treated slices, it was found that at disaccharide concentrations of 50 and 100 mM, maltose and sucrose were taken up at very nearly the same rates. At sugar concentrations below 50 mM, sucrose was taken up at greater rates than maltose. The maltose content of the slices was directly proportional to the maltose concentration of the bathing solution, and about 4 hr were required for equilibration. From this, it is concluded that one way maltose enters the slices is by free or facilitated diffusion. However, endogenous maltose is utilized by the slices at rates that are much too low to account for the net rates of maltose uptake. Although the slices contain a high level of surface maltase activity, only a low level of endogenous maltase activity was found. This probably accounts for the slow utilization of endogenous maltose. Therefore, the existence of a specific maltose transport system is proposed; a system that contains a carrier saturable with maltose, but one that does not release free maltose into the cytoplasm.     

THE MECHANISM OF THE EXCLUSION OF SODIUM IONS AND THE CONCENTRATION OF POTASSIUM IONS BY GUINEA-PIG CEREBRAL CORTEX SLICES

—Guinea pig cerebral slices were incubated in oxygenated Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate glucose saline for periods of 1 s to 60 min, and their swelling and Na⁺ and K⁺ cone were measured. The swelling was at the rate of 8 per cent for the 1st min, and 0·8 per cent for the next 29 min; it fell significantly during the subsequent 30 min (P= 0·05). The Na⁺ and K⁺ concn in the tissue fluctuated during the 1st min of incubation, but the Na⁺ concn had risen to a mean of 108 mm after 1 min incubation and the K⁺ concn had fallen to a mean of 52 mm by 3 min. The concentrations of these cations did not change significantly after these times. Cerebral slices were also incubated for 30 min in isotonic media modified such that Na⁺, + K⁺, Na⁺+ choline⁺, or K⁺+ choline⁺ always added up to 150 mm . It was found that about half of the swelling (20-25 per cent) was independent of the Na⁺ or K⁺ concn and a further 20-25 per cent of the swelling varied with the cations only if Na⁺ and K⁺ were both present and was a function of the K⁺ concn in the medium (0·15 per cent m-mol). The Na⁺ concn in the tissue was a mean 8·4 mm after incubation in a Na⁺-free medium and 7·1 mm in K⁺ after incubation in a K⁺-free medium. Cerebral slices in the presence of Na⁺+ K⁺ excluded one molecule of Na⁺ for every four molecules in the incubating medium; they accumulated K⁺ from the medium until the concn in the medium exceeded 130 mm .     

FLUID COMPARTMENTATION AND ELECTROLYTES OF CAT CEREBRAL CORTEX IN VITRO–II SODIUM, POTASSIUM AND CHLORIDE OF MATURE CEREBRAL CORTEX

The contents of K⁺, Na⁺ and Cl^? in various incubation media and in slices of adult cat cerebral cortex incubated in vitro under a variety of conditions have been determined in conjunction with studies on slice swelling and fluid compartmentation reported in the preceding paper (Bourke and Tower , 1966). Cortical slices incubated in media containing 16 Or 27 mm-K⁺ exhibit contents of K⁺ and Na⁺ most nearly comparable to those found in viuo. Substitution of isethionate^? For Cl^? or omission of Ca²⁺ in such media have little effect on slice cation composition. Rb⁺ can effectively substitute for K⁺, but substitution of Li⁺ or choline⁺ for most of the naf in incubation media is associated with accumulation of these cations in slices at the expense of both K⁺ and Na⁺. Compared to values in vivo for net contents and/or concentrations of electrolytes in the non-sucrose spaces of cortical slices, conditions yielding most favourable data in vitro appeared to be incubation of cortical slices in 16 mm -K⁺ medium or in 27 mm -K⁺ medium with either omission of Ca²⁺ or replacement of Cl^? by isethionate. Essentially complete inhibition of maintenance of K⁺ and extrusion of Na⁺ in slices of cat cerebral cortex occurs upon incubation with 10^?5 or 10^?4m -ouabain, with 50 per cent inhibition of cortical slice electrolyte metabolism occurring at about 8 × 10^?7m -ouabain. Cortical slices incubated in 27 mm -K⁺ medium in the presence of ⁴²K exhibited rates of exchange and turnover of slice K⁺ (in non-sucrose spaces) of 0·7 μequiv./min and 6.45 per cent respectively. In the presence of 10^?5m -ouabain, a maximal ratio of slice specific activity/medium specific activity is attained within about 5 min after ⁴²K addition, compared to >20 min for control slices. In neither case does the maximal specific activity ratio exceed about 0.85; this suggests that some 10-15 per cent of total cortical K⁺ comprises a “slowly exchangeable” fraction. In the presence of Ca²⁺ (1.3 mm ) slice oxygen consumption is markedly stimulated (39 per cent) and aerobic glycolysis is markedly depressed (54 per cent) in the presence of 10^?5m -ouabain; whereas on omission of Ca²⁺ from incubation media, both respiration and glycolysis are normally stimulated but, with 10^?5m -ouabain present, both are significantly depressed (20 per cent and 37 per cent respectively). Possible relevance of these effects to mobilization of tissue Ca²⁺ by ouabain and to effects of intracellular Ca²⁺ on mitochondrial respiratory metabolism is discussed.     

THE CATION SENSITIVITY OF THE ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTOR FROM TORPEDO CALIFORNICA

—The effects of various cations and cholinergic ligands on the rate of α-bungarotoxin-acetylcholine receptor complex formation has been studied by means of a DEAE-cellulose disk assay technique. The reaction rate is reduced to one half the initial rate in the presence of 2·5 · 10^?6m acetyleholine. a value close to the observed K_D of ACh measured by equilibrium dialysis. Inhibition constants of about 5 mM were obtained for most monovalent cations whereas divalent cations gave inhibition constants of 0·05-0·2 mm . The rate and extent of toxin-receptor complex formation was also investigated as a function of hydrogen ion concentration; the rate of formation reaches a maximum at pH 7·5 and a group with a pK about 6 inhibits toxin binding to the receptor when protonated. These data can be correlated with the observed effects of inorganic cations on the binding of cholinergic ligands in vivo at the neuromuscular junction. Given the affinities of the individual cations, it is possible to predict how the apparent affinity of a cation-sensitive cholinergic ligand will change with variations of buffer composition.     

Acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activity in the atria of the heart of adult albino rats

In experiments on adult albino rats the authors used the substances BW 284 C51 (1.5-bis(allyldimethylammoniumphenyl)-pentane-3-one-dibromide) as a specific inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and ethopropazine (10-(2-diethylaminopropyl) phenothiazine hydrochloride) as a specific inhibitor of butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) to determine the two enzyme activities in atrial homogenates and to investigate changes after AChE or BuChE inhibition of the negative chronotropic effect of acetylcholine (ACh) on atria incubated in vitro. AChE accounted for only 12% and BuChE for 88% of the total ability of atrial homogenates to hydrolyse acetylcholine. The concentration of exogenous ACh needed to reduce the spontaneous frequency of contractions of the isolated right atrium by 30, 60, or 90/min fell by 78%, 79% and 84% respectively after BW 284 C51 inhibition of AChE and by 95%, 94% and 94% after simultaneous inhibition of AChE and BuChE. The significance of AChE in control of the negative chronotropic effect of ACh is thus evidently significantly greater than would correspond to the percentual proportion of AChE in cholinesterase activities in the atria of the rat heart. In can be assumed that AChE is functionally associated with parasympathetic innervation of the heart and that it is probably present in a high concentration in the primary pacemaker region.     

METABOLISM OF HEXOSES IN RAT CEREBRAL CORTEX SLICES

Abstract—

• 1 The metabolism of two ¹⁴C-labelled hexoses and one hexose analogue, viz. mannose, fructose and glucosamine, has been compared with that of glucose for slices of rat cerebral cortex incubated in vitro.
• 2 The metabolism of [U-¹⁴C]mannose was essentially identical to that of glucose; oxygen consumption and CO₃ production were similar and maximal at a substrate concentration of 2·75 mM. Incorporation of label into lactate, aspartate, glutamate and GABA was similar for the two substrates at 5·5 mM substrate concentration.
• 3 With [U-¹⁴C]fructose, maximal oxygen consumption and CO₃ production were obtained at a substrate concentration of 11 mM. At 5·5 mM, incorporation into lactate was 5 per cent, into glutamate and GABA 30 per cent, into alanine 63 per cent and into aspartate 152 per cent of that from glucose. Increasing substrate concentration to 27·5 mm was without effect on incorporation into amino acids from glucose and raised incorporation from fructose into glutamate, GABA and alanine to a level similar to that found with glucose; at the higher substrate concentration aspartate incorporation from fructose was 200 per cent and lactate 42 per cent of that with glucose. Unlabelled fructose was without effect on incorporation of radioactivity from [3-¹⁴C]pyruvate into CO₂ or amino acids; it increased incorporation into lactate by 36 per cent. Unlabelled glucose diminished incorporation into CO₂ from [U-¹⁴C]fructose to 35 per cent; incorporation into lactate was stimulated 178 per cent at 5·5 mM fructose; at 27·5 mM it was diminished to 75 per cent.
• 4 By comparison with [1-¹⁴C]glucose, incorporation of radioactivity from [1-¹⁴C]-glucosamine into lactate, CO₂, alanine, GABA and glutamine was very low; incorporation into aspartate was similar to glucose. Thus the metabolism of glucosamine resembled that of fructose. Glucosamine-1-phosphate, glucosamine-6-phosphate, and an unidentified metabolite, all accumulated.

     

Effects of LF-14, THA and physostigmine in rat hippocampus and cerebral cortex

The effects of physostigmine, tetrahydroaminoacridine (THA) and LF-14 [3,3-dimethyl-1(4- amino-3-pyridyl)urea], a 3,4-diaminopyridine derivative, were compared on inhibition of acetyl- cholinesterase (AChE) activity, and release of [³H]acetylcholine (ACh) from rat brain cortical and hippocampal slices. All three compounds caused a concentration dependent inhibition of AChE, with an order of potency physostigmine > THA > LF-14. The electrically stimulated release of ACh from hippocampal and cortical slices was decreased by 10⁻⁵M physostigmine, although the effect was significant only in cortex. THA (5 × 10⁵M) caused a slight, but not significant, decrease in ACh release from both tissues. In contrast, LF-14 (5 × 10⁻⁵ M) caused an approx. 3-fold enhancement of stimulated release. When AChE was inhibited by prior addition of physostigmine, THA caused only a slight enhancement of ACh release, whereas LF-14 greatly increased release. ACh release was also reduced by stimulation of presynaptic muscarinic receptors with oxotremorine. In this case, THA had no effect on ACh release, while LF-14 was able to reverse the inhibition. This study suggests that LF-14 acts to promote ACh release through blocking K⁺ channels, and has a less potent AChE inhibitory effect. It is possible that a compound like LF-14 could be useful in treating diseases of cholinergic dysfunction such as Alzheimer's disease, by both promoting the release of ACh and inhibiting its breakdown.     

CHARACTERISTICS OF ACETYLCHOLINE RELEASE BY SUPERFUSED SLICES OF RAT BRAIN1

—A superfusion system has been used to examine the effects of choline and the utilization of [³H]choline during resting and potassium-stimulated release of ACh from rat cerebrum slices. The rate of ACh release from unstimulated tissue, 0·25 nmol/g per min, increased 8-fold when the concentration of KCl in the superfusing medium was increased from 5 to 50 mm . This rate was not maintained, however, but gradually declined to one-half the peak rate after approx. 30 min. After an initial washout period, choline was released at a rate of 2·5-5 nmol/g per min, which was equal to 1-2 × 10^?6m in the superfusate. The addition of 1 × 10^?5m -choline to the superfusing medium was required to maintain the stimulated ACh release at near peak rates for 90 min. When hemicholinium-3 was added to the 50 mm -KCl medium, the release of ACh reached a peak as usual but then declined to prestimulation rates. After introducing a pulse of radioactive choline in the superfusing medium, the specific radioactivity of choline and ACh in the superfusate was determined before and during stimulation with 50 mm -KCl. The specific radioactivity of released ACh was always greater than that of released choline; it decreased rapidly at the onset of stimulation, and then more gradually as stimulation proceeded. The specific radioactivity of ACh released in the initial minutes of stimulation was higher than that of ACh in the tissue before stimulation. In the last 10-20 min of stimulation the specific radioactivity of the released ACh was lower than that of the tissue ACh at the end of stimulation. The relative contributions of old and newly synthesized ACh to the releasable transmitter pool are discussed.     

ON THE ASSOCIATION OF NON-SPECIFIC ESTERASE ACTIVITY WITH CENTRAL NERVE MYELIN PREPARATIONS

Abstract— Isolated bovine central nerve myelin sheath preparations showed non-specific esterase activity towards naphthyl ester substrates of increasing chain length from acetate to palmitate. Short chain esters were hydrolysed much faster than long chain substrates by myelin, the specific activity for the hydrolysis of β-naphthyl acetate being the highest. Micro-somal fractions from brain white matter were much higher in esterase activity to all naphthyl ester substrates. NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity was absent from isolated myelin samples. Distilled water and salt and buffer solutions of different ionic strengths and pH were ineffective in releasing non-specific esterase activity from myelin although tri-potassium citrate caused marked inhibition of the membrane-bound esterase activity. The detergent Triton X-100 released esterase activity from the myelin preparations but at a concentration of 0.1 per cent was also inhibitory.     

THE EFFECTS OF SOLUBILIZATION PROCEDURES ON THE RELEASE AND MOLECULAR STATE OF ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE FROM ELECTRIC ORGAN TISSUE

Abstract— A study was made of the effect of various solubilization procedures on the release of AChE from electric organ tissue of the electric eel and on the molecular state of the enzyme. The procedures employed included homogenization in different ionic media or in the presence of detergents, etuymic treatment and chemical modification. Studies were performed on intact electroplax, tissue homogenates and membrane fractions. The apparent AChE activity of intact cells, homogenates and membrane fractions was shown to be governed by diffusion-controlled substrate and hydrogen ion gradients, generated by AChE-catalyscd hydrolysis, leading to a lower substrate concentration and a lower pH in the vicinity of the particulate enzyme.
Treatment of homogenates with NaCl solutions or with NaCl solutions containing the nonionic detergent Triton X-100 causes release of the native'molecular forms of the enzyme (primarily the 18 S species) which aggregate at low ionic strength. For optimal extraction both high ionic strength (e.g. 1 M-NaCl) and the detergent are needed AChE is also solubilized by treatment of tissue homogenates with trypsin, bacterial protease or collagenase. The first two enzymes caused its release as an 11 S non-aggregating form, while collagenase also produces a minor non-aggregating - 16 S component. Treatment of tissue homogenates with maleic anhydride causes release of AChE as a non-aggregating 18 S species. On the basis of the solubilization experiments it is concluded that the interaction of AChE with the excitable membrane is primarily electrostatic. The possible orientation of the enzyme within the synaptic gap is discussed.     

MANIFESTATION OF METABOLIC COMPARTMENTATION DURING THE MATURATION OF THE RAT BRAIN

—(1) The fate of [U-¹⁴C]leucine was studied in rat brain in vivo from birth to five weeks of age. The major route of leucine metabolism at all ages was conversion into protein. The rate of protein synthesis was low in the newborn; it reached a peak at about 15 days and slowed down moderately later. Incorporation into brain lipids was relatively low under the experimental conditions (less than 2 per cent of the total tissue ¹⁴C). (2) The conversion of leucine-carbon into amino acids associated with the tricarboxylic acid cycle was low in the first 9 days after birth (less than 4 per cent of the acid-soluble ¹⁴C at 10 min after injection) and increased rapidly until 15 days when the level characteristic of the adult was approached (about 20 per cent of the acid-soluble ¹⁴C). The results indicated that the oxidation of acetyl-CoA derived from leucine reached the adult level at an earlier age than that derived from glucose. (3) The glutamine/glutamate specific radioactivity ratio was 0·3 in the brain of newborn animals and increased progressively; it was 1·3 and 2·4 at 15 and 35 days of age respectively. The specific radioactivity of aspartate and of GABA relative to that of glutamate was less than 1 throughout the experimental period. (4) The factors involved in the development of metabolic compartmentation in brain were analysed. It is proposed that although the experimental results show that a 'small’compartment becomes functionally manifested with maturation the primary cause is the development of the‘large’metabolic compartment. (5) Morphological correlates of the metabolic compartments in brain tissue are suggested and it is concluded that the manifestation of metabolic compartmentation is related to maturational changes in glia-neuronal relations rather than to developmental processes affecting the individual components only.     

COMPARATIVE STUDIES IN SYNAPTOSOME FORMATION: THE PREPARATION OF SYNAPTOSOMES FROM THE HEAD GANGLION OF THE SQUID, LOLIGO PEALII

Abstract— Relatively high concentrations of ACh have been found in the head ganglion of the squid ( Loligo pealii ) and the identity of the ACh has been verified by ion-exchange chromatography. Following homogenization in media iso-osmotic with sea water about 40 per cent of the ACh survives in particle-bound form. Experiments using media of varying osmolarity suggest that this bound ACh is osmotically sensitive. A study has been made of the subcellular fractionation of squid head ganglion using sucrose homogenates. A rapid and novel method is described for the preparation of a synaptosome fraction freed from mitochondria. This preparation contains synaptosomes of well-preserved morphology with occluded cytoplasm and a high specific content of ACh. The synaptosomes are osmotically sensitive and when suspended in water they burst, releasing cytoplasmic constituents and ACh-containing synaptic vesicles. The synaptic vesicles can be separated from other sub-synaptic constituents by density gradient centrifugation.