The role of renal acid mucopolysaccharides in the mechanism of reabsorption of osmotically free water]

The authors compared the histochemical characteristics of acid mucopolysaccharides (MPS) of the medulla of the kidney with functional indices of the latter in dogs under conditions of water, osmotic diuresis and in polyuria caused by the administration of heparin. There was seen a correlation between the changes in the MPS staining and the intensity of reabsorption of osmotically free water. On the basis of the results obtained a supposition was put forward that the change in the physico-chemical properties of the MPS served as one of the most significant factors determining the permeability of the medulla structures for the passage of water from the tubular lumina into the interstitium.     

Reduced renal reabsorption of 1,5-anhydro-D-glucitol in diabetic rats and mice

A stable amount, approximately 60 micrograms, of 1,5-anhydro-D-glucitol (AG) was detected in the 24-h-urine of normal young rats fed ad libitum. Upon administration of streptozotocin (STZ), this amount was temporarily elevated to as much as 1.1 mg and AG was concomitantly removed from the circulation. The plasma AG level stayed almost null thereafter while the acutely elevated urinary AG excretion declined within 24 h to another stable excretion level that was three times as high as that of the untreated rats. In contrast, glucosuria developed much more slowly in the drug-treated rats. Normal rats and mice retained exogenous [14C]AG to a considerable extent and the radioactivity was distributed all over the body. Only a marginal fraction of the radioactivity was excreted as expired CO2. The radio-activities retained in the body and excreted into the urine were mostly attributed to unmetabolized AG. The observations of AG's metabolic stability and its relatively low level of leakage into urine suggested the concept of effective renal AG reabsorption. On the other hand, the rats with STZ-induced diabetes and NOD-mice with spontaneously developed diabetes retained little of the radioactive AG in their bodies; most of the injected radioactivity was recovered in the urine within 24 h. This observation was interpreted as due to reduced renal AG reabsorption in these animals. The concept of reduction in renal AG reabsorption in diabetes could account for the reduced plasma AG level generally observed in human diabetic cases.     

The role of tubular reabsorption in the renal excretion of bile acids.

1. The renal excretion of bile acids was studied in an isolated rat kidney preparation perfused with a protein-free medium. 2. Tubular reabsorption exceeded 95% for both non-sulphated and sulphated bile acids at filtered loads of less than 30 nmol/min. 3. At low filtered loads the reabsorption of taurocholate and taurochenodeoxycholate was almost complete. Efficient reabsorption of taurochenodeoxycholate was maintained over a wider range of filtered loads than for taurocholate. These observations suggest that active transport may occur. 4. At high filtered loads saturation of reabsorption of taurocholate and taurochenodeoxycholate did not occur, which indicates that passive diffusion is involved in reabsorption. 5. Active proximal-tubular secretion of bile acids was not demonstrated in competition experiments with p-aminohippurate. 6. The fractional reabsorption of taurocholate, chenodeoxycholate 3,7-disulphate and chenodeoxycholate 7-monosulphate was decreased by the addition of taurochenodeoxycholate to the perfusate, so that their renal excretion was enhanced. This interaction between the bile acids for reabsorption may explain the different composition of bile acids in urine compared with that in plasma in cholestasis in man. 7. Conjugated bilirubin decreased the fractional reabsorption of both taurocholate and taurochenodeoxycholate at low filtered loads (less than 30 nmol/min) but not at high filtered loads (400 nmol/min).     

New knockout model confirms a role for androgen receptors in regulating anxiety-like behaviors and HPA response in mice

Men are less likely than women to suffer from anxiety disorders. Because gonadal hormones play a crucial role in many behavioral sex differences, they may underlie sex differences in human anxiety. In rodents, testosterone (T) exerts anxiolytic effects via the androgen receptor (AR): we found that male mice with a naturally-occurring mutation rendering the AR dysfunctional, referred to as spontaneous testicular feminization mutation (sTfm), showed more anxiety-like behaviors than wildtype (WT) males. Here, we used Cre–lox recombination technology to create another dysfunctional allele for AR. These induced Tfm (iTfm) animals also displayed more anxiety-like behaviors than WTs. We further found that AR-modulation of these behaviors interacts with circadian phase. When tested in the resting phase, iTfms appeared more anxious than WTs in the open field, novel object and elevated plus maze tests, but not the light/dark box. However, when tested during the active phase (lights off), iTfms showed more anxiety-related behavior than WTs in all four tests. Finally, we confirmed a role of T acting via AR in regulating HPA axis activity, as WT males with T showed a lower baseline and overall corticosterone response, and a faster return to baseline following mild stress than did WT males without T or iTfms. These findings demonstrate that this recombined AR allele is a valuable model for studying androgenic modulation of anxiety, that the anxiolytic effects of AR in mice are more prominent in the active phase, and that HPA axis modulation by T is AR dependent.     

Impaired water reabsorption in mice deficient in the type VI adenylyl cyclase (AC6)

Adenylyl cyclase (AC) type VI (AC6) is a calcium-inhibitable enzyme which produces cAMP upon stimulation. Herein, we characterized the specific role of AC6 in the kidneys using two AC6-knockout mouse lines. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that AC6 exists in the tubular parts of the nephron and collecting duct. Activities of AC evoked by forskolin or a selective agonist of the V2 vasopressin receptor were lower in the kidneys of AC6-null mice compared to those of wildtype mice. Results of a metabolic cage assay and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) showed for the first time that AC6 plays a critical role in regulating water homeostasis.     

Essential role of PDK1 in regulating cell size and development in mice

PDK1 functions as a master kinase, phosphorylating and activating PKB/Akt, S6K and RSK. To learn more about the roles of PDK1, we generated mice that either lack PDK1 or possess PDK1 hypomorphic alleles, expressing only approximately 10% of the normal level of PDK1. PDK1(-/-) embryos die at embryonic day 9.5, displaying multiple abnormalities including lack of somites, forebrain and neural crest derived tissues; however, development of hind- and midbrain proceed relatively normally. In contrast, hypomorphic PDK1 mice are viable and fertile, and insulin injection induces the normal activation of PKB, S6K and RSK. Nevertheless, these mice are 40-50% smaller than control animals. The organ volumes from the PDK1 hypomorphic mice are reduced proportionately. We also establish that the volume of a number of PDK1-deficient cells is reduced by 35-60%, and show that PDK1 deficiency does not affect cell number, nuclear size or proliferation. We provide genetic evidence that PDK1 is essential for mouse embryonic development, and regulates cell size independently of cell number or proliferation, as well as insulin's ability to activate PKB, S6K and RSK.     

Melanocortin-4 receptor-null mice display normal affective licking responses to prototypical taste stimuli in a brief-access test

We tested whether MC4R null mice display altered gustatory function relative to wild-type controls that may contribute to the characteristic hyperphagia and obesity associated with this gene deletion. Mice were tested for their licking responses to prototypical taste solutions (sucrose, NaCl, quinine, citric acid) in series of daily 30-min sessions in which a range of concentrations of each tastant was available in randomized blocks of 5-s trials. Notwithstanding some minor deviations, the concentration-response functions of the MC4R null and wild-type mice were basically the same for all of the prototypical compounds tested here. Thus, taste-based appetitive and avoidance behavior is expressed in the absence of the MC4 receptor, demonstrating that this critical component in the melanocortin system is not required for normal affective gustatory function to be maintained.     

Evidence for a role for cardiac myosin in regulating the contractile response.

Dinitrophenylated bovine cardiac myosin incorporates 1.3 mol of 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitro-benzene per 5 × 10⁵ g of protein. Concomitantly there was an activation of the Ca²⁺-ATPase activity and an inhibition of the K⁺(EDTA)-ATPase activity. The dinitrophenyl group is located in the smallest active proteolytic fragment, subfragment 1. Virtually all of the labeling occurs in the region containing the heavy chains of cardiac myosin as judged by dissociation experiments in sodium dodecyl sulfate. Dinitrophenylated myosin failed to form calcium-sensitive actomyosin when tested in an ATPase assay system containing actin, tropomyosin, troponin and ethylene glycol-bis(β-aminoethyl ether)N,N′-tetraacetic acid. Thiolysis of the dinitrophenyl group from myosin with 2-mercaptoethanol restored its ability to form a calcium-sensitive actomyosin. The Ca²⁺ and K⁺(EDTA)-ATPase activities were also restored to control values. These results indicate that cardiac myosin participates in the regulation of the interaction between the contractile proteins.     

Critical role for Daxx in regulating Mdm2

The tumour suppressor p53 induces apoptosis or cell-cycle arrest in response to genotoxic and other stresses. In unstressed cells, the anti-proliferative effects of p53 are restrained by mouse double minute 2 (Mdm2), a ubiquitin ligase (E3) that promotes p53 ubiquitination and degradation. Mdm2 also mediates its own degradation through auto-ubiquitination. It is unclear how the cis- and trans-E3 activities of Mdm2, which have opposing effects on cell fate, are differentially regulated. Here, we show that death domain-associated protein (Daxx) is required for Mdm2 stability. Downregulation of Daxx decreases Mdm2 levels, whereas overexpression of Daxx strongly stabilizes Mdm2. Daxx simultaneously binds to Mdm2 and the deubiquitinase Hausp, and it mediates the stabilizing effect of Hausp on Mdm2. In addition, Daxx enhances the intrinsic E3 activity of Mdm2 towards p53. On DNA damage, Daxx dissociates from Mdm2, which correlates with Mdm2 self-degradation. These findings reveal that Daxx modulates the function of Mdm2 at multiple levels and suggest that the disruption of the Mdm2-Daxx interaction may be important for p53 activation in response to DNA damage.     

NARCOBIT: a newly developed inhalational anesthesia system for mice.

NARCOBIT is the first anesthetic system for mice and rats to incorporate a ventilator. Therefore, it is expected to improve the reliability of mice and rat experiments by accurately controlling and maintaining the depth of anesthesia. In this study, we used NARCOBIT for inducing inhalational anesthesia in mice and evaluated the changes in their hemodynamic parameters. ICR mice were anesthetized with 5% isoflurane and room air, followed by endotracheal intubation. Subsequently, they were mechanically ventilated, and anesthesia was maintained by 2% isoflurane for a 60-min period (maintenance state) using NARCOBIT. In study 1, the heart rate (HR) and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) were measured. The skin blood flow (SBF) from the hind legs was continuously measured during the maintenance state. Subsequently, the concentration-dependent effects of isoflurane on MAP were examined. In study 2, blood samples were obtained from the abdominal aorta for blood gas analysis. The HR and MAP decreased after anesthesia but were stable during the maintenance state. Decreased MAP and concentration-dependent effects of isoflurane were observed. The SBF increased slightly during the maintenance state but this increase was insignificant. The blood gas analysis showed neither hypoxia nor hypercapnia. Since the use of NARCOBIT enables the anesthetic concentration of isoflurane to be easily changed, a suitable anesthesia depth can be obtained for experimental purposes. Therefore, we conclude that NARCOBIT can be used for providing inhalational anesthesia to mice.     

马齿苋多糖对衰老小鼠肠道微生态调节作用的研究

目的探讨中药马齿苋多糖对衰老小鼠微生态调节作用。方法皮下注射D-半乳糖建立衰老小鼠模型,用马齿苋多糖进行治疗,同时设正常对照组、阳性对照组和阴性对照组,用药30d后处死小鼠,进行肠道微生态指标检测。结果用D-半乳糖造模以后,小鼠肠道双歧杆菌及乳酸杆菌数量降低（P〈0．05）,而肠杆菌及肠球菌数量增加说明模型建立,血内毒素含量也升高（P〈0．05）。用马齿苋治疗后,益生菌数量升高而肠杆菌和肠球菌数量减少,血内毒素含量也降低（P〈0．05）。结论马齿苋多糖对衰老小鼠的肠道菌群和血内毒素具有调节作用。     

Evidence for a role of phytochelatins in regulating arsenic accumulation in rice grain

Phytochelatins (PCs) play a crucial role in detoxifying cellular arsenic (As) through complexation of arsenite. Here, we investigated whether PCs influence As accumulation in rice grain by using six rice cultivars varying in grain As accumulation. The cultivars with low grain As had significantly higher PCs concentration in the shoots than the cultivars with high grain As, but lower glutathione concentration. Shoot PCs concentration correlated negatively with grain As accumulation. Foliar sprays with 0.5 mM l-buthionine-sulphoxime (BSO) on rice leaves at grain filling stage decreased GSH and PC accumulation in rice shoots by 40-63% and 20-55%, respectively, but did not significantly affect plant growth. Foliar sprays with BSO decreased shoot As concentration, while increased As concentrations in husk and brown rice significantly. These results suggest that PC complexation of arsenite in rice leaves reduces As translocation from leaves to grains, and implicate that manipulation of PC synthesis might mitigate As accumulation in rice grain.     

RNA interference has a role in regulating Drosophila telomeres

Unlike many other organisms, Drosophila maintains its telomeres by the transposition of retrotransposons to chromosome ends. Recent work shows that proteins in the RNA interference pathway specifically regulate the expression of these retrotransposons and frequency of transposition in germline cells, but do not affect retrotransposon expression or telomere function in the soma.     

Mouse ghrelin-O-acyltransferase (GOAT) plays a critical role in bile acid reabsorption

Ghrelin is a unique peptide gut hormone that requires post-translational modification to stimulate both feeding and growth hormone release. Ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT) was identified as a specific acyl-transferase for ghrelin, and recent genetic deletion studies of the Goat gene (Goat(-/-)) uncovered the role of ghrelin in the regulation of glucose homeostasis. To further understand the physiological functions of the GOAT/ghrelin system, we have conducted a metabolomic and microarray profile of Goat-null mice, as well as determined Goat expression in different tissues using the lacZ reporter gene. Serum metabolite profile analysis revealed that Goat(-/-) mice exhibited increased secondary bile acids >2.5-fold. This was attributed to increased mRNA and protein expression of the ileal sodium-dependent bile acid transporter (ISBT) in the intestinal and biliary tract. Increased expression of additional solute carrier proteins, including Slc5a12 (>10-fold) were also detected in the small intestine and bile duct. Goat staining was consistently observed in the pituitary glands, stomach, and intestines, and to a lesser extent in the gallbladder and pancreatic duct. This is the first report that the GOAT/ghrelin system regulates bile acid metabolism, and these findings suggest a novel function of GOAT in the regulation of intestinal bile acid reabsorption..     

A role for the organic anion transporter OAT3 in renal creatinine secretion in mice

Tubular secretion of the organic cation, creatinine, limits its value as a marker of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) but the molecular determinants of this pathway are unclear. The organic anion transporters, OAT1 and OAT3, are expressed on the basolateral membrane of the proximal tubule and transport organic anions but also neutral compounds and cations. Here, we demonstrate specific uptake of creatinine into mouse mOat1- and mOat3-microinjected Xenopus laevis oocytes at a concentration of 10 μM (i.e., similar to physiological plasma levels), which was inhibited by both probenecid and cimetidine, prototypical competitive inhibitors of organic anion and cation transporters, respectively. Renal creatinine clearance was consistently greater than inulin clearance (as a measure of GFR) in wild-type (WT) mice but not in mice lacking OAT1 (Oat1-/-) and OAT3 (Oat3-/-). WT mice presented renal creatinine net secretion (0.23 ± 0.03 μg/min) which represented 45 ± 6% of total renal creatinine excretion. Mean values for renal creatinine net secretion and renal creatinine secretion fraction were not different from zero in Oat1-/- (-0.03 ± 0.10 μg/min; -3 ± 18%) and Oat3-/- (0.01 ± 0.06 μg/min; -6 ± 19%), with greater variability in Oat1-/-. Expression of OAT3 protein in the renal membranes of Oat1-/- mice was reduced to ～6% of WT levels, and that of OAT1 in Oat3-/- mice to ～60%, possibly as a consequence of the genes for Oat1 and Oat3 having adjacent chromosomal locations. Plasma creatinine concentrations of Oat3-/- were elevated in clearance studies under anesthesia but not following brief isoflurane anesthesia, indicating that the former condition enhanced the quantitative contribution of OAT3 for renal creatinine secretion. The results are consistent with a contribution of OAT3 and possibly OAT1 to renal creatinine secretion in mice.     

Lack of a direct role for cyclic AMP in parathyrin action on phosphate reabsorption by the kidney

Isolated chick kidney proximal tubule cells have been used in a study of the mechanism by which PTH inhibits Na+-dependent Pi transport in the kidney. Treatment with PTH inhibits Pi uptake by the cells by 13% and stimulates cyclic AMP production by 77%. Forskolin, a potent activator of adenyl cyclase, brought about an 11-fold stimulation of cyclic AMP production by the cells, but in contrast to PTH, the drug had no effect on Na+-dependent Pi uptake. These results provide evidence that PTH action on phosphate transport is not mediated by cyclic AMP.     

Carbonic anhydrases in chick extra-embryonic structures: a role for CA in bicarbonate reabsorption through the chorioallantoic membrane

The villus cavity cells, a specific cell type of the chick chorioallantoic membrane, express both cytosolic carbonic anhydrase in their cytoplasm and HCO3(-)/Cl(-) anion exchangers at their basolateral membranes. By immunohistochemical analysis, we show here that villus cavity cells specifically react with antibodies directed against the membrane-associated form of carbonic anhydrase, CAIV. Staining is restricted to the apical cell membranes, characteristically invaginated toward the shell membrane, as well as to endothelia of blood vessels present in the mesodermal layer. The occurrence of a membrane-associated CA form at the apical pole of villus cavity cells, when definitively confirmed, would be fairly consistent with the role proposed for these cells in bicarbonate reabsorption from the eggshell so to prevent metabolic acidosis in the embryo during development.