THE IN VITRO FORMATION OF ACETYL-ASPARTYL-PEPTIDO-SEROTONIN COMPLEXES BY PIG HYPOTHALAMIC TISSUE EXTRACTS

Peptido-serotonin complexes are formed on incubation of pig hypothalamic tissue extracts with acetyl-aspartate, the amino acids glu. ser, gly and ala. an ATP-regenerating system and serotonin. The purification and partial characterisation of two acetyl-aspartyl-peptido-serotonin complexes is described.     

LEVELS OF AMINO ACIDS AND PROTEINS IN PACINIAN CORPUSCLES OF THE CAT

Abstract— Paper chromatography of extracts from mesenteric Pacinian corpuscles of the cat revealed the presence of glutamic acid, glutamine, aspartic acid and alanine as major amino acids, and glycine, serine and threonine in traces; GABA was not detected. Levels of glutamic acid (0·75 μmol/g ' 0·37, s.d. ), glutamine (1·34 ± 0·55), and aspartic acid (0·32 ± 0·22) of mesenteric and pancreatic samples of Pacinian corpuscles were determined by separation on chromatographic columns. The protein values averaged 5·2 ± 0·66 per cant of the wet weight.
Treatment of the cats with reserpine or pargyline or deafferentation of the Pacinian corpuscles did not significantly alter these values.     

DEPOLARIZING STIMULI AND THE RELEASE OF PHYSIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE AMINO ACIDS FROM SUSPENSIONS OF MAMMALIAN SYNAPTOSOMES

—Potassium causes increased metabolism and release of physiologically active amino acids from suspensions of mammalian synaptosomes. Sheep and rat hypothalamic synaptosomes, and rabbit, sheep and rat cortical synaptosomes show respiratory and glycolytic response to electrical stimulation and show a parallel calcium-dependent differential release of physiologically active amino acids. Attempts were made to eliminate the actions of heating and electrode products as the agents causing the observed effects and the case is made that depolarization is the trigger mechanism.     

DISTRIBUTION AND UPTAKE OF AMINO ACIDS IN VARIOUS REGIONS OF THE CAT BRAIN IN VITRO

—(1) The levels of the free amino acids were determined in five areas of the cat brain. The regional pattern was heterogeneous and fairly characteristic for each compound. (2) The uptakes of α-aminoisobutyric acid, taurine, d -aspartic acid, and l -histidine were measured in incubated slices from 31 regions of the cat CNS. Differences in uptake were found among the various areas; the regional pattern of uptake was different for each amino acid. The initial rate of uptake (5 min incubation) very often paralleled the rate at equilibrium (90 min incubation). (3) The regional correlation between distribution in vivo and uptake in vitro was good for aspartate, less so for histidine, and poor for taurine. (4) It is concluded that regional heterogeneity in exit processes, available energy, cell density, or protein content is unlikely to have decisive influence in determining regional differences in distribution and transport of metabolites; it seems that influx is the most important factor.     

A STUDY OF THE METABOLISM AND RELEASE OF DOPAMINE AND AMINO ACIDS FROM NERVE ENDINGS ISOLATED FROM SHEEP CORPUS STRIATUM

Abstract— Synaptosomes prepared from sheep corpus striatum showed a linear rate of respiration over a 90 min period of incubation in Krebs-bicarbonate medium containing glucose (10 mm ) and the rate of respiration was stimulated by electrical pulses. Dopamine was released from synaptosome beds to the medium by either electrical pulses or 56mm -K⁺ (10min), increasing 108% and 76% respectively above control levels of release. The presence of d- or 1-amphetamine (0.12mm ) in the incubation medium (40 min) increased the accumulation of dopamine in the medium by 310 and 275% respectively and 56mm -K⁺ also caused a significant increase in the release of glutamate, GABA and aspartate. Radioactively labelled dopamine was synthesized by the synaptosomes from l -[¹⁴C]tyrosine, l -DOPA or dl -DOPA, and electrical pulses caused a 35% increase in the rate of dopamine production from [U-¹⁴C] tyrosine. No increased release of [¹⁴C]dopamine in response to depolarizing stimuli was found to occur when synaptosome beds were transferred from medium containing radioactive precursors to fresh medium for further incubation (20 min). In the presence of 1- and d-amphetamine, accumulation of ¹⁴C-labelled doparnine in the incubation media was increased 129% and 380% respectively, the latter was partially depressed by absence of calcium from the medium. Three radioactively labelled metabolites formed by synaptosomes during incubation in dl -[2-¹⁴C]DOPA were detected; the major ones were dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid and the third was unidentified. When the synaptosome beds were transferred to medium containing no radioactive precursors, it was found that labelled dihydroxyphenylacetic acid was 7 times more abundant than labelled dopamine in the incubation medium (20 min) and one-third as abundant in the synaptosomes. The dihydroxyphenylacetic acid n Ci/dopamine n Ci ratio was greatly affected by K⁺ stimulation, decreasing 52% and 34% in the incubation medium and synaptosomes respectively. A pathway of dihydroxyphenylacetic acid degradation was shown to occur through decarboxylation. These results are discussed in terms of the compartmentation of dopamine and its metabolism. It is proposed that one pool of dopamine is released by depolarizing agents and during the period of incubation it is replaced by synthesis from the endogenous tyrosine (19.5 nmol/100 mg protein) and not by the labelled dopamine in the synaptosome. The synaptosomal pool of dopamine which is radioactively labelled after pulse labelling with dl -[2-¹⁴C]DOPA appears to be prone to oxidation to DOPAC and homovanillic acid which are preferentially released from the synaptosomes.     

十种水蛭的氨基酸分析

应用８３５－５０型氨基酸分析仪,测定了十种与医药有关的水蛭的氨基酸含量,其中包括《药典》上收载的三种水蛭：宽体金线蛭、日本医蛭和尖细金线蛭。     

FORMATION OF γ-GLUTAMYLHISTAMINE FROM HISTAMINE IN RAT BRAIN

Abstract– γ-Glutamyl amides of histamine, serotonin and dopamine were formed from these amines by the transfer of the γ-glutamyl moiety from γ-glutamyl peptides in the presence of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase. [^I4C]Histamine was injected intraventricular into rats, and the formation of γ-glutamyl-[¹⁴C] histamine in the brain was confirmed by purification and identification with the authentic compound. The radioactivity was highest 30 min after the injection. The possible significance of γ-glutamyl amides in nerve transmission is discussed.     

THE RELEASE OF AMINO ACIDS FROM THE HEMISECTED SPINAL CORD DURING STIMULATION

Abstract— Isolated frog or toad hemicords were incubated for 40 min with either [¹⁴C]glycine, [³H]GABA, l -[¹⁴C]glutamate. l -[¹⁴C]aspartate, l -[¹⁴C]serine, l [¹⁴C]threonine or l -[³H]leucine, and the release of these compounds from the cord was measured under resting conditions and during electrical stimulation. Stimulation of spinal roots produced no significant change in the efflux of any of the compounds tested. Direct stimulation of the rostral cord however, produced a large increase in the efflux of [¹⁴C]glycine, [³H]GABA, l -[¹⁴C]glutamate and l -[¹⁴C]aspartate. These increased effluxes were calcium dependent, the effects of stimulation being reduced in a calcium-free, or magnesium-supplemented (10 mM) medium. Stimulation failed to produce an increase in the efflux of l -[¹⁴C]serine, l -[¹⁴C]threonine, l -[¹⁴H]leucine, [¹⁴C]mannitol or [¹⁴C]urea. These results are consistent with the suggestions that glycine, GABA, glutamate and aspartate may be synaptic transmitters in the spinal cord.     

功能性氨基酸在水产甲壳类动物中的研究进展和应用前景

传统氨基酸根据其在体内合成能力, 一般分为必需氨基酸和非必需氨基酸。目前最新研究认为, 部分氨基酸除了合成蛋白质以外, 也能够合成一系列功能性物质, 并对动物营养代谢和免疫功能具有十分重要的调节作用, 为此提出功能性氨基酸这一概念。功能性氨基酸在甲壳类促生长、提高免疫和存活率等方面效果显著。近些年来, 甲壳类动物养殖病害严重, 对高效抗病功能性饲料需求较高。功能性氨基酸将在未来甲壳类配合饲料升级中扮演着重要的角色。文章总结功能性氨基酸在甲壳类蜕壳、抗应激、增强饲料诱食性及提高繁殖和幼体培育等方面的具体作用, 为相关功能性饲料技术开发提供参考。     

NONRIBOSOMAL INCORPORATION OF AMINO ACIDS INTO THE TROPONIN-LIKE PROTEIN FROM SYNAPTOSOMES

A preparation of synaptosomal cytoplasm was isolated from forebrain of young rats and incubated with various amino acids in vitro. Incorporation of amino acids into protein was observed. This incorporation did not occur by ribosomal protein synthesis. The amino acid incorporating system was not stimulated by ATP and was inhibited by calcium. The system incorporated amino acids enzymatically. An electrophoretic analysis of the synaptosomal preparation, following incubation in the presence of radioactive amino acids, showed only three labelled protein species (molecular weights 37,000, 26,000 and 20,000). This incorporation of amino acids was found to have a high degree of specificity for three protein species. Migration of the three protein species was found to be nearly identical to that of rabbit muscle troponin. The proteins incorporating amino acids were also found to have other characteristics of the troponin subunits. A possible role of troponin modification is discussed.     

THE INFLUENCE OF HIGH PHENYLALANINE AND TYROSINE ON THE CONCENTRATIONS OF ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS IN BRAIN

—High circulating levels of phenylalanine caused depletions of threonine, valine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine, histidine, tryptophan, and tyrosine in immature and adult rat brains. The branched-chain amino acids were most affected. Their reductions ranged between 38–64 per cent of control values when phenylalanine was administered either parenterally or in the diet. The pattern of cerebral amino acid depletions found in phenylalanine-injected infant rats was similar to that of the adults. Phenylalanine loading caused depletions in serum amino acid levels in adult rats, but in infant rats the serum levels were either unchanged or somewhat elevated. Tyrosine, when administered to adult rats either parenterally or via the diet, caused cerebral depletions in essential amino acids, but the depletions were not as striking as with phenylalanine. In both the infant and adult rat, brain-blood ratios of most of the essential amino acids were significantly reduced by phenylalanine loading.     

Trilostane和地塞米松对内毒素血症大鼠血清氨基酸和肿瘤坏死因子的影响

用Trilostane将内毒素血症大鼠的血浆皮质酮维持在略高于对照大鼠的水平或给内毒素血症大鼠注射地塞米松,使血浆中糖皮质激素浓度进一步升高。结果发现,血清氨基酸总浓度和丙氨酸浓度与血浆皮质酮浓度正相关,而血清肿瘤坏死因子浓度则与血浆皮质酮浓度负相关。说明应激时糖皮质激素浓度的升高对于促进分解代谢,抑制细胞因子和炎症介质的释放是必需的。本文就应激时糖皮质激素分泌增多的生理意义以及激素治疗的作用机理作了讨论。