Character of Viscero- and Somatomotor Interactions in Rat Pups at Changes of the Level of Activity of Adrenergic Structures

In the 5–10-day old rat pups, in the course of simultaneous recording of ECG, respiration rate (RR), and spontaneous periodic motor activity (SPMA) there were determined parameters of the studied processes and their correlations at changes of levels of activity of adrenergic structures. As adrenoactive agents, the sympathomimetic amphetamine, - and -adrenolytics phentolamine and propranolol, as well as the dopamine receptor blocker haloperidol were used. It has been established that injection of amphetamine significantly increases intensity of the decasecond rhythm in the activity pattern of excitable structures. However, the action both on the - and -adrenoreceptors and on dopamine receptors produces no significant changes of this rhythm parameters. Based on this, it can be suggested that an increase of the decasecond rhythm is due to the ability of amphetamine to inhibit the pentose phosphate cycle activity. Administration of adrenolytics decreases RR and heart rate (HR). Amphetamine restores them by a simultaneous increase of pathological disturbances of the respiration rhythm, which appear at injections of sympatholytics. Blockade of dopamine receptors leads to replacement of motor activity fires by jerks following in the rhythm close to the previous one. As a rule, at the blockade of -adrenoreceptors the SPMA pattern is deprived of obvious rhythmic components, whereas at the blockade of -adrenoreceptors, they are preserved. Analysis of the obtained data indicates that the respiration frequency modulation that increases at action on adrenoreactive structures correlates with the motor activity changes. However, there are several peculiarities due to action on various types of adrenoreceptors. Of the leading significance in the normal intersystem interaction is preservation of balance between individual adrenergic structures.     

高血压糖尿病大鼠心脏肾上腺素受体的改变与心功能变化之间的关系

目的:研究高血压糖尿病大鼠心脏肾上腺素受体(AR)的改变与心功能变化之间的关系.方法:采用左肾动脉缩窄和注射链脲佐菌素制高血压糖尿病大鼠模型,放射配体结合实验和离体左心房收缩功能实验等方法观察心脏AR(β-AR和/或α1-AR)及功能的改变.结果:与正常对照相比,高血压糖尿病大鼠心脏β-AR的最大结合容量(Bmax)增加35%(P＜0.01),KD值不变;且心脏α1-AR的Bmax也显著增加(P＜0.05).高血压糖尿病大鼠左心房与对照相比,β-AR介导的最大收缩反应(Rmax)下降48%(P＜0.01),pD2值不变;α1-AR介导的最大收缩反应也降低41%(P＜0.05),pD2值不变.结论:高血压糖尿病大鼠心脏β-AR和/或α1-AR数量代偿性增加,但其介导的最大收缩反应降低,可能与受体后信号转导效应减弱有关.     

Interrelations between the Constitution Type and Features of Muscular Activity Energetics in Sprinters and Stayers

Bicycle ergometric tests showed that the dominant type of muscular energy metabolism in sprinters was the anaerobic type, which ensured the highest exercise performance in the maximum intensity zone. Stayers had the aerobic type of energy metabolism, which was optimal in the moderate and high intensity zones. There was a difference in the distribution of constitution types between the sprinters and the stayers. Whereas 62% of the former, with their anaerobic energy metabolism, had muscular and 38% had asthenothoracal constitution, all stayers (aerobic energy metabolism) belonged to the asthenothoracal type. Comparison of the types of constitution and energy metabolism demonstrated a close interrelation between the features of the energy system and constitution type in both groups of athletes. Therefore, the constitution type may be used as a marker of the type of energy metabolism and athletes may be selected for either type of running on the basis of these outward signs.     

Secondary Rhythms of Cardiac Activity within Early Ontogenesis: Effects of Blocking of Adreno- and Cholinoreceptors in Rats

The genesis of secondary rhythms in autorhythmic functional systems is analyzed on the example of the spectra of fluctuations of the heart rate observed within early postnatal ontogenesis of rats (from the moment of birth until three weeks old). We studied the effects of blocking of -adrenoreceptors with phentolamine (5 mg/kg, i.p.), of -adrenoreceptors with propranolol (1 mg/kg), and of M cholinoreceptors with atropine (1 mg/kg). We concluded that sympathetic influences stabilize the cardiac rhythm in newborn animals, but from the second postnatal week the effects determining generation of secondary rhythms of cardiac activity begin to be mediated by these receptors. Parasympathetic effects on secondary cardiorhythms mediated by M cholinoreceptors are effective even in newborn rats. In rats older than 7 to 8 days, blocking of -adrenoreceptors and M cholinoreceptors led to the same result, synchronization of the secondary cardiac rhythms. Disorders in the afferent link of the baroreflex arcs after the blockade of -adrenoreceptors and cessation of transmission in the efferent link of these arcs after blockade of M cholinoreceptors are considered a probable reason for this phenomenon.     

Respiratory Cardiac Arrhythmia in Postnatal Ontogenesis of Rats

Development of the respiratory cardiac arrhythmia and the role of parasympathetic nervous system in its origin have been studied in rats aged from 4–6 days to 6 months of life. In rat pups of the first week of life, small fluctuations of cardiac rhythm were observed with the frequency close to fluctuations of respiratory rhythm. However, at this age they had neither regular character nor clear connection with phases of the respiratory cycle. On the 2–3rd week the amplitude of fluctuations rose and their association with respiration was established; however, unlike the respiratory arrhythmia observed in other animals and human, in rat pups there was deceleration but not acceleration of heart beating. By to the 6-week age the respiratory arrhythmia reached the maximal values, then its amplitude began to decrease. Bilateral transection of the vagus nerves in rat pups did not cause reduction of the respiratory arrhythmia. Thus, in rats the central influences on the heart can be transduced by bypassing the system of vagus nerves.     

BMPER Promotes Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in the Developing Cardiac Cushions

Formation of the cardiac valves is an essential component of cardiovascular development. Consistent with the role of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathway in cardiac valve formation, embryos that are deficient for the BMP regulator BMPER (BMP-binding endothelial regulator) display the cardiac valve anomaly mitral valve prolapse. However, how BMPER deficiency leads to this defect is unknown. Based on its expression pattern in the developing cardiac cushions, we hypothesized that BMPER regulates BMP2-mediated signaling, leading to fine-tuned epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and extracellular matrix deposition. In the BMPER^-/- embryo, EMT is dysregulated in the atrioventricular and outflow tract cushions compared with their wild-type counterparts, as indicated by a significant increase of Sox9-positive cells during cushion formation. However, proliferation is not impaired in the developing BMPER^-/- valves. In vitro data show that BMPER directly binds BMP2. In cultured endothelial cells, BMPER blocks BMP2-induced Smad activation in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, BMP2 increases the Sox9 protein level, and this increase is inhibited by co-treatment with BMPER. Consistently, in the BMPER^-/- embryos, semi-quantitative analysis of Smad activation shows that the canonical BMP pathway is significantly more active in the atrioventricular cushions during EMT. These results indicate that BMPER negatively regulates BMP-induced Smad and Sox9 activity during valve development. Together, these results identify BMPER as a regulator of BMP2-induced cardiac valve development and will contribute to our understanding of valvular defects.     

How to Connect Cardiac Excitation to the Atomic Interactions of Ion Channels

Many have worked to create cardiac action potential models that explicitly represent atomic-level details of ion channel structure. Such models have the potential to define new therapeutic directions and to show how nanoscale perturbations to channel function predispose patients to deadly cardiac arrhythmia. However, there have been significant experimental and theoretical barriers that have limited model usefulness. Recently, many of these barriers have come down, suggesting that considerable progress toward creating these long-sought models may be possible in the near term.     

Autophagic Signaling and Proteolytic Enzyme Activity in Cardiac and Skeletal Muscle of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats following Chronic Aerobic Exercise

Hypertension is a cardiovascular disease associated with deleterious effects in skeletal and cardiac muscle. Autophagy is a degradative process essential to muscle health. Acute exercise can alter autophagic signaling. Therefore, we aimed to characterize the effects of chronic endurance exercise on autophagy in skeletal and cardiac muscle of normotensive and hypertensive rats. Male Wistar Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were assigned to a sedentary condition or 6 weeks of treadmill running. White gastrocnemius (WG) of hypertensive rats had higher (p<0.05) caspase-3 and proteasome activity, as well as elevated calpain activity. In addition, skeletal muscle of hypertensive animals had elevated (p<0.05) ATG7 and LC3I protein, LAMP2 mRNA, and cathepsin activity, indicative of enhanced autophagic signaling. Interestingly, chronic exercise training increased (p<0.05) Beclin-1, LC3, and p62 mRNA as well as proteasome activity, but reduced (p<0.05) Beclin-1 and ATG7 protein, as well as decreased (p<0.05) caspase-3, calpain, and cathepsin activity. Left ventricle (LV) of hypertensive rats had reduced (p<0.05) AMPKα and LC3II protein, as well as elevated (p<0.05) p-AKT, p-p70S6K, LC3I and p62 protein, which collectively suggest reduced autophagic signaling. Exercise training had little effect on autophagy-related signaling factors in LV; however, exercise training increased (p<0.05) proteasome activity but reduced (p<0.05) caspase-3 and calpain activity. Our results suggest that autophagic signaling is altered in skeletal and cardiac muscle of hypertensive animals. Regular aerobic exercise can effectively alter the proteolytic environment in both cardiac and skeletal muscle, as well as influence several autophagy-related factors in skeletal muscle of normotensive and hypertensive rats.     

Secondary Rhythms of Cardiac Activity in Rat Ontogeny

Endogenous periodic oscillations of the heart beat rate are described in rat pups aged 3–4, 7–8, 10–11, 13–14, 21–22 days and 1.5 month after birth. These oscillations have all characteristic features established earlier for the secondary rhythms of endogenous contractile activity in the wall of various regions of the gastrointestinal tract and for bursts of spontaneous somatomotor excitation in the early postnatal ontogeny of rats: a multi-stage organization, inconstancy, irregularity of components. In frequency spectra of secondary oscillations of the heart rate obtained by means of fast Fourier transform of R–R intervals of the periodogram, age-related changes of the spectral frequency power are demonstrated in 4 ranges, 0.01–0.03, 0.03–0.1, 0.1–1.0, and 1.0–2.5 Hz, which correspond to the about-one-minute, decasecond, and about-one-second waves of the heart rhythm oscillations and to sinus arrhythmia. It is shown that the dominating frequencies of the secondary rhythms in each range do not have regular age-related changes, which is characteristic of all endogenous secondary rhythms.     

长期糖尿病大鼠心脏肾上腺素受体及其介导的功能的变化

目的:探讨长期糖尿病大鼠心脏肾上腺素受体(AR)的改变及其与心功能变化之间的关系.方法:采用链脲佐菌素(STZ)注射造成胰岛素依赖性糖尿病大鼠模型,放射配体结合实验和离体左心房收缩功能实验等方法观察心脏AR及功能的改变.结果:与同龄对照大鼠相比,糖尿病大鼠心脏β-AR的最大结合容量(Bmax)下降34%(P<0.05),KD值不变;心脏α1-AR Bmax无显著改变.糖尿病大鼠左心房β-AR介导的最大收缩反应(Rmax)较对照组下降64%(P<0.05);α1-AR介导的最大收缩反应增加36%(P<0.05),pD2值不变.结论:长期糖尿病大鼠心脏β-AR介导的最大收缩反应降低,其可能与β-AR数量减少有关.α1-AR介导的最大收缩反应代偿性增强,其可能与受体后信号转导效应增强有关.     

Effect of Endotoxin on the Serum Ribonuclease Activity in Rats

The effects of endotoxin shock, endotoxin tolerance, and lead acetate plus a minute amount of endotoxin on the serum ribonuclease activity of rats was measured. Changes in serum ribonuclease activity after various entoxin treatments could be a primary effect or a secondary effect of the damaging effect of endotoxin.     

Liver-Associated Natural Killer Activity in Cirrhotic Rats

An impaired host defense mechanism is well known in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC). Using a sinusoidal lavage method, lymphocytes were obtained from LC rats that were administered thioacetamide, and natural killer (NK) activity was measured by ^5lCr-release assay. The NK cell count was measured by flow cytometric analysis using monoclonal antibody (Mab) 3.2.3 and/or CD 3-8+ as markers for NK cells, and by immunohistochemical staining using Mab 3.2.3. Furthermore, interferon (IFN) α was administered to LC rats and the subsequent changes in hepatic NK activity and NK cell count were observed. In the large granular lymphocyte (LGL)-rich fraction (Fr.1, LGLs: 60-90%), the NK activity was significantly lower in the LC rats (40.0±3.8%) compared to that in the control rats (48.4±4.3%) (P<0.005). In addition, the number of NK cells in the liver tissues of the LC rats was significantly lower compared to that in the liver tissues of the control rats by morphometric analysis (P<0.05). For LC rats, NK activity of the Fr.1 24 hr after IFNα administration (5×10⁴ IU / 100 g body weight) increased significantly (P<0.005). Hepatic NK activity and NK cell count were reduced in the LC rats, and recovered following IFNα administration. The results obtained in this study may give clues to better understanding the impaired host defense mechanism in LC patients.     

Aging-Related Changes in Proteasomal Activity and Activity of Neutral Proteinases in Brain Tissues of the Rats

We compared the proteasomal activity and activity of neutral proteinases in tissues of the neocortex and cerebellum in old (18 months) and young mature (5 months) rats. We found that, in homogenates of the tissues obtained from brains of old animals, the chymotrypsin-like activity of the proteasome complex in the cortex increased by 50% as compared with the control, while in the cerebellum such an activity remained practically unchanged. Peptidylglutamyl peptide hydrolase proteasomal activity increased on average by 72% in the cortex and by 14% in the cerebellum. Protamine-splitting activity, which is indicative of the activity of neutral proteinases, dropped insignificantly in the cortex and cerebellum (by 16.4 and 15.3%, respectively). The data obtained allow us to suppose that aging-related changes in brain cells result from disturbances of the functional connections between lysosomal and proteasomal proteolysis.Neirofiziologiya/Neurophysiology, Vol. 37, No. 1, pp. 11–14, January–February, 2005.     

Effect of Lithium on Rearing Activity in Rats

EVEN though the use of lithium salts is well established in the clinical treatment of manic states¹ and to a lesser extent in the prophylactic treatment of recurrent depression², there have been few reports of their effects on animal behaviour in laboratory conditions. One reason may lie in Schou's doubts³ as to whether lithium salts have any effects on behaviour outside the clinical context. This view was based on unpublished findings of I. M. Nielson, A. Amdisen, D. R. Maxwell and Schou himself and on the hypothesis that lithium serves to correct a specific biochemical or physiological imbalance characteristic of recurrent affective disorders⁴.