Calcium-dependent activation and deactivation of rod outer segment phosphodiesterase is calmodulin-independent

ATP-dependent activation and deactivation of retinal rod outer segment phosphodiesterase is affected by calcium [Kawamura, S. and Bownds, M. D., J. Gen. Physiol. 77:571-591(1981)]. Our data demonstrate that although calmodulin has been found in rod outer segments [Liu, Y. P. and Schwartz, H., Biochim. Biophys. Acta 526:186-193(1978); Kohnken, R. E. et al, J. Biol. Chem. 256:12517-12522(1981)], this protein is not involved in calcium-dependent phosphodiesterase activation at light levels at which calcium clearly affects this enzyme's activity. Furthermore, calmodulin does not mediate the calcium-dependent deactivation of phosphodiesterase.     

Inhibition of epidermal metabolism and DNA-binding of benzo[a]pyrene by ellagic acid

Ellagic acid, a common plant phenol, was shown to be a potent inhibitor of epidermal microsomal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity in vitro, and of benzo[a]pyrene (BP)-binding to both calf thymus DNA in vitro and to epidermal DNA in vivo. The in vitro addition of ellagic acid (0.25-2.0 microM) resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of AHH activity in epidermal microsomes prepared from control or carcinogen-treated animals. The I50 of ellagic acid for epidermal AHH was 1.0 microM making it the most potent inhibitor of epidermal AHH yet identified. In vitro addition of ellagic acid to microsomal suspensions prepared from control or coal tar-treated animals resulted in 90% inhibition of BP-binding to calf thymus DNA. Application of ellagic acid to the skin (0.5-10.0 mumol/10 gm body wt) caused a dose-dependent inhibition of BP-binding to epidermal DNA. Our results suggest that phenolic compounds such as ellagic acid may prove useful in modulating the risk of cutaneous cancer from environmental chemicals.     

The met-enkephalin analog FK 33-824 and naloxone do not directly influence cortisol secretion by cultured human adrenocortical cells

Systemic administration of the enkephalin analog FK 33.824 was previously shown to inhibit ACTH secretion in man. In this study, the direct action of this analog on cortisol release was studied. The enkephalin analog (1 uM and 10 uM) did not influence basal or ACTH-stimulated cortisol production by cultured isolated adrenocortical cells prepared from the hyperplastic adrenal glands from three patients with Cushing's disease. Naloxone (10 uM) had also no direct effect on cortisol release. It is concluded that the met-enkephalin analog used in this study and naloxone do affect the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis via a central effect.     

Role of progesterone on oocyte maturation in the egg-brooding hylid frog Gastrotheca riobambae (Fowler)

In the egg-brooding frog Gastrotheca riobambae (Fowler), oocyte maturation is comparable to the situation of other frog species. In isolated follicles, progesterone induces only germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD), while human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) induces GVBD and ovulation. In addition, defolliculated oocytes respond with GVBD to the treatment with progesterone, while hCG has no effect. As in other frogs, oocyte maturation in vitro depends on hormonal action and on the presence of divalent cations. In this frog, progesterone or a similar hormone conditions the brooding pouch for reproduction and induces pouch closure. Follicles from frogs with closed pouches showed GVBD after 15-17 hours of incubation with progesterone, while those from frogs with open pouches took 19-24 hours for GVBD. These findings suggest that follicles become stimulated for maturation when the pouch is closed and that this stimulated condition is maintained for several weeks in advance of the process of oocyte maturation. In G. riobambae, the external appearance of the pouch aperture indicates the reproductive condition of the ovary.     

Modulation of endogenous prostaglandins by thymosin-α1 in lymphocytes

The effects of thymosin-α₁ on the stimulation of specific release of prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) from splenic lymphocytes and thymocytes were studied. Experiments were also performed to study in parallel the absolute levels of thymosin-α₁ in the blood and the induction of serum FTS activity and of azathioprine sensitivity of spleen cells from adult thymectomized (ATx) mice. A significant difference in the release of PGE₂ between normal splenocytes and splenocytes from ATx mice was observed. Thymosin-α₁ at certain concentrations was able to stimulate PGE₂ release from lymphocytes of ATx mice while inhibiting release in lymphocytes of normal mice. Also, thymocytes were stimulated to release PGE₂ after incubation with α₁ in a manner similar to that seen in spleen cells of ATx mice. Approximately the same concentration of α₁ was found to also correct the low azathioprine sensitivity of splenocytes from ATx mice. Determinations of FTS-like activity in the blood and the pharmacokinetics of α₁ after administration of this synthetic molecule show a clear dissociation. A maximum peak of α₁ activity was obtained after 1 hr, while maximal FTS-like activity was observed after 24 hr. The inhibition of the induction by α₁ of FTS-like activity and of Thy 1.2 antigen by indomethacin suggests that the action of α₁ requires prostaglandin biosynthesis.     

Unequal synthesis of globin chains after extended incubation of rabbit reticulocytes with L-O-methylthreonine

Rabbit reticulocytes were incubated in vitro as long as 20 hr with l-O-methyl threonine, the OMT was removed, and the capacity of the cells to synthesize α- and β-globin chains was determined. After 20 hr incubation in vitro, OMT-treated cells can make β chains about twice as well as cells incubated for 20 hr without OMT. However, the capacity of OMT-treated cells to synthesize α chains was only about 60% that of cells incubated without OMT for 20 hr. These results suggest that the capacity of reticulocytes to produce a specific globin chain after an in vitro incubation correlates positively with the number of ribosomes associated with the specific messenger RNA for that chain during the incubation.