Calcium and cyclic AMP as possible mediators of neurohormone action in the hindgut of the cockroach, Leucophaea maderae

Adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) (10⁻⁵ g/ml) often caused a gradual increase in spotaneous contractile activity of the hindgut of the cockroach, Leucophaea maderae, and on rare occasions it would evoke a hormone-like response. However, aminophylline (2·5 × 10⁻⁴ g/ml) was capable of mimicking the neurohormone, and a concentration of 2·5 × 10⁻⁵ g/ml potentiated the contractile response evoked by the neurohormone: these responses were blocked by either the presence of 1 mM manganous ion or in a high potassium solution (162 mM). Propranolol (10⁻⁶ g/ml) and dopamine (10⁻⁴ g/ml) suppressed both spontaneous contractile events and neurohormone action. Dopamine (5 × 10⁻⁶ g/ml) also blocked action potential generation as did propranolol at 10⁻⁴ g/ml.These results lead us to suppose that cyclic AMP might serve as a mediator of neurohormone action by increasing calcium transport across the surface membrane of muscle fibres. Caffeine (2·5 × 10⁻⁴ g/ml), like aminophylline, caused a hormone-like response in normal hindguts. Even when the visceral muscles of the hindgut were depolarized in 162 mM potassium solution (without calcium), caffeine was still capable of inducing a phasic response. However, the addition of 2 mM calcium to such potassium-depolarized preparations caused a gradual increase in muscle tonus and substantially potentiated the response to caffeine.Such findings clearly implicate calcium as the mediator of excitation-contraction coupling in visceral muscle. While the interactions between the neurohormone, cyclic AMP, and calcium seem to be largely associated with the surface membrane and action potential generation.     

Sites of action of a peptide neurohormone that controls hindgut muscle activity in the cockroach Leucophaea maderae

A peptide neurohormone from the brain and nervous system of the Madeira cockroach Leucophaea maderae has stimulating effects on both the mechanical and electrical events of hindgut visceral muscle. The peptide initiated action potentials at silent recording sites in the circular muscles of the rectum after prior treatment with tetrodotoxin (10⁻⁶ g/ml). The neurohormone also caused an increase in the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous postsynaptic potentials. However, the isolated hindgut failed to respond to the neurohormone after depolarization in high potassium saline solutions. Both the potassium contracture and the action of the neurohormone were calcium dependent.Although some hindguts were responsive to the neurohormone in a Ca free medium, such preparations failed to respond in 0·5 mM EGTA. Moreover, 1 mM Mn blocked the action of the peptide. The sodium ion was also essential for effective hormone action. These results suggest the presence of a loosely bound source of Ca at the surface of muscle membranes that in some way interacts with the neurohormone to change muscle excitability.     

Changes in fatty acid composition of peripheral nerve myelin in essential fatty acid deficiency

Severe essential fatty acid deficiency (EFAD) was induced by feeding weanling rats a diet free of essential fatty acids 8 months after weaning. The fatty acid compositions of phospholipids and glycosphingolipids in peripheral nerve myelin were compared in rats with and without EFAD. With the deficient diet, 20:3ω9 was found in the major myelin phospholipids. The level of 18:1 was increased and the levels of 18:2ω6, 20:4ω6, and 22:4ω6 were decreased. Both sphingomyelin and cerebroside showed higher proportion of 24:1 and lower proportions of 24:0 in EFA-deficient rats than in control rats. The fatty acid chain elongating system in myelin cerebroside was also depressed by EFAD. A two- to sevenfold increase of the ratio 20:4ω6 to 20:3ω6 was found in myelin phospholipids of regenerated nerve from rats fed control diet. However, this ratio was suppressed by EFAD diet. The biochemical index (20:3ω9/20:4ω6) for EFAD was not affected by crush injury. These results suggest that dietary EFAD in postweaning rats can induce fatty acid alterations in peripheral nerve myelin without resulting in detectable changes in function or structure and that myelin lipids may be sequestered and reused during nerve degeneration and regeneration.     

EFFECTS OF 5,6-DIHYDROXYTRYPTAMINE ON MONOAMINERGIC NEURONES IN THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM OF THE RAT

—The injection of 50 μg of 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine (5,6-HT) into a lateral ventricle of the rat depleted the spinal cord and various regions of the brain of indoleamines (presumably 5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid. The concentrations of 5-HT were measured by two different methods: the formation of a fluorescent derivative with o-phthalaldehyde, and the native fluorescence in hydrochloric acid. When the results of both methods were compared on the pons and medulla 4 days after injecting 5,6-HT, the loss in indoleamine appeared to be greater when o-phthalaldehyde was used. This suggests that the two methods may be measuring different compounds. According to both methods, the loss of 5-HT persisted for several days after the injection of 5,6-HT, but by 2 months 5-HT concentrations (measured only by the native fluorescence procedure), had recovered to near-normal values. The depletion of 5-HT was most pronounced in regions adjacent to the ventricular system and in the spinal cord. Initially, caudate and septum were more affected on the side of the injection, and later showed some permanent atrophy. The injection of up to 50 μg of 5,6-HT did not lead to any significant loss of noradrenaline or dopamine from the brain, or to any reduction in the activity of the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase. The drug was a potent inhibitor of the uptake of [³H]5-HT by brain slices, but was less effective in inhibiting catecholamine uptake systems. These observations suggest a preferential action on tryptaminergic neurones. Larger doses of 5,6-HT caused a loss of catecholamines and tyrosine hydroxylase from the brain, and were severely toxic.     

Human glandular Kallikrein genes: genetic and physical mapping of the KLK1 locus using a highly polymorphic microsatellite PCR marker.

We describe a highly polymorphic microsatellite repeat sequence, KLK1 AC, which is located 3' to the human glandular kallikrein gene (KLK1) at 19q13.3-13.4. A multiplex PCR was developed to simultaneously genotype the KLK1 AC repeat length polymorphism and a similar repeat at the adjacent APOC2 locus at 19q13.2. Genotypes from these two loci in the 40 large kindred pedigrees from the Centre d'Etude du Polymorphisme Humain were used in conjunction with the background genetic map to establish a multipoint linkage map. The KLK1 locus was also localized physically using somatic cell hybrid DNA templates for polymerase chain reaction analysis. Both genetic and physical mapping studies are consistent with the assignment cen-APOC2-KLK1-D19522-qter. The linkage map places KLK1 approximately 10 cM distal to APOC2. These markers therefore flank the myotonic dystrophy gene and may be useful for diagnosis.     

Fragile X syndrome: diagnosis using highly polymorphic microsatellite markers.

We describe two highly polymorphic microsatellite AC repeat sequences, VK23AC and VK14AC, which are closely linked to the fragile X at Xq27.3. Both VK23AC (DXS297) and VK14AC (DXS292) are proximal to the fragile site. Two-point linkage analysis in 31 fragile X families gave (a) a recombination frequency of 1% (range 0.00%-4%) with a maximum lod score of 32.04 for DXS297 and (b) a recombination frequency of 7% (range of 3%-15%) with a maximum lod score of 12.87 for DXS292. Both of these polymorphisms are applicable to diagnosis by linkage in families with fragile X syndrome. A multipoint linkage map of genetic markers at Xq27.3 was constructed from genotyping these polymorphisms in the CEPH pedigrees. The DXS292 marker is in the DXS98-DXS297 interval and in 3 cM proximal to DXS297.     

Type II diabetes of early onset: a distinct clinical and genetic syndrome?

The inheritance of non-insulin-dependent (type II) diabetes was studied by a continuous infusion of glucose test in all available first degree relatives of 48 diabetic probands of various ages and with differing severity of disease. In an initial study of 38 type II diabetic subjects and their first degree relatives six islet cell antibody negative patients with early onset disease (aged 25-40 at diagnosis) were found to have a particularly high familial prevalence of diabetes or glucose intolerance. Nine of 10 parents available for study either had type II diabetes or were glucose intolerant. A high prevalence of diabetes or glucose intolerance was also found in their siblings (11/16;69%). In a second study of the families of a further 10 young diabetic probands (presenting age 25-40) whose islet cell antibody state was unknown a similar high prevalence of diabetes or glucose intolerance was found among parents of the five islet cell antibody negative probands (8/9; 89%) but not among parents of the five islet cell antibody positive probands (3/8;38%). Islet cell antibody negative diabetics with early onset type II disease may have inherited a diabetogenic gene or genes from both parents. They commonly need insulin to maintain adequate glycaemic control and may develop severe diabetic complications. Early onset type II diabetes may represent a syndrome in which characteristic pedigrees, clinical severity, and absence of islet autoimmunity make it distinct from either type I diabetes, maturity onset diabetes of the young, or late onset type II diabetes.