Dopamine D4-Like Receptor Elevation in Schizophrenia: Cloned D2 and D4 Receptors Cannot Be Discriminated by Raclopride Competition Against [3H]Nemonapride

Abstract: Three independent studies have found that the density of dopamine D4-like receptors is elevated in postmortem brain striata in schizophrenia. This elevation has been questioned by a fourth study that used a different method and failed to detect a biphasic component when raclopride was used to compete against the binding of 1 n M [³H]nemonapride to schizophrenia tissue. To test whether this competition method could distinguish between dopamine D2 and D4 receptors, the present study used mixtures of only these two cloned receptors, free of all other receptors. Using combinations of cloned dopamine D2 and D4 receptors, this competition method could not resolve these components up to a level of 48% D4 receptors. Thus, the objections raised by the findings of the fourth study, mentioned above, do not appear valid. Furthermore, the present results indicate that the data using such a competition method actually mask a manyfold marked elevation in the density of dopamine D4-like receptors in schizophrenia.     

Modulation of Intracellular Cyclic AMP Levels by Different Human Dopamine D4 Receptor Variants

Abstract: To investigate whether polymorphic forms of the human dopamine D4 receptor have different functional characteristics, we have stably expressed cDNAs of the D4.2, D4.4, and D4.7 isoforms in several cell lines. Chinese hamster ovary CHO-K1 cell lines expressing D4 receptor variants displayed pharmacological profiles that were in close agreement with previous data from transiently expressed D4 receptors in COS-7 cells. Dopamine stimulation of the D4 receptors resulted in a concentration-dependent inhibition of the forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels. The potency of dopamine to inhibit cAMP formation was about twofold reduced for D4.7 (EC₅₀ of ∼37 n M ) compared with the D4.2 and D4.4 variants (EC₅₀ of ∼16 n M ). Antagonists block the dopamine-mediated inhibition of cAMP formation with a rank order of potency of emonapride > haloperidol = clozapine ≫ raclopride. There was no obvious correlation between the efficacy of inhibition of forskolin-stimulated cAMP levels and the D4 subtypes. Dopamine could completely reverse prostaglandin E₂-stimulated cAMP levels for all three D4 receptor variants. Deletion of the repeat sequence does not affect functional activity of the receptor. The data presented indicate that the polymorphic repeat sequence causes only small changes in the ability of the D4 receptor to block cAMP production in CHO cells.     

Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide (PACAP) Stimulates Adenylyl Cyclase and Phospholipase C Activity in Rat Cerebellar Neuroblasts

Abstract: The presence of receptors for the novel neuropeptide pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) has been recently demonstrated in the external granule cell layer of the cerebellum, a germinative matrix that generates the majority of cerebellar interneurons. In the present study, we have taken advantage of the possibility of obtaining a culture preparation that is greatly enriched in immature cerebellar granule cells to investigate the effect of PACAP on the adenylyl cyclase and phospholipase C transduction pathways. The two molecular forms of PACAP, i.e., 27-(PACAP27) and 38-(PACAP38) amino-acid forms of PACAP, induced a dose-dependent stimulation of cyclic AMP production in granule cells. The potencies of PACAP27 and PACAP38 were similar (ED₅₀ = 0.12 ± 0.01 and 0.23 ± 0.07 n M , respectively), whereas vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) was ∼100 times less potent. PACAP27 and PACAP38 also induced a dose-dependent stimulation of polyphosphoinositide breakdown (ED₅₀ = 19.1 ± 6.3 and 13.4 ± 6.0 n M , respectively), whereas VIP had no effect on polyphosphoinositide metabolism. The effect of PACAP38 on inositol phosphate formation was significantly reduced by U-73122 and by pertussis toxin, indicating that activation of PACAP receptors causes stimulation of a phospholipase C through a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein. In contrast, forskolin and dibutyryl cyclic AMP did not affect PACAP-induced stimulation of inositol phosphates. Taken together, the present results demonstrate that PACAP stimulates independently the adenylyl cyclase and the phospholipase C transduction pathways in immature cerebellar granule cells. These data favor the concept that PACAP may play important roles in the control of proliferation and/or differentiation of cerebellar neuroblasts.     

Chemical characterization of two lipopolysaccharide species isolated from Rhizobium loti NZP2213

Phenol-water extraction of Rhizobium loti NZP2213 cells allowed a simultaneous isolation of two structurally different lipopolysaccharides, from the aqueous (LPS-W) and phenol (LPS-P) phase that differed in their sodium doexycholate-PAGE pattern and composition. LPS-W showed a profile indicating an R-type LPS; LPS-P had a cluster of poorly resolved bands in the high-molecular-weight region. LPS-P contained large amounts of 6-deoxy-l-talose (6dTal), and a small amount of 2-O-methyl-6-deoxy-talose (molar ratio 30:1), both of which were completely absent in LPS-W. Methylation analysis gave only one major product, 2,4-di-O-methyl-6dTal, indicating that the O-chain is composed of a homopolymer of 1,3-linked 6dTal, having the methylated 6dTal (2-O-me-6dTal) probably localized at the non-reducing end of the O-chain. This homopolymeric O-chain was additionally O-acetylated, as evidenced by GC-MS and by ¹³C NMR analysis. The lipid A moieties of both LPS-W and LPS-P showed almost identical composition, with six, different 3-OH fatty acids and with two, so far not described, long-chain 4-oxo-fatty acids, all being amide-linked, and with 27-OH-28:0 as the main ester-linked fatty acid. Lipid A was of the lipid A_DAG-type, i.e., having a (phosphorylated) 2,3-diamino-2,3-dideoxy-d-glucose-containing lipid A backbone. Lipid A_DAG is widespread among species of the -2 group of Proteobacteria, but has so far not been encountered in any other rhizobial or agrobacterial species.     

Nod signal-induced plasma membrane potential changes in alfalfa root hairs are differentially sensitive to structural modifications of the lipochitooligosaccharide

Lipochitooligosaccharide Nod signals are important determinants of host specificity in the Rhizobium -legume symbiosis. The most rapid response of plant cells to the R. meliloti Nod signal NodRm-IV(C16:2,S) reported so far is the depolarization of the plasma membrane potential in alfalfa root hairs. In order to investigate whether this response may be part of a specific signal transduction cascade involved in the nodulation process, its specificity was studied with respect to host-specific modifications of the lipochitooligosaccharide. Five different Nod factors displaying different degrees of activity in inducing root hair deformation or cortical cell divisions on alfalfa were tested. The ability of the Nod factors to elicit plasma membrane depolarization correlated well with their activity in the bioassays. Removal of the sulfate group (NodRm-IV(C16:2)) led to inactivation of the Nod factor. An increase in the length of the chitooligosaccharide backbone (NodRm-V(C16:2,S)) or saturation of the acyl chain (NodRm-IV(C16:0,S)) resulted in severely reduced activity. In contrast, the O -acetyl group at the non-reducing terminus in NodRm-IV(Ac,C16:2,S), which confers substantially higher activity in long-term bioassays, did not enhance plasma membrane depolarization significantly in comparison with the non- O -acetylated factor. Thus, the rapid plasma membrane response is differentially sensitive to various structural motifs of the lipochitooligosaccharide. These data suggest that the different substituents modifying the basic Nod factor structure may have distinct functions, not all of them contributing to the interaction with a putative receptor in root hair cells. However, the overall specificity of the membrane depolarization for the cognate Nod factors raises the possibility that it is involved in a Nod signal transduction pathway.     

Effects of metabolic inhibitors on the alcoholic fermentation by several yeasts in batch or in immobilized cell systems

Summary In previous papers it was shown that the bacterium Zymomonas mobilis might be an interesting alternative for industrial alcohol production from sugar, compared to Saccharomyces bayanus. Factors that might increase the glucose to ethanol conversion efficiency and which are in favour of the bacterium, are the production of less biomass and less by-products such as glycerol, succinic acid, butanediol, acetoin, and acetic acid. In order to reduce the synthesis of biomass three metabolic inhibitors were now studied: dinitrophenol, azide and arsenate. Their effects on the alcoholic fermentation in batch and in immobilized cell system were investigated, using three yeasts: Saccharomyces bayanus, Schizosacharomyces pombe, and Saccharomyces diastaticus. It was found that dinitrophenol in 0.1 mM concentration was effective in increasing the conversion of glucose to ethanol especially with Saccharomyces bayanus while azide in 0.1 mM concentration was better with Schizosaccharomyces pombe. In immobilized systems high steady state ethanol production from 15% glucose media was obtained by inclusion into the media of dinitrophenol or azide. Arsenate had less effect at the concentration used. Arsenate had less effect at the concentrations used. As a result ethanol productivity in g·l^-1·h^-1 was increased from around 70 in the absence of inhibitor to around 74 in the presence of dinitrophenol with Saccharomyces bayanus. With Schizosaccharomyces pombe the productivity was increased from around 65 in the absence of inhibitor to around 74 in the presence of azide. The specific ethanol productivity expressed as g ethanol formed per hour and per g viable cells was increased from 0.87 to 1.37 for Schizosaccharomyces pombe and from 1.02 to 1.66 for Saccharomyces bayanus.     

Spatial separation of fishes captured in passive gear in a turbid prairie lake

Synopsis Spatial separation of fishes in the littoral zone of a turbid prairie lake (Clear Lake, Iowa) was assessed with gill nets and fyke nets. Catch per unit of effort was used to determine differences among habitat types, sampling times within a 24 h period, and sampling months. Four of 10 species examined were significantly more numerous in one of the three habitats — nonvegetated, vegetated, or gravel-rock substrate. Black bullhead (Ictalurus melas) and bigmouth buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus) were most abundant in vegetated areas, yellow bass (Morone mississippiensis) in gravel-rock areas, and channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) in both non-vegetated and gravel-rock areas. Temporal patterns in habitat use were indicated for these four species, as well as yellow perch (Perca flavescens), white bass (Morone chrysops), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), walleye (Stizostedion vitreum vitreum), black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus), white sucker (Catostomus commersoni). Journal Paper No. J-11039 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa. Project No. 2345. Financed by the U.S. Department of the Interior Office of Water Research and Technology and Iowa State University.     

Kinetics and mechanism of action of muscle pyruvate kinase

1. The mechanism of rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase was investigated by measurements of fluxes, isotope trapping, steady-state velocity and binding of the substrates. All measurements were made at pH8.5 in Tris/HCl buffer and at 5mm-free Mg(2+). 2. Methods of preparing [(32)P]phosphoenolpyruvate from [(32)P]P(i) in high yield and determining [(32)P]-phosphoenolpyruvate and [8-(14)C]ADP are described. 3. The ratio Flux of ATP to ADP/Flux of ATP to phosphoenolpyruvate (measured at equilibrium) increased hyperbolically with ADP concentration from unity to about 2.1 at 2mm-ADP, but was unaffected by phosphoenolpyruvate concentration. Since the ratio is greater than unity, one pathway for the addition of substrates must involve phosphoenolpyruvate adding first to the enzyme in a rate-limiting step. However, the substrates must also add in the alternative order, because of the non-linear increase in the ratio with ADP concentration and because the rate of increase is very much less than that predicted from the steady-state velocity data for an ordered addition. The lack of influence of phosphoenolpyruvate on the ratio is consistent with the rapid addition of ADP in the alternative pathway. At low ADP concentrations the alternative pathway contributes less than 33% to the total reaction. 4. Isotope trapping was observed with [(32)P]phosphoenolpyruvate, confirming that when phosphoenolpyruvate adds first to the enzyme it is in a rate-limiting step. The release of phosphoenolpyruvate from the ternary complex must also be a slow step. Trapping was not observed with [8-(14)C]ADP, hence the addition of ADP to the free enzyme must be rapid unless its dissociation constant is very large (>20mm). 5. Binding studies showed that 4mol of [(32)P]phosphoenolpyruvate binds to 1mol of the enzyme, probably unligated to Mg(2+), with a dissociation constant appropriate to the mechanism indicated above. Binding of [8-(14)C]ADP could not be detected, and hence the binding of ADP occurs by a low-affinity step. The latter is also demanded by the steady-state velocity data. 6. The ratio Flux of phosphoenolpyruvate to ATP/Flux of phosphoenolpyruvate to pyruvate (determined from the incorporation of label into phosphoenolpyruvate from [3-(14)C]-pyruvate or [gamma-(32)P]ATP during the forward reaction) did not differ significantly from unity. Steady-state velocity data predicted grossly different flux ratios for ordered dissociations of the products, and the results indicate that the dissociation must be rapid and random. The data also exclude a Ping-Pong mechanism. 7. Permissible rate constants for the above mechanism are calculated. The results indicate a high degree of cooperativity in binding, whatever the order of addition of substrate.     

Hexose transport and membrane depolarization in Riccia fluitans

In the aquatic liverwort Riccia fluitans, the uptake of ¹⁴C-labeled 3-O-methyl glucose (3-OMG) and membrane depolarization ( _m ) caused by different hexoses has been studied as a function of time and concentration of hexose, K⁺ and H⁺, respectively. The rate of uptake of the non-metabolized 3-OMG shows two components: (A)A pH-dependent saturable uptake with a k_m value around 0.1 mM which saturates at 2.1 and 7.2 mol G _DW ^-1 h^-1 at pH 6.8 and 5.0, respectively; and (B) a pH-insensitive uptake component which increases linearly with the external 3-OMG concentration and does not saturate 4 mM. Hexoses rapidly depolarize the plasmalemma of the thallus cell and increase its electrical conductance. The maximal _m was 60±2 mV, the concentrations (mM) for half-maximal _m were 0.24 glucose, 0.32 galactose, 0.37 2-deoxy glucose, 0.38 3-OMG, 0.57 mannose, and 34 fructose. In terms of a hexose carrier model and an equivalent circuit for the hexose-induced depolarized state of the membrane, it is proposed that a hexose carrier operates either electrogenically in its protonated, pH-and voltage-sensitive state, or by transmembrane diffusion of its uncharged state.Symbols and Abbreviations _m membrane potential (mV) - g _m membrane (slope) conductance (Sm^-2) - 3-OMG 3-O-methyl glucose