Long-term treatment with glibenclamide increases susceptibility of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat heart to reperfusion-induced ventricular tachycardia

This study investigated the effects of long-term treatment with glibenclamide (GLIB) on the susceptibility of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic heart to ischemia/reperfusion insults. Starting 4 weeks after the injection of STZ, rats were treated with GLIB (0.1 mg/kg, ip, three times a week, STZ-GLIB group) or vehicle (STZ-VEH group) for 8 weeks. The recovery of cardiac performance, released creatine kinase (CK), and incidence of ventricular arrhythmias were studied during the reperfusion period in isolated hearts from rats in STZ-GLIB (n = 14) and in STZ-VEH groups (n = 13) and from age-matched control rats (CNT group, n = 14). Each heart was subjected to 5 min of global low-flow ischemia followed by 25 min of no-flow ischemia, with a subsequent 30 min of reperfusion. Plasma glucose level was not significantly different between the STZ-GLIB and STZ-VEH groups. The recovery of cardiac performance and the released CK during reperfusion period were significantly lower in both STZ-VEH and STZ-GLIB groups than in the CNT group (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). Reperfusion resulted in an incidence of ventricular fibrillation in 23% and 21% in STZ-VEH and STZ-GLIB groups, respectively (P = ns). These values were significantly lower than that of the CNT group (100%, P < 0.001 for both). More importantly, the incidence of ventricular tachycardia in the STZ-GLIB group was significantly higher than that in the STZ-VEH group (93% vs 54%, P < 0.05) and was not significantly different from that in the CNT group (93% vs 100%, P = ns). The results suggest that STZ-induced protection against reperfusion-induced ventricular arrhythmias in diabetic heart may be partially abrogated by long-term treatment with GLIB.     

Alterations of gene expressions of preproET-1 and ET receptors in brains of endotoxemic Sprague-Dawley rats

During severe sepsis, several immunological defense mechanisms initiate a cascade of inflammatory events leading to multiorgan failure, including septic encephalopathy and ultimately death. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) has recently been investigated in different cerebral pathologies. Some reports suggest the involvement of ET-1 in sepsis. However, no study to date has reported the alterations in expression of the genes encoding preproET-1 and ET receptors in the frontal cortex of the septic brain. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats 8 weeks of age were administered either saline or 15 mg/kg lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at different time points (1, 3, 6, and 10 hrs). Rats that did not receive LPS were considered to be controls. The rats were sacrificed with ether, and the brain tissues were harvested. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased 1 hr after LPS administration and then gradually returned to normal, without any change in the heart rate. We confirmed the induction of endotoxemia in the brains of SD rats by measuring the expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) mRNA induced in the cerebrum. The expression of inducible NOS (iNOS) mRNA in the brains of SD rat after LPS administration was 30-fold higher than that in the brains of control rats. mRNA expression of preproET-1 in the frontal cortex of SD rats after LPS administration was 2-fold higher than that in control rats. A time-dependent increase in the expression of the gene encoding the ET(A) receptor (vasoconstrictive property) after LPS administration was observed in SD rat brain, whereas expression of the gene encoding the ET(B) receptor (vasodilatatory property) showed an initial upregulation and then gradually decreased as sepsis progressed. In conclusion, we report for the first time that expressions of the genes encoding ET-1 and ET receptors are altered in the endotoxemic brain and that these alterations are time-dependent in SD rats. The alterations in the ET system in brain tissue observed in the present study may contribute to the understanding of the pathophysiological changes in the endotoxemic brain.     

Na+-driven Ca2+ transport in alkalophilic Bacillus

Ca²⁺ transport was studied in membrane vesicles of alkalophilic Bacillus. When Na⁺-loaded membrane vesicles were suspended in KHCO₃/KOH buffer (pH 10) containing Ca²⁺, rapid uptake of Ca²⁺ was observed. The apparent $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$ value for Ca²⁺ measured at pH 10 was about 7 μM, and the $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$ value shifted to 24 μM when measured at pH 7.4. The efflux of Ca²⁺ was studied with Ca²⁺-loaded vesicles. Ca²⁺ was released when Ca²⁺-loaded vesicles were suspended in medium containing 0.4 M Na⁺.Ca²⁺ was also transported in membrane vesicles driven by an artificial pH gradient and by a membrane potential generated by K⁺-valinomycin in the presence of Na⁺.These results indicate the presence of Ca²⁺/Na⁺ and H⁺/Na⁺ antiporters in the alkalophilic Bacillus A-007.     

Effects of antisense oligodeoxynucleotides against opioid receptors on the receptor mRNA contents

It was demonstrated in the previous study that the microinjection of antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (AS ODN) against mu-opioid receptor (MOR) into periaqueductal gray (PAG) of rat brain selectively decreased the MOR mRNA content in PAG, and the decrease in MOR mRNA content was enhanced by pretreatment of the PAG with MOR AS ODN. In the present investigation, effects of the pretreatment of PAG with AS ODN against kappa- or delta-opioid receptor (KOR or DOR) on the decrease in the MOR mRNA content induced by MOR AS ODN were examined. Both KOR and DOR AS ODNs significantly decreased the target mRNA contents, while they did not significantly change MOR mRNA content. The decrease in MOR mRNA content induced by MOR AS ODN, however, was significantly enhanced by the pretreatment of PAG with either KOR or DOR AS ODNs. Results show that the AS ODN has both the specific target mRNA decreasing action and the nonspecific enhancing action on the AS-induced decrease in the mRNA content.     

Role of Curdlan Sulfate in the Binding of HIV-1 gp120 to CD4 Molecules and the Production of gp120-Mediated TNF-α

To clarify the mechanism by which curdlan sulfate (CRDS) inhibits human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 infection, we examined its influence on the binding of gp120 to CD4 molecules on T cells and macrophages, as well as on the production of TNF-α by gp120-stimulated macrophages (which promotes HIV-1 replication). CRDS treatment of cells not only inhibited the binding of HIV-1 gp120 to CD4⁺ cells, but also inhibited TNF-α production induced by gp120. Inhibition of HIV-1 infection by CRDS may be related to these two actions.     

Hydropiperoside,a novel coumaryl glycoside from the root of Polygonum hydropiper

From the methanol extract of the root of Polygonum hydropiper, a novel coumaryl glycoside hydropiperoside was isolated together with anthraquinone, ellagic acid 3,3′-di-O-methyl ether, gallic acid, two quercetin glycosides and an unidentified aromatic δ-lactone possessing antifertility activity. The structure of hydropiperoside was established as β-d-(1,3,6-tri-p-coumaryl)-fructofuranosyl-α-d-glucopyranoside by combination of extensive ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectra, and the FD/MS spectrum.     

Spatio-temporal distribution patterns of two tachinid flies,Epicampocera succincta andCompsilura concinnata parasitizingPieris

Larvae of genus Pieris in the northern part of Kyoto City are parasitized by two tachinid flies:Epicampocera succincta, a specialist on genus Pieris, and Compsilura concinnata, a generalist with very wide host-range. We surveyed the parasitism rates of Pieris by both flies for two years at six study areas. In these study areas, there lived three host species in the genus Pieris: P. rapae, P. melete, and P. napi, but neither tachinid parasitized P. napi to any significant extent. In the mountainous district, P. rapae and P. melete coexisted and their populations were relatively continuous, while in the lowland, only P. rapae larvae were abundant in spring and autumn, but even they disappeared in summer. Parasitisms by E. succincta occurred mainly in mountainous district and never in the lowland. C. concinnata parasitized Pieris in all the areas, but its parasitisms occurred mainly in autumn. We analyzed the factors affecting the spatial and temporal patterns of parasitism rates and presumed that the temporal discontinuity of host population restricted the distribution of the specialist parasitoid.