Effects of beta-endorphin on ornithine decarboxylase in tissues of developing rats: a potential role for this endogenous neuropeptide in the modulation of tissue growth

Ornithine decarboxlyase (ODC) catalyzes the initial step in the bio-synthesis of the polyamines spermidine and spermine, which are key regulators of cell growth, proliferation and differentiation. Intracisternal administration of beta-endorphin (1 microgram) to 6 day-old rats markedly decreased brain, liver, heart and kidney ODC activity. Conversely, subcutaneous administration of beta-endorphin increased ODC activity in the heart and liver. Thus, ODC inhibition in peripheral organs in rat pups given beta-endorphin intracisternally appears to reflect central effects of this neuropeptide. Experiments were also carried out to test whether opioid receptors are involved in these tissue ODC responses. Naloxone prevented the decreases in brain ODC indicating the participation of opioid receptors in that process. In contrast, naloxone did not alter ODC responses in peripheral organs in rat pups given beta-endorphin intracisternally, indicating that these effects are independent of its classical opioid character. These results support the view that endogenous beta-endorphin may play an important role in organogenesis by modulating the growth-related enzyme ODC. The data also suggest that the regulation of peripheral organ development by beta-endorphin may be mediated through the release of growth regulatory substances from the CNS.     

Stathmokinetic Analysis of Human Epidermal Cells in vitro

Proliferation kinetics of cultured human epidermal cells is characterized in quantitative terms. Three distinct subpopulations of keratinocytes, two of which are cycling have been discriminated by two parameter DNA/RNA flow cytometry. Based on mathematical modelling, the cell cycle parameters of the cycling subpopulations have been assessed from stathmokinetic data collected at different time points after initiation of cultures (7–15 days). the first subpopulation is composed of low-RNA cells which resemble basal keratinocytes of epidermis and which show some characteristics of stem cells; these cells have a mean generation time of approximately 100 hr. the second subpopulation consists of high-RNA cells, resembling stratum spinosum cells of epidermis, which have an average generation time of approximately 40 hr. the third subpopulation consists of non-cycling cells with G_o/G₁ DNA content, with cytochemical features similar to those of cells in granular layer of epidermis. The results based on modelling can reproduce with acceptable accuracy the actual growth curve of the cultured cell population. Analysis of kinetics and differentiation of human keratinocytes is of interest in view of the recent application of cultured epidermal cell sheets for transplantation onto burn wounds. the results of this study also reveal the existence of regulatory mechanisms associated with proliferation and differentiation in the cultured epidermal cell population.     

Neuroendocrine response to cold in Raynaud's syndrome

Eleven patients with Raynaud's syndrome accompanied by monospecific IgG ANA, nine patients with Raynaud's syndrome in the absence of ANA, and nine normal volunteers were exposed to an ambient cold challenge during which time venous blood was continuously sampled. ANA negative patients were shown to have significantly higher levels of cortisol during a cold challenge than either ANA positive patients or normal controls, and exhibited significantly lower levels of plasma norepinephrine compared with normal controls. ANA positive patients did not differ significantly from normals in their neuroendocrine response to cold. It is suggested that the high plasma cortisol found in Raynaud's syndrome in the absence of ANA may be responsible for the vasospasticity in this group of patients.     

Ontogeny of endocrine responses to methadone in rats

The effects of methadone (METH) on serum levels of prolactin (PRL), growth hormone (GH), corticosterone (CS) and TSH were determined in developing rats. METH increased PRL, GH and CS and decreased TSH at all ages tested, but the time course and magnitude of these effects changed during ontogeny. METH effects on day 10 were lower in magnitude than those observed in adults. In 20 day old pups, METH effects on GH and CS were comparable to those of adults, but TSH effects were still blunted. METH effects on hormone secretion in both 10 and 20 day old pups lasted longer than those observed in adults. Naloxone blocked all hormonal responses in adults, but did not completely block METH effects on CS secretion in 10 day old pups.     

CAM-idling in Hoya carnosa (Asclepiadaceae)

In the leaf succulent Asclepiad Hoya carnosa (L.) R. Br., CAM photosynthesis occurred under well-watered conditions, as characterized by diurnal gas exchange and changes in titratable acidity. Following 10–12 days of severe water stress, the plants shifted from CAM to a modified CAM-idling mode of metabolism. CAM-idling was characterized by complete or almost complete stomatal closure accompanied by CAM-like diurnal changes in titratable acidity. H. carnosa plants maintained this CAM-idling mode of photosynthesis for at least 8 weeks. Upon reirrigation, the plants returned to the original CAM mode within 1 week. These results suggested that CAM-idling is a reversible, intermediate form of sustained metabolism which enables plant survival under conditions of extended drought.This work was supported in part by NSF Grant PCM 8200366 and in part by the Science and Education Administration of the United States Department of Agriculture under Competitive Grant 5901-0420-8-0018-0.     

Protein Synthesis in Sonically Damaged Escherichia coli

By gentle sonic treatment, Escherichia coli cells were modified to permit penetration of actinomycin D, adenosine triphosphate, trypsin, ribonuclease, and polyuridylic acid. The behavior of these "soniplasts" as protein-synthesizing particles was investigated.     

Nucleotide sequence of the Rickettsia prowazekii ATP/ADP translocase-encoding gene

The Rickettsia prowazekii ATP/ADP translocase (Tlc) gene (tlc), previously cloned in Escherichia coli was localized to a 1.6-kb chromosomal fragment. Nucleotide sequence analysis of this fragment revealed an open reading frame of 1494 bp that could encode a hydrophobic protein of 497 amino acids (aa) with an M_r of 56 668. Analysis of the deduced aa sequence revealed that it contained twelve potential membrane-spanning regions. Comparisons between the deduced aa sequence of the R. prowazekii ATP/ADP Tlc and the sequences of mitochondrial (mt) Tic revealed no detectable homologies between the rickettsial and mt sequences. The major protein synthesized in E. coli minicells containing the rickettsial gene exhibited an M_r of approx. 34000.