Glutamine synthetase (GS) expression is reduced in senile dementia of the Alzheimer type

Glutamine synthetase (GS), a metabolic marker of the mature astrocyte, was investigated in the temporal neocortex of postmortem brain samples of 8 cases, either not demented or affected by senile dementia of the Alzheimer type. A negative correlation between the GS protein level and the density of both classical A4 deposits and senile plaques was evidenced. Such a correlation for GS underlies a dysfunction of the astroglial metabolism and particularly of the glutamate and ammonia neutralization. Since GS is sensitive to oxidative lesioning, the changes in GS level that were observed, occurring at the posttranslational stage, might reflect oxidative damage and have severe consequences on the pathological cascade of events.     

Some significant differences in wall chemistry among four commercial Agaricus bisporus strains

Significant differences in gross wall chemical composition were detected in four commercial Agaricus bisporus strains. All were grown under the same conditions and their walls prepared by a mild method of breakage. A more detailed analysis of the wall fractions, isolated by means of their distinct solubilities, also showed striking structural differences among the four strains studied. The detected differences, not only in the overall composition of the wall but also in the polysaccharide structure, could assist in the characterization of strains and/or varieties of the commercial basidiomycete A. bisporus.     

In vitro autoradiographic localization of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) binding sites in the rat central nervous system

This paper describes the autoradiographic distribution of VIP binding sites in the rat central nervous system using monoiodinated ¹²³I-labeled VIP. High densities of VIP binding sites are observed in the granular layer of the dorsal dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, the basolateral amygdaloid nucleus, the dorsolateral and median geniculate nuclei of the thalamus as well as in the ventral part of the hypothalamic dorsomedial nucleus.     

Proton-NMR study of the interaction of trans-dichloro-diamine-platinum(II) with poly(I) and poly(I).poly(C)

The fixation of trans-(NH₃)₂Cl₂ Pt(II) to poly(I)·poly(C) at low r_b (< 0.05) leads to the formation of two complexed species. The major species (ca. 82% of bound platinum) involves coordination of platinum to a single hypoxanthine base, while the other species involves coordination of two hypoxanthine bases, which are either far apart on the same strand or on separate poly(I) strands, to the platinum. These same two species are found after reaction with poly(I), as are two other species throughout the entire r_b range studied (r_b = 0–0.30). The latter two species are assigned to trans-Pt bound to two bases on a poly(I) strand with (a) one or (b) two free bases between the two bound bases. These two species, (a) and (b), account for ca. 35% of the bound platinum, although the 1:1 species remains dominant (ca. 55%). These two additional species are observed at high r_b (>0.075) after reaction with poly(I)·poly(C) but as very minor species. They are formed by reaction with melted poly(I) loops. Also at high r_b, we have observed a shifted cytidine H⁵ resonance arising from interaction of trans-Pt with a melted loop of poly(C). Most probably, this arises from an intramolecular poly(I) to poly(C) crosslink. Results from the reaction of trans-Pt with poly(C) are presented for comparison.     

The activation of glutamine synthetase from the cyanobacterium Anabaena cylindrica by thioredoxin

Abstract The present communication defines the conditions under which thioredoxin activates glutamine synthetase from Anabaena cylindrica . Effects are obtained at pH values around neutrality, and the activation is affected by Mg²⁺ in the assays. The thioredoxin systems from A. cylindrica and spinach are functionally interchangeable in the activation of glutamine synthetase. The enzyme is efficiently activated by thioredoxin_m and also by thioredoxin_f, but at much higher concentrations. Thioredoxin_m has previously been shown to activate NADPH-dependent malate dehydrogenase and isocitrate dehydrogenase from cyanobacteria. It is speculated that thioredoxin_m plays a role in the differentiation of vegetative cells to heterocysts.     

Determination of betaxolol, a new beta-blocker, by gas chromatography mass spectrometry: application to pharmacokinetic studies

Betaxolol, a beta selective adrenoceptor antagonist recently approved for the treatment of hypertension, was determined by monitoring in chemical ionization mode with ammonia the [MH]+ ions of the trimethylsilyl derivatives of the drug and of its internal standard [2H5)betaxolol). Its pharmacokinetic profile obtained following administration of a 20 mg oral dose was characterized by a half-life of 22 h and a bioavailability of 85%. The main acid metabolite formed by elimination of the isopropylamino group may also be determined as the methyl TMS derivative but methylation with BF3-methanol should be used with caution since it may induce the opening of the cyclopropyl group. The routine electron capture determination procedure was compared to this mass spectrometric method and an excellent correlation was found (r = 0.9974). Both procedures have the same sensitivity (1 ng ml-1). Finally it was observed that under electron impact mode betaxolol trimethylsilyl side chain rearranged to lose TMS-O-CH=CH2; this elimination was confirmed by deuterium labelling studies.     

Cytologic observations on the effects of metallocene dichlorides on human fibroblasts cultivated in vitro

The effects of the organometallic cytostatic agents titanocene dichloride (TDC) and vanadocene dichloride (VDC) and of the inorganic cytostatic drug cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (DDP) on the morphologic appearance of human embryonal fibroblasts cultivated as monolayers in vitro were analyzed by light and electron microscopy. All three substances induced similar structural changes which consisted of nuclear as well as cytoplasmic alterations. Many fibroblasts enlarged but the nuclear volume increased more extensively than that of the cytoplasm. The nuclear envelopes underwent invagination so that segmented nuclei were formed and the nucleoli increased in size and density. Within the cytoplasm there was evidence of conspicuous protein synthesis, characterized morphologically by an increase in the size and number of mitochondria, Golgi apparatuses and of cisternae of the rER. The phenomena observed are interpreted as indicating unbalanced cell growth characterized by a selective inhibition of DNA synthesis, coupled with progressive RNA and protein syntheses.     

Transplantation of a time-signal in honeybees

Summary It has been possible — by transplantation of brain tissue (i.e. mushroom-bodies) — to perform an interindividual transfer of a learned time-signal in honeybees. The information of the donor bees becomes determinative for the temporal activity pattern of the recipients about 3 to 4 days following transplantation.As seen from histological investigations done in parallel, the donor tissue is treated as a xenograft by the recipient's organism including disintegration and encapsulation processes. These observations give evidence for a humoral transfer of information.The results are discussed from the point of view of the analysis of the mechanism of time reception.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. H. Autrum on the occasion of his 70th birthdaySupported by the Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur zu Mainz, the Stiftung Volkswagenwerk and the Deutsche ForschungsgemeinschaftAll observations done were individual per hand registrations. We want to give thanks to all people in the department who helped us to do the experiments.     

Polyploidy and aspartate-transcarbamylase activity in Hippocrepis comosa L.

The DNA content of plants which were sampled in natural di-, tetra- and hexaploid populations of Hippocrepis comosa L. was estimated and the aspartate transcarbamylase activities of the corresponding cell-free extracts were compared. The amount of DNA is not exactly proportional to the number of genomes. The three kinds of populations do not differ in their aspartate transcarbamylase specific activity. While the enzyme properties are identical in the extracts derived from the diploid and hexaploid plants, the aspartate transcarbamylase present in the tetraploid cytotype shows a slightly lower affinity for one of its substrates and a significantly lower sensitivity to the feedback inhibitor UTP which is still observed after partial purification. These properties might be related to the previously reported greater ability of the tetraploid cytotype to adapt to a variety of biotopes.Abbreviations ATCase aspartate transcarbamylase - CAP carbamylphosphate - EDTA ethylenediaminetetracetic acid - Tris trihydroxymethylaminomethane - AMP adenosine monophosphate - ATP adenosine triphosphate - CMP cytidine monophosphate - CTP cytidine triphosphate - UMP uridine monophosphate - UTP uridine triphosphate     

Spot position of rat liver ribosomal proteins by four different two-dimensional electrophoreses in polyacrylamide gel

Summary Separation of the proteins from rat liver 40S and 60S ribosomal subunits and polysomes was done in four different two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis systems. The first dimension was run at acidic or basic pH, the second dimension either with sodium dodecyl sulphate or at acidic pH in 18% acrylamide. The position of each individual protein of both subunits and polysomes was determined in each system. This identification resulted from a new method avoiding any previous purification of individual proteins. The new proposed uniform nomenclature for mammalian ribosomal proteins (McConkey et al. in press) was used for numbering the proteins in the four systems.