Somatostatin receptor interacting protein defines a novel family of multidomain proteins present in human and rodent brain.

By using the yeast two-hybrid system we identified a novel protein from the human brain interacting with the C terminus of somatostatin receptor subtype 2. This protein termed somatostatin receptor interacting protein is characterized by a novel domain structure, consisting of six N-terminal ankyrin repeats followed by SH3 and PDZ domains, several proline-rich regions, and a C-terminal sterile alpha motif. It consists of 2185 amino acid residues encoded by a 9-kilobase pair mRNA; several splice variants have been detected in human and rat cDNA libraries. Sequence comparison suggests that the novel multidomain protein, together with cortactin-binding protein, forms a family of cytoskeletal anchoring proteins. Fractionation of rat brain membranes indicated that somatostatin receptor interacting protein is enriched in the postsynaptic density fraction. The interaction of somatostatin receptor subtype 2 with its interacting protein was verified by overlay assays and coimmunoprecipitation experiments from transfected human embryonic kidney cells. Somatostatin receptor subtype 2 and the interacting protein display a striking overlap of their expression patterns in the rat brain. Interestingly, in the hippocampus the mRNA for somatostatin receptor interacting protein was not confined to the cell bodies but was also observed in the molecular layer, suggesting a dendritic localization of this mRNA.     

Venography in the evaluation of the results of surgical treatment of varicocele in children]

The paper is concerned with analysis of the results of intraoperative phlebotesticulography, performed in 50 patients with varicocele of degree I-II during Ivanissevich's operation. The effect of surgical intervention was shown to depend upon the quality of ligation of the testicular vein, some parts of which are anastomosed between themselves. The localization of this anastomosis is revealed by means of intraoperative phlebotesticulography, which permits increasing the results of surgical treatment and predicting a course of a postoperative period.     

Toxicity of Dopamine to Striatal Neurons In Vitro and Potentiation of Cell Death by a Mitochondrial Inhibitor

Abstract: Intrastriatal injections of the mitochondrial toxins malonate and 3-nitropropionic acid produce selective cell death similar to that seen in transient ischemia and Huntington's disease. The extent of cell death can be attenuated by pharmacological or surgical blockade of cortical glutamatergic input. It is not known, however, if dopamine contributes to toxicity caused by inhibition of mitochondrial function. Exposure of primary striatal cultures to dopamine resulted in dose-dependent death of neurons. Addition of medium supplement containing free radical scavengers and antioxidants decreased neuronal loss. At high concentrations of the amine, cell death was predominantly apoptotic. Methyl malonate was used to inhibit activity of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Neither methyl malonate (50 µ M ) nor dopamine (2.5 µ M ) caused significant toxicity when added individually to cultures, whereas simultaneous addition of both compounds killed 60% of neurons. Addition of antioxidants and free radical scavengers to the incubation medium prevented this cell death. Dopamine (up to 250 µ M ) did not alter the ATP/ADP ratio after a 6-h incubation. Methyl malonate, at 500 µ M , reduced the ATP/ADP ratio by ∼30% after 6 h; this decrease was not augmented by coincubation with 25 µ M dopamine. Our results suggest that dopamine causes primarily apoptotic death of striatal neurons in culture without damaging cells by an early adverse action on oxidative phosphorylation. However, when combined with minimal inhibition of mitochondrial function, dopamine neurotoxicity is markedly enhanced.     

Parameters that specify the timing of cytokinesis.

One model for the timing of cytokinesis is based on findings that p34(cdc2) can phosphorylate myosin regulatory light chain (LC20) on inhibitory sites (serines 1 and 2) in vitro (Satterwhite, L.L., M.H. Lohka, K.L. Wilson, T.Y. Scherson, L.J. Cisek, J.L. Corden, and T.D. Pollard. 1992. J. Cell Biol. 118:595-605), and this inhibition is proposed to delay cytokinesis until p34(cdc2) activity falls at anaphase. We have characterized previously several kinase activities associated with the isolated cortical cytoskeleton of dividing sea urchin embryos (Walker, G.R., C.B. Shuster, and D.R. Burgess. 1997. J. Cell Sci. 110:1373-1386). Among these kinases and substrates is p34(cdc2) and LC20. In comparison with whole cell activity, cortical H1 kinase activity is delayed, with maximum levels in cortices prepared from late anaphase/telophase embryos. To determine whether cortical-associated p34(cdc2) influences cortical myosin II activity during cytokinesis, we labeled eggs in vivo with [(32)P]orthophosphate, prepared cortices, and mapped LC20 phosphorylation through the first cell division. We found no evidence of serine 1,2 phosphorylation at any time during mitosis on LC20 from cortically associated myosin. Instead, we observed a sharp rise in serine 19 phosphorylation during anaphase and telophase, consistent with an activating phosphorylation by myosin light chain kinase. However, serine 1,2 phosphorylation was detected on light chains from detergent-soluble myosin II. Furthermore, cells arrested in mitosis by microinjection of nondegradable cyclin B could be induced to form cleavage furrows if the spindle poles were physically placed in close proximity to the cortex. These results suggest that factors independent of myosin II inactivation, such as the delivery of the cleavage stimulus to the cortex, determine the timing of cytokinesis.     

Sex-related dimorphism of the morphofunctional characteristics of the epiphysis in newborn children subjected to hypoxic impairment and asphyxia

In 72 newborn children (37 boys and 35 girls) who suffered from prenatal hypoxia and were born in an asphyxic state, we measured the level of melatonin in the umbilicial blood and observed clinical manifestations of the adaptation/stress syndrome. These data were compared with the results of morphological examination of the epiphyses from 27 stillborns (15 boys and 12 girls) who perished because of heavy prenatal hypoxia. The level of melatonin in the blood of ill newborn girls was much higher than that in boys, and both these indices were about two times higher than those in respective groups of healthy newborn children. At the same time, the pathomorphological examination showed that active epiphyseal cell units in the male fetuses were much more numerous. The results show that the epiphysis plays a significant role in determination of the sex-related dimorphism of the adaptation/stress syndrome in newborn children suffering from hypoxia- and asphyxia-evoked heavy CNS damage. The reasons and consequences of more intensive morphofunctional loading of the epiphyseal system in the male fetuses are discussed.     

The assessment game in sand fiddler crab contests for breeding burrows

The single enlarged claw of male sand fiddler crabs, Uca pugilator, is used in contests for control of breeding burrows. The larger of the two contestants has the larger claw and usually wins. Males use one or more of 10 agonistic elements that vary in intensity from a no-contact extension of the claw to the flip of an opponent. We used the sequence of elements employed and the duration of unstaged, naturally occurring contests in a South Carolina salt marsh to evaluate three models of extended contests: (1) energetic war of attrition, (2) cumulative assessment and (3) sequential assessment. Contests usually began with elements of low action intensity and often proceeded to elements of high intensity. Elements of higher intensity were correlated with both contest duration and the number of contest elements. Contest duration increased as opponents became more evenly matched in size, a result consistent with both cumulative and sequential assessment models. Variation in duration increased as the relative sizes of opponents increased, also in accordance with sequential assessment. The absolute size of the smaller contestant had no effect on contest duration, in contrast to predictions based on cumulative assessment or energetic war of attrition models. Contestants that lost a fight were more likely to engage immediately in another fight without loss of contest intensity, if their previous fight had been long and intense. This result is inconsistent with contests of endurance, such as the energetic war of attrition or the cumulative assessment game, but it is consistent with the ritualized display of strength and fighting skill. Thus, sequential assessment appears to best explain ritualized fiddler crab contests. Cumulative assessment, however, may be the appropriate model for extended, nonritualized, all-out fights. Cumulative assessment may also explain the tenure of individuals on breeding grounds where multiple engagements are likely to test endurance and tolerance to damage over a period of days. Copyright 2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.