Effect of Acute Fluoxetine Treatment on the Brain Serotonin Synthesis as Measured by the α-Methyl-l-Tryptophan Autoradiographic Method

Abstract: The effect of treatment with acute fluoxetine, a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, on the rate of serotonin synthesis in the rat brain was studied through autoradiography following intravenous administration of α-methyl-l -[³H]tryptophan. The rate of serotonin synthesis in fluoxetine-treated rats was compared with the rate measured in sham-treated rats (saline injection). Results showed a significant increase in the rate of synthesis in the majority of cerebral structures examined. The greatest increase (given as a percentage of rates in control animals) in the rate of serotonin synthesis was observed in the substantia nigra compacta (344%), hippocampus-CA3 (337%), dorsal hippocampus (283%), and caudate-putamen (232%). Fluoxetine had a less significant effect on the rate of synthesis in the pineal body (44%). Data suggest that acute fluoxetine treatment (30 mg/kg, i.p.) enhances the rate of serotonin synthesis in all the structures of rat brain examined in this work.     

Undergraduate dental education on oral appliance therapy for obstructive sleep apnea at The University of British Columbia

Sleep and Biological Rhythms - The updated practice parameters from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine in 2006 have concluded that oral appliances are indicated for mild to moderate obstructive...     

Expression of rat protein phosphatase 2C (IA) in Escherichia coli

A cDNA containing the entire coding sequence of rat type 2C (IA) protein phosphatase was expressed in Escherichia coli. An extract of bacterial cells harboring the recombinant plasmid contained a major (Mr = 41,000 - 43,000) and a minor (Mr = 30,000) protein band; both of these reacted with an anti-type 2C protein phosphatase serum. The size of the major protein band agrees well with that of the 2C phosphatase conceptualized from the cognate cDNA. A Mg2+-dependent protein phosphatase activity was detected in extracts containing the recombinant protein, but not in host cell extracts. Based on these results, it is concluded that the isolated cDNA clone encodes a functional type 2C protein phosphatase.     

Purification and characterization of cytosolic sialidase from rat liver

Sialidase has been purified from rat liver cytosol 83,000-fold by sequential chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, CM-cellulose, Blue-Sepharose, Sephadex G-200, and heparin-Sepharose. When subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis, the purified cytosolic sialidase moved as a single protein band with Mr = 43,000, a value similar to that obtained by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The purified enzyme was active toward all of the sialooligosaccharides, sialoglycoproteins, and gangliosides tested except for submaxillary mucins and GM1 and GM2 gangliosides. Those substrates possessing alpha 2----3 sialyl linkage were hydrolyzed much faster than those with alpha 2----6 or alpha 2----8 linkage. The optimum pH was 6.5 for sialyllactose and 6.0 for orosomucoid and mixed brain gangliosides. The activity toward sialyllactose was lost progressively with the progress of purification but restored by addition of proteins such as bovine serum albumin. In contrast, neither reduction by purification nor restoration by albumin was observed for the activity toward orosomucoid. When mixed gangliosides were the substrate, bile acids were required for activity and this requirement became almost absolute after the enzyme had been purified extensively. Intracellular distribution study showed that about 15% of the neutral sialidase activity was in the microsomes. The enzyme could be released by 0.5 M NaCl; the released enzyme was indistinguishable from the cytosolic sialidase in properties.     

Activation of rat liver and rabbit skeletal muscle glycogen synthases by rat liver cytosolic protein phosphatases

To gain more insight into the nature of the substrate specificity of protein phosphatases, four forms of glycogen synthase D were used as substrates for previously characterized protein phosphatases, IA, IB, and II, from rat liver cytosol. The phosphatase activity was measured as the conversion of glycogen synthase D to synthase I. While glycogen synthase isolated from rat liver as the D-form was activated mainly by phosphatase IA, rabbit skeletal muscle glycogen synthase previously phosphorylated in vitro by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase or phosphorylase kinase was activated efficiently by phosphatases IA, IB, and II. Glycogen synthase isolated from rabbit skeletal muscle as the D-form, however, was a poor substrate for all three phosphatases. These results suggest that the phosphorylation state as well as the primary structure of synthase D markedly affects the rate of its activation by individual protein phosphatases. A protein phosphatase released from rat liver particulate glycogen, on the other hand, activated all forms of synthase D used here readily and at about the same rate.     

Establishment and characterization of a human gestational choriocarcinoma cell line (HOCC)

Human gestational choriocarcinoma cell line (HOCC) was established from the mouse graft of choriocarcinoma. The HOCC cells were spindle or polygonal in shape and multi-nucleated giant cells, showing neoplastic and pleomorphic features. The cell proliferated stably, and the population doubling time was about 32 hours. The chromosome numbers showed a wide distribution of aneuploidy, the mode was in hypertriploid range and the marker chromosomes were recognized in the several generations. Heterotransplantation was easy, and subcutaneous transplantation of 1 X 10(7) cells in nude mouse formed a tumor composed of choriocarcinoma. It is most noteworthy characteristic of the cell line that it produced human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in an in vitro culture system and in vivo in nude mice.     

Purification and characterization of beta-galactoside (alpha 2 leads to 6)sialyltransferase from rat liver and hepatomas

Asialofetuin sialyltransferase from Triton X-100 extracts of rat liver was resolved by phosphocellulose chromatography into two fractions, designated I and II in order of elution. When previously treated with Arthrobacter ureafaciens neuraminidase, fraction I eluted at about the same position as II while no alteration occurred in II. Primary rat hepatomas contained only a single asialofetuin sialyltransferase, identical to fraction I in chromatographic behavior. Transferases I and II were purified to near homogeneity. Transferase II, as well as neuraminidase-treated I, could be sialylated auto-catalytically, indicating that the lack of sialic acid in II is not due to the lack of a sialic-acid-accepting site. Both enzymes formed an (alpha 2 leads to 6)sialylgalactoside linkage with asialo-glycoproteins of the glycosylamine-type and with lactose, and were indistinguishable immunologically. Nevertheless, the transferases exhibited different molecular weights of 37000 (I) and 43000 (II). When heated at 50 degrees C, transferase I lost half its original activity within 20 min while II was scarcely inactivated. Kinetically, transferase I showed three-times higher affinity than II for CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid and for desialylated plasma membrane. Asialofetuin sialyltransferase was also purified from primary rat hepatoma. The purified enzyme was identical to transferase I in every respect examined. We conclude that hepatomas contain transferase I but lack transferase II.