尾壳核内注射脑啡肽和bestatin对大鼠操作式条件...

Female Wistar rats were trained in a Skinner-box, 30 trials per day in a dark room to establish operant defence conditioning. Training started with a light (15 s), then combined with footshock for further 8 s. When the rats learned to press the key to avoid footshock within 15 s, conditioned response was considered established. After the rats reached a conditioning rate (CR) above 80% for 5 days, cannulae were implanted into caudate-putamen. Two to three days later, Met-enkephalin (MEK) or bestatin (an aminopeptidase inhibitor) was injected bilaterally into caudate-putamen. 30 min, 2 h, 24 h and 48 h after injection, conditioning tests were conducted, with each session consisting of 30 trials. Control experiments were done when 0.9% NaCl (NS) was injected. After injection of NS, CR maintained above 80% in all 4 test sessions. MEK (60 ng/rat) or bestatin (10 micrograms/rat) significantly lowered the CR during the 30 min and 2 h test session. In the latter case, the latency (L) was also prolonged. However both CR and L returned to the control level in the 24 h and 48 h test sessions. Naloxone (2 mg/kg, i.p.) blocked the conditioning-depression effect of bestatin. No significant alteration was seen in locomotor activity after MEK or bestatin injection. The results suggest that enkephalin in caudate-putamen may be involved in the regulation of retrieval of conditioning. Bestatin mimics the effect of MEK on conditioning reflex probably by increasing production of endogenous enkephalin.     

The m gamma delta-1 element, a small gamma delta (Tn1000) derivative useful for plasmid mutagenesis, allele replacement and DNA sequencing.

Transposon gamma delta (Tn1000), a 6-kb member of the Tn3 family, is widely used for plasmid mutagenesis. A 1.8-kb derivative of gamma delta was constructed that contains the kan gene from Tn5 and the resolution (res) site from gamma delta cloned between 40-bp inverted repeats of gamma delta's delta (delta) end. This element, named m gamma delta-1, lacks the genes encoding transposase and resolvase, and therefore depends on its host to supply transposition and resolution functions. Thus, in strains lacking gamma delta, m gamma delta-1 will not transpose. The m gamma delta-1 element is shown to be useful for mutagenesis of plasmids, DNA sequencing, and allele replacement (in Streptomyces avermitilis).     

Generation of 19 STS markers that can be anchored at specific sites on human chromosome 21.

Sequence-tagged sites (STSs) are short stretches of DNA that can be specifically detected by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and can be used to construct long-range physical maps of chromosomal DNA. These STSs can be detected by PCR assays developed by reference to data obtained from the sequencing of restriction fragment length polymorphism-DNA markers for chromosome 21, which were derived from recombinant lamba-phage and plasmid clones made from DNA of a human-hamster hybrid cell line. In this report, we describe the generation of 19 new STSs that are specific for human chromosome 21.     

Assignment of genes encoding a unique cytokine (IL12) composed of two unrelated subunits to chromosomes 3 and 5.

IL12 (formerly NKSF or CLMF) is a unique cytokine composed of two unrelated disulfide-linked subunits. The larger 40-kDa subunit (p40) is a member of the cytokine receptor family, and the smaller 35-kDa subunit (p35) is related to IL6 and GCSF. The chromosomal localization of these two subunits was determined by PCR analysis of DNA from rodent-human hybrids. More refined mapping was obtained by PCR analysis of hybrids containing translocation chromosomes and for p40, by analysis of radiation hybrids. The subunits map to different chromosomes: p40 (IL12B) to 5q31-q33 and p35 (IL12A) to 3p12-3q13.2.     

Human dopamine transporter gene (DAT1) maps to chromosome 5p15.3 and displays a VNTR.

The human dopamine transporter (DAT1) gene is localized to chromosome 5p15.3 by in situ hybridization and PCR amplification of rodent somatic cell hybrid DNA. Analysis of a 40-bp repeat in the 3' untranslated region of the message revealed variable numbers of the repeat ranging from 3 to 11 copies. These results will aid in the investigation of a role for this gene in genetic disorders of the dopaminergic system in humans.     

Direct detection of circulating free radicals in the rat using electron spin resonance spectrometry.

We developed a new technique for directly observing in vivo free radical formation in the circulating blood of living rats using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometry without any labeling or trapping agents. It was found that a doublet peak spectrum was obtained following ferric citrate and ascorbic acid injection. The signals were confirmed in different ways to be due to ascorbic acid radicals. These results provide evidence to support the involvement of free radical intermediates in iron-ascorbic acid reactions, and further confirm the suggested mechanisms of both the adverse and protective effects of ascorbic acid in biological systems. Furthermore, this method of direct observation is a new application of ESR spectrometry to living animals.