Effects of angiotensin II and dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate on phosphatidylinositol metabolism, 45Ca2+ fluxes, and aldosterone synthesis in bovine adrenal glomerulosa cells

Angiotensin II (AII) and N6,O2'-dibutyryladenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (dibutyryl cyclic AMP) both stimulated aldosterone synthesis in bovine adrenal glomerulosa cells. AII altered 45Ca2+ fluxes and increased 32PO4 incorporation into phosphatidylinositol in these cells, whereas dibutyryl cyclic AMP did not affect either process. Neither AII nor dibutyryl cyclic AMP increased the mass of phosphatidylinositol. Both agents are known to stimulate pregnenolone synthesis. Thus, although dibutyryl cyclic AMP and AII may increase aldosterone synthesis at a common site (pregnenolone synthesis), they do so by different mechanisms. AII stimulation of phosphatidylinositol labeling by 32PO4 (the "PI effect") was blocked when cells were incubated in a medium containing both EGTA and the calcium antagonist, 8-(N,N-diethylamino)-octyl 3,4,5-trimethoxy-benzoate hydrochloride (TMB-8), suggesting a calcium requirement for the PI effect.     

Detection of beta-adrenergic receptors on rabbit mononuclear cells isolated free of significant contamination by other cell types

In order to study rabbit mononuclear cell surface receptors, it was necessary to develop a procedure to isolate mononuclear cell preparations that are free of significant contamination by other cell types, especially platelets. Centrifugation of dextran-sedimented, anti-coagulated whole blood through Hypaque (density 1.060) at 600 X g for 5 min at 22 degrees C eliminated greater than 93% of starting platelets. A second 5-min Hypaque centrifugation of Hypaque-Ficoll-isolated mononuclear cells (MNC) (approximately 80% lymphocytes) at 450 X g for 5 min at 22 degrees C reduced platelet contamination to less than one platelet per three MNC, and resulted in the overall removal of greater than 99.5% of starting platelets. These relatively pure MNC which were isolated in less than 2 hr were identified as having beta-adrenergic receptors by radioligand binding techniques using [125I]iodohydroxybenzylpindolol [( 125I]IHYP). Binding of [125I]IHYP to intact rabbit MNC was a saturable, stereospecific, and rapid process with a dissociation constant (KD) of 0.53 +/- 0.18 nM and a binding capacity of 3,461 +/- 235 sites/cell.     

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.     

Ganglioside-Induced Neuritogenesis: Verification That Gangliosides Are the Active Agents, and Comparison of Molecular Species

Abstract: Gangliosides were previously reported to induce neuritogenesis in primary neuronal cultures and in some neurally derived cell lines. Because isolated gangliosides usually contain variable quantities of peptides, we investigated the possibility the neurite-stimulating activity could be caused by these contaminants. Ganglioside preparations from bovine brain and other sources were subjected to a three-step purification procedure that eliminated at least 95% of the contaminating peptides. These purfied preparations retained their capacity to induce extensive neurite growth in neuro-2A murine neuroblastoma. Proteolytic digestion and a number of additional procedures were used to reduce residual contamination further without loss of activity. Several crude ganglioside samples had negative effects on neurite development until freed of theri inhibitory factors, which were derived from the tissue and/or introduced during laboratory operations. This was particularly evident for bovine white matter gangliosides whose activity increased in proportion to peptide removal. When carefully purified, virtually all of 11 different gangliosides tested were highly active, with the possible exception of GM4, which demonstrated only moderate activity in a limited number of tests. All of the neutral glycolipids tested, as well as sulfatides and free sialic acid, were inactive.     

Testosterone 5 alpha-reductase in rat brain

We describe a simple procedure for the microassay of testosterone 5 alpha-reductase in homogenates of rat brain. This enzyme converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. We have used this assay to characterize the enzymatic activity and to map its distribution. The apparent Km is 4.1 x 10(-6) M and the Vmax is 85.6 pmol/mg protein/h. The pH optimum is broad and extends from pH 6.0 to 8.0. For the brain regions surveyed, testosterone 5 alpha-reductase activity varied over a 10-fold range. The highest activities were observed in homogenates of the midbrain and pons (37-39 pmol/mg protein/h). The lowest were seen in homogenates of the thalamus, caudate nucleus, frontal cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, olfactory tubercle, and preoptic area (3-7 pmol/mg protein/h).     

A novel opioid peptide, leumorphin, acts as an agonist at the kappa opiate receptor

The primary structure of the common precursor of porcine beta-neo-endorphin and dynorphin (preproenkephalin B) has shown the existence of a third leucine-enkephalin (leu-enkephalin) sequence with a C-terminal extension of 24 amino acids. This nonacosapeptide, named leumorphin, was approximately 70 times more potent than leu-enkephalin in inhibiting the contraction of the myenteric plexus-longitudinal muscle preparation of the guinea pig ileum. This action of leumorphin, like those of beta-neo-endorphin and dynorphin, was antagonized less effectively by naloxone than that of leu-enkephalin, but more effectively by Mr2266, an antagonist relatively specific for the kappa type opiate receptor. The inhibitory action of leumorphin or beta-neo-endorphin on the contraction of the guinea pig ileum muscle strip was reduced in a dose-dependent manner by pretreatment with dynorphin and vice versa. Leumorphin as well as beta-neo-endorphin and dynorphin inhibits the contraction of the rabbit vas deferens which is known to have only the kappa type opiate receptor. This action was also effectively antagonized by Mr2266. It is concluded that leumorphin has potent opioid activity and acts at the kappa receptor, like other opioid peptides derived from preproenkephalin B.     

Buspirone: A potential atypical neuroleptic

Buspirone produces a dose-dependent but short-lived elevation in striatal dopamine (DA) metabolites in the rat. $\text{In}$$\text{vitro}$, buspirone possesses an affinity similar to sulpiride for DA receptors (3H-spiperone). A moderate affinity for α₁ receptors was also observed while buspirone was inactive at α₂, β, muscarinic and serotonin₂ receptors. This pharmacological profile as well as previous behavioral data indicate that buspirone may be a potential “atypical” neuroleptic.     

Somatostatin mydriasis in mice

Administration of somatostatin intracerebroventricularly to mice produced a dose-dependent mydriasis, whereas intravenous injections were ineffective. Naloxone could prevent or abolish this effect. It is suggested that somatostatin either directly excites opiate receptors or activates endopioid pathways involved in the regulation of pupillary size.     

Cerebroside and Sulfatide Biosynthesis in the Brain of Snell Dwarf Mouse: Effects of Thyroxine and Growth Hormone in the Early Postnatal Period

Snell dwarf mice (dw/dw) and normal mice (+/?) were injected with thyroxine (T₄) (1 μg/animal, four injections) and growth hormone (GH) (20 μg/animal, four injections) from the 5th to the 15th day of life. In the untreated dw/dw mouse brain, the specific activities of UDP-galactose:ceramide galactosyltransferase (CGalT), PAPS:cerebroside sulfotransferase (CST), and 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphohydrolase (CNP) were decreased by 28, 25, and 37%, respectively, compared with the control untreated +/? mice. The major effect of T₄ was an increase of the brain CNP in the +/? mice (+40%) and dw/dw mice (+111%). The treatment with T₄ also brought to normal the level of CGalT in dw/dw brain; a somewhat less marked effect on CST was observed. The treatment with GH had a great stimulatory effect on CNP: the specific activity of this enzyme increased by 40 and 69% in +/? and dw/dw mouse brain, respectively. On the contrary, no effect of GH on the CGalT activity was observe in this study. Our results suggest that T₄ and GH may have both independent and complementary actions on the myelin-associated enzymes during the early postnatal period of brain development.     

Accumulation of phosphatidic acid in microsomes from propranolol-treated retinas during short-term incubations

Abstract: The pool size and synthesis of phosphatidic acid derived from [2-³H]glycerol were studied in bovine whole retinas and subcellular fractions. Microsomal preparations from retinas incubated with [2-³H]glycerol displayed the highest percentage labeling of phosphatidic acid at 5 min of incubation; labeling decreased rapidly thereafter. In drug-treated retinas,0.5 m M propranolol increased the endogenous content of phosphatidic acid and stimulated [2-³H]glycerol labeling in whole retina and microsomal and postmicrosomal supernatant fractions. This effect was observed during short-term incubations and was reversible. In pulse-chase experiments, 60 min of reincubation greatly reduced the labeling effect, although propranolol still enhanced phosphatidic acid labeling. At the same time, endogenous phosphatidic acid accumulated and reincubation without propranolol reversed the effect. During accumulation, the amount of palmitate increased and that of oleate decreased, whereas the relatively high level of docosahexaenoate in phosphatidic acid remained unchanged. It was concluded that this propranolol-induced effect is due to cationic amphiphilic drug activity in the endoplasmic reticulum that results in a partial inhibition of phosphatidic acid degradation and a stimulation of its de novo synthesis. Hence, net synthesis of phosphatidic acid can be assessed in the retina during short-term incubation with propranolol.