甘氨酸神经递质研究进展

甘氨酸是化学结构最简单的氨基酸,但具有复杂的功能。甘氨酸在中枢神经系统中是介导快速抑制性神经传递的一种重要的神经递质,在控制神经元兴奋性方面发挥重要作用。就其神经递质功能对甘氨酸的生物合成、释放与调控以及作用模式等方面的近年研究进展做一综述,对甘氨酸神经递质的全面认识将有益于炎性痛、痉挛状态以及癫痫等中枢神经系统疾病的诊断、预防及治疗。     

舒肝解郁胶囊联合阿戈美拉汀对抑郁症患者血清单胺类神经递质和神经功能相关因子的影响

摘要 目的：观察舒肝解郁胶囊联合阿戈美拉汀治疗抑郁症的疗效及对血清单胺类神经递质和神经功能相关因子的影响。方法：纳入我院2017年5月~2020年5月接诊的120例抑郁症患者,经双色球随机分组法将患者分为对照组和观察组,各为60例。对照组患者予以阿戈美拉汀治疗,观察组患者予以舒肝解郁胶囊联合阿戈美拉汀治疗。比较两组疗效、血清单胺类神经递质、神经功能相关因子、抑郁焦虑评分及不良反应发生率。结果：观察组的临床总有效率为93.33%（56/60）,高于对照组的73.33%（44/60）（P<0.05）。两组治疗6周后汉密尔顿抑郁量表（HAMD）、汉密尔顿焦虑量表（HAMA）评分较治疗前降低,且观察组较对照组低（P<0.05）。两组治疗6周后多巴胺（DA）、去甲肾上腺素（NE）、5-羟色胺（5-HT）水平较治疗前升高,且观察组高于对照组（P<0.05）。两组治疗6周后S100?茁、髓磷脂碱性蛋白（MBP）、神经元特异性烯醇化酶（NSE）水平较治疗前降低,且观察组低于对照组（P<0.05）。两组不良反应发生率对比无差异（P>0.05）。结论：舒肝解郁胶囊联合阿戈美拉汀治疗抑郁症,疗效显著,可有效调节血清单胺类神经递质和神经功能,改善抑郁症状,且安全可靠。     

5-Fluoronicotine,noranhydroecgonine, and pyridyl-methylpyrrolidine release acetylcholine and biogenic amines in rat cortex in vivo

The effects of nicotinic receptor agonists 5-fluoronicotine, noranhydroecgonine and pyridyl-methylpyrrolidine on the cortical release of acetylcholine (ACh), norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) were investigated with microdialysis in rat. 5-Fluoronicotine significantly elevated ACh to 76% above basal values and DA to 69% above baseline. Pyridyl-methylpyrrolidine significantly increased the release of ACh to 39% above basal values and NE to 63% above baseline. Noranhydroecgonine significantly elevated NE to 64% above basal values and DA to 147% above baseline. 5-Fluoronicotine did not affect NE release; pyridylmethylpyrrolidine did not alter DA release; and noranhydroecgonine did not significantly elevate ACh release. None of these agonists increased the release of 5-HT. All responses were blocked by prior administration of mecamylamine, a nicotinic receptor antagonist. The distinctive neurotransmitter-related profiles for the three agonists are suggestive of activity at subtypes of nicotinic receptors, an effect that may be related to the structural diversity of these compounds.     

Development of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neuron regulation in the female rat

Summary 1. After reaching its final destination the GnRH neuronal network develops under the influence of both excitatory and inhibitory inputs.2. In the first 2 weeks of life, the immaturity of the GnRH neuronal system is reflected in sporadic unsynchronized bursts of the decapeptide, which determine the pattern of serum gonadotropin levels observed in female rats: high FSH levels and transient bursts of LH. The main inhibitory neuronal systems that operate in this period are the opioid and dopaminergic systems. A decrease in their inhibitory effectiveness may not be sufficient correctly to activate and synchronize the GnRH neuronal system.3. There is a concomitant increase in excitatory inputs, mainly noradrenaline, excitatory amino acids, and NPY, which increase the synthesis and release of GnRH at the beginning of the juvenile period and participate in the coupling of GnRH neural activity to the ongoing rhythmic activity of a hypothalamic circadian oscillator.4. The morphological changes of GnRH neurons which take place during the third and fourth weeks of life, and which are probably related to increasing estradiol levels, reflects the increasing complexity of the GnRH neuronal network, which establishes synaptic contacts to enable the expression of pulsatility and of the positive feedback of estradiol, both necessary components for the occurrence of puberty.     

Identifying Monoaminergic,GABAergic, and Cholinergic Characteristics in Immortalized Neuronal Cell Lines

We measured the concentration of neurotransmitters in immortalized neural cell lines of hippo-campal, septal, brainstem and cerebellar origin. While in most of the cell lines, concentrations of monoamines, -aminobutyric acid (GABA) and acetylcholine were low, in some they were markedly higher. This made it quite easy to identify possible monoaminergic, GABAergic or cholinergic cell lines. However all the cell lines contained glutamate and aspartate and there were no outstanding differences in levels of these amino acids differences between the cell lines. Deprivation of serum, which made the cells acquire a more differentiated morphology, caused an increase in the intracellular concentrations of some compounds and a switch from multiple to a single transmitter in the case of some cell lines. It suggested that measurement of transmitter concentrations combined with serum deprivation studies, may provide an indication of the neurochemical characteristics of immortalised neuronal cell lines.     

Effect of age and monosodium-L-glutamate (MSG) treatment on neurotransmitter content in brain regions from male fischer-344 rats

Peripheral administration of monosodium-L-glutamate (MSG) has been found to be neurotoxic in neonatal rats. When administered in an acute, subconvulsive dose (500 mg/kg i.p.), MSG altered neurotrnnsmitter content in discrete brain regions of adult (6 month old) and aged (24 month old) male Fischer-344 rats. Norepinephrine (NE) content was reduced in both the hypothalamus (16%) and cerebellum (11%) of adult rats, but was increased in both the hypothalamus (7%) and cerebellum (14%) of aged rats after MSG treatment. MSG also altered the dopamine content in adult rats in both the posterior cortex and the striatum, causing a reduction (23%) and an increase (12%), respectively. Glycine content in the midbrain of aged rats increased (21%) after MSG injection. Of particular interest is the widespread monoamine and amino acid deficits found in the aged rats in many of the brain regions examined. NE content was decreased (11%) in the cerebellum of aged rats. Dopamine content was reduced in both the posterior cortex (35%) and striatum (10%) of aged rats compared to adult animals. Cortical serotonergic deficits were present in aged rats with reductions in both the frontal (13%) and posterior cortex (21%). Aged rats also displayed deficits in amino acids, particularly the excitatory amino acids. There were glutamate deficits (9–18% reductions) in the cortical regions (posterior and frontal) as well as midbrain and brain stem. Aspartate, the other excitatory amino acid transmitter, was reduced 10% in the brainstem of aged rats. These data indicate that an acute, subconvulsive, dose of MSG may elicit neurochemical changes in both adult and aged male Fisher-344 rats, and that there are inherent age-related deficits in particular neurotransmitters in aged male Fisher-344 rats as indicated by the reductions in both monoamines and amino acids.     

Differential Changes in the Content of Amino Acid Neurotransmitters in Discrete Regions of the Rat Brain Prior to the Onset and During the Course of Homocysteine-Induced Seizures

Changes in amino acid concentrations were investigated in selected regions of rat brain prior to the onset and during the course of epileptiform seizures induced by L-homocysteine. The concentration of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) decreased preictally in substantia nigra (-18%), caudate putamen (-26%), and inferior colliculus (-46%). After seizure onset, the GABA content was further reduced in substantia nigra (-31%) and additionally in hippocampus (-18%). Preictal taurine levels were elevated in globus pallidus (+26%) and caudate putamen (+13%) but returned to normal after seizure onset. However, in hippocampus, taurine decreased both preictally (-22%) and after seizure onset (-56%). Glycine was reduced preictally only in globus pallidus (-13%). After seizure onset the direction of its concentration change varied in the brain regions studied. Glutamate levels decreased preictally in hippocampus (-10%) and hypothalamus (-46%) but increased in globus pallidus (+14%). Normal levels were detectable after seizure onset in hypothalamus and globus pallidus but a further reduction in hippocampus (-59%) and significant reductions in substantia nigra (-15%) and caudate putamen (-17%) were detected. Aspartate was elevated in hippocampus, both preictally (+49%) and after seizure onset (+21%) while at the same phases in globus pallidus a consistent reduction (-30%) was observed. The glutamine content increased preictally in globus pallidus (+41%) and hypothalamus (+36%), and in all brain areas during the ictal phase of seizure, the hippocampus exhibiting a dramatic increase (approximately 300%). The contents of serine and alanine were altered in most regions studied only after seizure onset, with the exception of the hippocampus, where a decrease (-41%) of serine was observed preictally.     

Failure of Glucose and Branched-Chain Amino Acids to Normalize Brain Glucose Use in Portacaval Shunted Rats

Several abnormalities in brain and plasma amino acid concentrations caused by portacaval shunting in rats return toward normal after 4 days of intravenous infusion with either glucose or glucose with branched-chain amino acids. To assess the effect of such treatment on brain energy metabolism, regional brain glucose use was measured using [14C]glucose and autoradiography, 5 weeks after portacaval shunting. In one experiment intravenous glucose or glucose with branched-chain amino acids was given for 4 days. In a separate experiment the treatment was given orally for 2 weeks, and in addition to glucose use, brain monoamines and amino acids were measured. No other food was provided; the rats had free access to water. Normally fed shunted rats and sham-operated rats served as controls. Both types of oral treatment lowered the high concentrations of tyrosine, phenylalanine, and glutamine in plasma and brain. Glucose without amino acids normalized brain tryptophan. Levels of brain norepinephrine, 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin), and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were significantly raised after shunting. Treatment had no effect on norepinephrine but the glucose diet brought the indoles into the normal range. In contrast, neither intravenous nor oral treatment affected brain glucose use, which remained depressed by 25-30% in all brain areas examined.     

Effects of Kainic Acid in Rat Brain Synaptosomes: The Involvement of Calcium

Abstract: The effects of kainic acid were investigated in preparations of rat brain synaptosomes. It was found that kainic acid inhibited competitively the uptake of d -[³H]aspartate, with a K _i of approximately 0.3 m m . Kainic acid also caused release of two excitatory amino acid neurotranstnitters, aspartate and glutamate, in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, but had no effect on the content of γ-aminobutyric acid. Concomitant with the release of aspartate and glutamate, depolarization of the synaptosomal membrane and an increase in intracellular calcium were observed, with no measurable change in the concentration of internal sodium ions. The increase in intrasynaptosomal calcium and decrease in transmem-brane electrical potential were prevented by the addition of glutamate, whereas the kainate-induced release of ra-dioactive aspartate was substantially inhibited by lowering the concentration of calcium in the external medium. It is postulated that kainic acid reacts with a class of glutamate receptors located in a subpopulation of synaptosomes, presumably derived from the glutamatergic and aspartatergic neuronal pathways, which possesses high-affinity uptake system(s) for glutamate and/or aspartate. Activation of these receptors causes opening of calcium channels, influx of calcium into the synaptosomes, and depolarization of the synaptosomal plasma membrane with consequent release of amino acid neurotransmitters.     

木豆素对慢性不可预见温和应激小鼠的抗抑郁作用

目的观察木豆素于抗抑郁方面的作用,并初步探讨其可能的作用机制。方法采用小鼠慢性不可预见温和应激模型(chronic unpredictable mild stress,CUMS),进行糖水偏好实验评价经木豆素处理的小鼠的快感缺失情况,采用酶联免疫吸附测定法测定小鼠血清皮质酮的含量,采用LC-MS/MS法检测小鼠皮层和海马中多种神经递质的含量。结果木豆素可以逆转CUMS引起的糖水偏爱指数降低和血清皮质酮水平升高。并且与正常组相比,模型组小鼠皮层和海马中相关神经递质的含量发生了显著的改变,而木豆素给药对于CUMS小鼠体内相关神经递质具有明显的调节作用。结论木豆素可能通过降低血清皮质酮水平和调节脑内神经递质来实现抗抑郁作用。