Lack of Change in Basal Ganglia Neuropeptide Content Following Subacute 1-Methyl-4-Phenyl-1,2,3,6-Tetrahydropyridine Treatment of the Common Marmoset

Treatment of common marmosets with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP; 1-4 mg/kg for up to 4 days) caused a profound parkinsonian state. Ten days from the start of MPTP treatment, all animals showed marked motor impairment, consisting of bradykinesia and akinesia, limb rigidity, postural abnormalities, loss of vocalisation and blink reflex, and, on occasions, postural tremor. Measurement of caudate-putamen monoamine content at this time showed a profound loss in 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethylamine, homovanillic acid, and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid concentrations. Measurement of neuropeptide concentrations in the caudate-putamen, internal and external segments of the globus pallidus, nucleus accumbens, substantia nigra, frontal cortex, and hippocampus showed met-enkephalin, leu-enkephalin, and cholecystokinin (CCK-8) concentrations to be unaffected by MPTP treatment. There was a small decrease in the substance P content of frontal cortex, but otherwise the content of this neuropeptide was unaltered. Parkinsonism in the marmoset, induced by MPTP treatment 10 days earlier, does not alter neuropeptide concentrations in the manner observed in Parkinson's disease.     

Changes in Nine Enzyme Markers for Neurons, Glia, and Endothelial Cells in Agonal State and Huntington''s Disease Caudate Nucleus

Enzymes considered to be markers for neurons (angiotensin converting enzyme, thermolysin-like metalloendopeptidase, alanine aminopeptidase, and glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase), glia (glutamine synthetase, pyruvate carboxylase, and beta-glucuronidase), and endothelial cells (alkaline phosphatase and plasminogen activator) were measured in caudate nucleus from 10 sudden death controls, eight agonal state controls, and 16 Huntington's disease patients. Glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase was slightly reduced by agonal state. The four enzymes with a neuronal distribution were all correlatively reduced in Huntington's disease caudate nucleus. Glutamine synthetase activity was reduced and beta-glucuronidase mean activity increased over twofold in Huntington's disease caudate nucleus, with the two enzyme activities being inversely related. Pyruvate carboxylase was markedly affected by agonal state and was very variable in Huntington's disease caudate nucleus. The two endothelial enzymes were unaltered in Huntington's disease caudate nucleus. The findings are indicative of neuronal loss, an increased proportion of altered glia, and also of maintained vasculature in Huntington's disease caudate nucleus. Measurement of enzyme activities can help to delineate the types of cell altered in Huntington's disease.     

Increased Acetylcholine Synthesis and Release in Brains of Cats with GM1 Gangliosidosis

Cholinergic processes were measured in motor cortex, hippocampus, and striatum of cats in the terminal stages of GM1 gangliosidosis and compared to those of control cats. The greatest difference observed was elevation in the rate of K+-stimulated release of acetylcholine (ACh) from brain slices prepared from affected cats. The K+-stimulated release of endogenous ACh was increased by 31-43% and of newly synthesized ACh by 19-80% in brain slices from different brain regions. All regions that were examined were affected but the greatest effects occurred in cortex. The rate of synthesis of ACh was elevated in cortical and hippocampal slices. Choline acetyltransferase activity in brain regions of cats with GM1 gangliosidosis was not significantly different from that in controls, whereas high-affinity choline transport in cortical synaptosomes was elevated. Muscarinic receptor binding sites were reduced in the cortex, hippocampus, and striatum of GM1 mutant cats, whereas the apparent affinity was not altered. These results indicate that there are major alterations of cholinergic function in the brains of cats with GM1 gangliosidosis.     

一种新病毒——兔出血症病毒的鉴定初报

从我国新发生的一种家兔急性败血性传染病死兔内脏抽提物中,观察到典型的病毒粒子,回归兔可引起典型发病,再从病死兔内脏回收到同样病毒,证明该病系病毒性传染病,暂定名为“兔病毒性出血症”,病原暂定为“兔出血症病毒”。经初步鉴定,认为本病毒可能是一种首次发现的新病毒,属双股RNA病毒。但从病毒大小和核酸节段看,又不同于呼肠病毒科。最终归属正在进一步研究。     

In vitro culture of the strobilar stage of Echinococcus granulosus from protoscoleces of human, camel, cattle, sheep and goat origin from Kenya and buffalo origin from India

Protoscoleces from human, camel, cattle, sheep, goat (all from Kenya) and buffalo (from India) hydatid cysts were cultured under identical conditions in vitro using the diphasic culture system of Smyth (1979b). Organisms from all sources grew and segmented in culture. Genital anlagen developed in all cultured worms but further genital differentiation occurred only in cultures of cattle (testes) and camel (testes and genital pore) material. The possible significance of these results is discussed in relation to the general epidemiology of hydatid disease and the potential infectivity of the different strains to man.