Cysteine: Depolarization-Induced Release from Rat Brain In Vitro

Compounds released on depolarization in a Ca2+-dependent manner from rat brain slices were screened to identify candidates for neuroactive substances. Lyophilized superfusates were analyzed by reversed-phase HPLC after derivatization with 9-fluorenyl N-succinimidyl carbonate. One of the compounds that showed an increase of concentration in superfusates in the presence of iodoacetamide was identified as the cysteine (Cys) derivative, S-carboxamidomethylcysteine, by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry and other methods. This stable Cys derivative originates from endogenous, extracellular Cys. The finding led to a method for quantification of Cys in superfusates by immediate cooling of the superfusates to 0 degrees C and reaction of Cys with N-ethylmaleimide. Depolarization-induced Ca2+-dependent release of Cys was most prominent in the neocortex, followed by the mesodiencephalon, striatum, and cerebellum. This suggests that Cys is released from a neuronal compartment and might be involved in neurotransmission.     

Release of Endogenous Glutamate,Aspartate, GABA,and Taurine from Hippocampal Slices from Adult and Developing Mice under Cell-Damaging Conditions

The releases of endogenous glutamate, aspartate, GABA and taurine from hippocampal slices from 7-day-, 3-, 12-, and 18-month-old mice were investigated under cell-damaging conditions using a superfusion system. The slices were superfused under hypoxic conditions in the presence and absence of glucose and exposed to hydrogen peroxide. In the adult hippocampus under normal conditions the basal release of taurine was highest, with a response only about 2-fold to potassium stimulation (50 mM). The low basal releases of glutamate, aspartate, and GABA were markedly potentiated by K⁺ ions. In general, the release of the four amino acids was enhanced under all above cell-damaging conditions. In hypoxia and ischemia (i.e., hypoxia in the absence of glucose) the release of glutamate, aspartate and GABA increased relatively more than that of taurine, and membrane depolarization by K⁺ markedly potentiated the release processes. Taurine release was doubled in hypoxia and tripled in ischemia but K⁺ stimulation was abolished. In both the mature and immature hippocampus the release of glutamate and aspartate was greatly enhanced in the presence of H₂O₂, that of aspartate particularly in developing mice. In the immature hippocampus the increase in taurine release was 10-fold in hypoxia and 30-fold in ischemia, and potassium stimulation was partly preserved. The release processes of the four amino acids in ischemia were all partially Ca²⁺-dependent. High concentrations of excitatory amino acids released under cell-damaging conditions are neurotoxic and contribute to neuronal death during ischemia. The substantial amounts of the inhibitory amino acids GABA and taurine released simultaneously may constitute an important protective mechanism against excitatory amino acids in excess, counteracting their harmful effects. In the immature hippocampus in particular, the massive release of taurine under cell-damaging conditions may have a significant function in protecting neural cells and aiding in preserving their viability.     

Influence of pipecolic acid on the release and uptake of [3H]GABA from brain slices of mouse cerebral cortex

Recently, pipecolic acid (PA) has been involved in the functioning of the GABAergic system. In the present work we have studied the effect of PA on GABA uptake and release in cerebral cortex slices. PA (100 M) was able to increase the release of [³H]GABA (90%) stimulated by mild depolarization with 15 mM potassium. If during the labeling of the tissue with [³H]GABA, -alanine was present, PA also enhanced the release (42%). However, when nipecotic acid was present instead -alanine, no stimulation of [³H]GABA release by potassium was observed neither in the control nor in the presence of PA. Spontaneous release was not affected by PA in any of the experimental conditions tested. In uptake experiments, only when -alanine was present in the medium PA significantly diminished the uptake (36%) of [³H]GABA. These results suggest that the effect of PA is mostly at the presynaptic level, inhibiting the neuronal GABA uptake and/or enhancing its release.     

Thyrotrophin-Releasing Hormone Analogues Increase Dopamine Release from Slices of Rat Brain

Abstract: Rat brain slices were incubated with a high concentration of K⁺, thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH), or one of two biologically stable TRH analogues (CG 3509 or RX 77368). Basal release of endogenous dopamine, measured by electrochemical detection, was increased by K⁺ (30 m M ) from slices of hypothalamus, septum, nucleus accumbens, and striatum. CG 3509 (10⁵–10⁻³ M ) increased the release of dopamine from slices of nucleus accumbens, septum, and hypothalamus in a dose-dependent fashion, whereas RX 77368 (10⁻⁴ M ) increased the release of dopamine from the septum only. Neither analogue increased the release of striatal dopamine. The results provide further evidence for specific regional interactions between TRH and dopamine in rat brain.     

七氟醚对大鼠海马脑片缺血损伤的保护作用

目的:探讨七氟醚对脑缺血损伤的保护作用及其机制。方法:用电生理细胞外记录的方法和组织学检查的技术,观察对照组、2%七氟醚组和4%七氟醚组对缺氧无糖(OGD)及谷氨酸(Glu)损伤所致的大鼠海马脑片CA1区顺向群峰电位(OPS)的影响及各组脑片超微结构的变化。结果:对照组和2%七氟醚组在OGD和Glu损伤后海马脑片OPS很难恢复;4%七氟醚组明显改善OPS的恢复程度和恢复率,减轻海马CA1区神经元细胞损伤。电镜观察可见,对照组OGD和Glu损伤后海马CA1区锥体细胞明显水肿,核膜不完整,核染色加深,核内染色质凝聚成块,胞浆中内质网高度扩张,线粒体水肿;2%七氟醚组与对照组相似;4%七氟醚组细胞水肿不显,核膜完整,核内染色质轻度凝聚,内质网轻度扩张,线粒体无明显水肿。结论:4%七氟醚对大鼠海马脑片OGD损伤有保护作用,可能与减轻兴奋性Glu毒性有关。     

大鼠离体脑片癫痫放电特征及EC—海马环路的作用

目的和方法：采用４００～５００μｍ大鼠水平脑切片强直电刺激海马Ｓｃｈａｅｆｅｒ侧枝（６０Ｈｚ、２ｓ）全细胞、细胞外同步记录ＣＡ１神经元胞体电活动和相应树突区场电位,探讨其在癫痫发生中的作用。结果：①５３片脑片上记录到细胞内、外同步发生的原发性后放,持续２０ｓ以上,放电形式和持续时间常在第６个刺激串后趋于稳定。ＣＡ１神经元的原发性后放常跟在强直电刺激引起的阵发性去极化或超极化偏移之后（ＰＤＳ、ＰＨＳ）。它可以从紧张性放电向爆发性放电转化,振幅逐渐递增并与细胞外癫痫样放电同步,产生癫痫放电极性偏移;②其中８／４０脑片细胞外可记录到继发性后放之后出现的自发性发作样癫痫放电,长达数分钟,与全细胞记录的ＥＰＳＰ同步。切断ＥＣ与海马之间的联系可以易化海马癫痫电活动（３／５）。结论：ＥＣ输入到海马的神经通路可能在封闭的ＥＣ海马环路中起着重要的门控作用     

植物叶表皮永久制片技术的改进

对植物叶表皮永久装片的制作过程,在实践中通过摸索而进行了一些改进,克服了传统叶表皮制片中易出现的几点不足之处,完善并简化了整个制作过程。新的永久的制片技术可以为从事植物形态分类学基础研究的工作者们提供基础的技术支持。     

Calcium-Dependent Release of Tyrosine in Brain Elicited by Stimulation of Neuropeptide Receptors

We sought to establish whether the endogenous opiate-receptor agonist Met-enkephalin (m-ENK) selectively modulates the release of endogenous tyrosine (Tyr) from brain slices prepared from the corpus striatum (CS). Amino acids (AAs) released from slices of CS and, for comparison, cerebral cortex (Cx) were measured by HPLC. Incubation of slices with m-ENK (1-10 microM) increased the basal release of Tyr (up to 293% of control) from CS, but not Cx, whereas other nonneurotransmitter AAs, phenylalanine (Phe) and valine (Val), were unchanged. The release of the putative neurotransmitter AAs glutamate (Glu), taurine (Tau), and glycine (Gly) were similarly increased by 50-150% with m-ENK in slices of CS, but not Cx. The enhanced release of AAs by m-ENK was prevented by removal of extracellular Ca2+ or by preincubation with the opiate receptor antagonist naloxone. Neuronal depolarization by potassium (5-55 mM) in the presence of Ca2+ did not affect the release of Tyr, whereas release of neurotransmitter AAs such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were markedly increased. The increase in basal Tyr release by m-ENK was not the result of a decreased uptake of Tyr. Relative to slices, the basal release of Tyr, Phe, and Val from a synaptosomal (P2) preparation of CS was small (8-51%) compared to that of GABA, Gly, Glu, and Tau (49-123%). Nonetheless, m-ENK (10 microM) markedly increased the release of Tyr (to 833%), but not Glu, Gly, and Tau from the P2 fraction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Glucose and amino acid metabolism in chick telencephalon slices: Changes with incubation conditions and animals' development

Glucose and amino acid metabolism in 1- and 30-day-old chick telencephalon slices was studied in two incubation media in the presence or in the absence of a continuous oxygenation. Medium 1 has a composition and a tonicity similar to cerebrospinal fluid, medium 2 is hypertonic and does not contain any K⁺ ions. The incorporation of glucose carbon into amino acids and the distribution of radioactivity between the different amino acids are close to the ones observed in the chick brain in vivo only when the slices are incubated in medium 1, with oxygen at 30 days and without oxygen for the 1-day-old chick. It also appears that if oxygenation is necessary for incubation of mature brain tissue in vitro, the absence of the medium oxygenation is more suitable for the study of glucose metabolism in 1-day-old chick brain slices.     

Effect of Chronic Lithium Treatment on 5-Hydroxytryptamine Autoreceptors and Release of 5-[3H]Hydroxytryptamine from Rat Brain Cortical, Hippocampal, and Hypothalamic Slices

The effect of acute and chronic lithium treatments on 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) release and on its regulation by presynaptic 5-HT autoreceptors was studied in [3H]5-HT preloaded superfused rat brain slices. The [3H]5-HT overflow evoked by a 30-s exposure to 65 mM K+ was increased after 3 weeks of ingestion of lithium-containing diet in the three brain areas examined. Acute injection of 4 mEq/kg lithium chloride did not affect 5-HT release. The K+-induced release observed in both control and chronically lithium-treated animals was Ca2+-dependent. Chronic lithium treatment was also found to be associated with a decrease in basal [3H]5-HT overflow in the cortex and hypothalamus but not in hippocampus [corrected]. The Ca2+-independent overflow induced by fenfluramine was also decreased in cortical slices from lithium-treated animals. The sensitivity of the inhibitory 5-HT autoreceptors was assessed by the response to the 5-HT agonist 5-methoxytryptamine. The results indicate a marked reduction in the maximal inhibition of [3H]5-HT release induced by 5-methoxytryptamine in slices obtained from animals which have been treated with lithium for 3 weeks. These data suggest that the functional down regulation of the prejunctional 5-HT sites may be responsible for the increase in K+-stimulated 5-HT overflow in brain slices of animals treated chronically with lithium.