Developmental Exposure to Fluoxetine Modulates the Serotonin System in Hypothalamus

The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) fluoxetine (FLU, Prozac®) is commonly prescribed for depression in pregnant women. This results in SSRI exposure of the developing fetus. However, there are knowledge gaps regarding the impact of SSRI exposure during development. Given the role of serotonin in brain development and its cross-talk with sex hormone function, we investigated effects of developmental exposure to pharmacologically relevant concentrations of FLU (3 and 30 nM (measured)) on brain neurotransmitter levels, gonadal differentiation, aromatase activity in brain and gonads, and the thyroid system, using the Xenopus tropicalis model. Tadpoles were chronically exposed (8 weeks) until metamorphosis. At metamorphosis brains were cryosectioned and levels of serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and their metabolites 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, and homovanillic acid were measured in discrete regions (telencephalon, hypothalamus and the reticular formation) of the cryosections using high-performance liquid chromatography. Exposure to 30 nM FLU increased the concentration of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in hypothalamus compared with controls. FLU exposure did not affect survival, time to metamorphosis, thyroid histology, gonadal sex differentiation, or aromatase activity implying that the effect on the serotonergic neurotransmitter system in the hypothalamus region was specific. The FLU concentration that impacted the serotonin system is lower than the concentration measured in umbilical cord serum, suggesting that the serotonin system of the developing brain is highly sensitive to in utero exposure to FLU. To our knowledge this is the first study showing effects of developmental FLU exposure on brain neurochemistry. Given that SSRIs are present in the aquatic environment the current results warrant further investigation into the neurobehavioral effects of SSRIs in aquatic wildlife.     

The mature embryo sac of the sugar beet, Beta vulgaris: A structural investigation

The mature embryo sac of Beta vulgaris consists of one egg cell, one persistent and one degenerated synergid, one cental cell with two fused polar nuclei, and five to six antipodals. The degeneration of one of the synergids appears before pollination in the maturing process. The two fused polar nuclei are located in the chalazal part of the central cell. The antipodals may have secretory activities. It is suggested that the embryo sac of the sugar beet completes the maturing process independently of pollination.     

N-Deacetylation of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-hexosecontaining oligosaccharides and polysaccharides by calcium in liquid ammonia

N-Deacetylation of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-hexose residues is accomplished in liquid ammonia containing calcium. Oligosaccharides, lacto-N-fucopentaose II and lacto-N-difucohexaose I, containing 3,4-disubstitutedN-acetylhexosamine residues are quantitativelyN-deacetylated. When applied to polysaccharides, however, only partialN-deacetylation was achieved.Author for correspondence. AXRD     

The use of poly(L-proline)-Sepharose in the isolation of profilin and profilactin complexes

In the purification of proline hydroxylase by affinity chromatography on poly(L-proline)-Sepharose it was found earlier that two other components, profilin and the complex profilin-actin, also bind with high affinity to this matrix. We have exploited this observation to develop a rapid procedure for the isolation of profilin and profilin-actin complexes in high yields directly from high-speed supernatants of crude tissue-extracts. Through an extensive search for elution conditions, avoiding poly(L-proline) as the desorbant, we have found that active proteins can be recovered from the affinity column with a buffer containing 30% dimethyl sulphoxide. Subsequent chromatography on hydroxylapatite separates free profilin and the two isoforms of profilactin, profilin-actin_β and profilin-actin_γ. The profilin-actin complexes produced this way have high specific activities in the DNAase-inhibition assay, give rise to filaments on addition of Mg²⁺, and can be crystallized. From the isolated profilin-actin complexes the β- and γ-actin isoforms of non-muscle cells can easily be prepared in a polymerization competent form. Pure profilin is either obtained from an excess pool present in some extracts or by dissociation of profilin-actin complexes and removal of the actin.     

Enigmatic Cyst-Forming Sporozoon in the Spinal Cord of a Dog

A female racing greyhound dog was presented to the clinic at the age of 3 months with a 2 months’ history of irregular hindleg movements and thin hindleg muscles. On examination 1 month later, a squatting standing posture, a week proprio-ceptive positioning reaction, and severe atrophy and pain of the lumbar and thigh muscles, were evident. The dog was sacrificed and necropsied. The adrenals, hindleg muscles, kidneys, myo-cardium, peripheral nerves, spinal cord, thyroid, and tonsils were fixed in 10 % neutral buffered formalin and processed for histo-pathology.     

Evaluation of the Subhuman Primate Pregnancy Test Kit for the detection of early pregnancy in the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta)

The performance of The Subhuman Primate Pregnancy Test Kit was evaluated for routine detection of early (days 19-21) pregnancy in the rhesus monkey. Out of 123 confirmed matings, 19 resulted in pregnancy. In the pregnant animals the kit had an accuracy of 73.7%. In the nonpregnant females the accuracy was higher, 88.5%. False positives were encountered in ovariectomized females as well as adult intact males.     

Production and characterization of KDO-specific monoclonal antibodies recognizing lipopolysaccharides from heptoseless mutants of Salmonella

Abstract Hybrid cell lines producing monoclonal antibodies with specificity for the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from the deep rough mutant Salmonella minnesota R595 have been established. Spleen cells from BALB/c mice immunized with live R595 bacteria were fused with Sp 2/0 myeloma cells and three hybridomas producing antibodies specific for heptoseless LPS from Salmonella were selected. All three monoclonal antibodies were shown to bind only to heptoseless, but 3-deoxy- d -manno-octulosonic acid (KDO) containing LPS when tested in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) against a set of structurally defined LPS and lipid A from Salmonella, Shigella and Escherichia coli . Synthetic KDO was an efficient inhibitor of the antibody-R595 LPS interaction defining that KDO is in an immunodeterminant position interacting with the monoclonal antibodies.     

Expression of the gene encoding protein A in Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci

Two shuttle vectors containing the gene for protein A (spa) from Staphylococcus aureus have been constructed to study expression of the gene in various strains of S. aureus and in the coagulase-negative species Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus capitis, and Staphylococcus xylosus. One plasmid, pSPA15, contains the complete structural gene for protein A, which binds to the cell wall in various Staphylococcus species. The other plasmid, pSPA16, codes for a truncated protein A lacking the C-terminal part called region X. The latter is exclusively extracellular in all Staphylococcus species tested, which confirms the importance of region X for cell wall binding. The expression of the plasmid-coded protein A in various strains of S. aureus is strongly correlated to the expression of the chromosomal spa gene. The coagulase-negative species expressing plasmid-encoded protein A produce 12 to 30% of the amount coded by the chromosomal spa gene in S. aureus strains Cowan I and A676.