Concurrent modulation of extracellular levels of noradrenaline and cAMP during stress and by anxiogenic- or anxiolytic-like neuropeptides in the prefrontal cortex of awake rats

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of stress and the role of locally infused anxiogenic-like neuropeptides galanin, CCK-8, vasopressin, substance P and neurokinin A, and anxiolytic-like peptides NPY, nociceptin/orphanin FQ, somatostatin and neurotensin, on modulation of noradrenaline (NA) and cAMP efflux monitored simultaneously by microdialysis in the medial prefronatal cortex of awake rats. Concentrations of cAMP were determined by a newly developed method based on derivatization of cAMP with 2-chloroacetaldehyde followed by HPLC with fluorescence detection. Local infusion of forskolin (10 and 30 μM) dose-dependently increased the cAMP levels to 417% and 1050% of the control group, respectively. Similarly, local infusion of NA (10 μM) increased the cAMP to the peak level of 168%. A 5-min tail pinch and a 10-min swim stress rapidly increased the NA and cAMP levels to 167% and 203% (NA) and 141% and 161% (cAMP), respectively. Infusion of galanin and CCK-8 (0.5 nmol, and 1.5 nmol/0.5 μl) dose-dependently increased NA to the peak levels of 191% and 179% and cAMP levels to 174% and 166%, respectively. The peak levels following infusions of vasopressin, substance P and neurokinin A were 91%, 135% and 86% for NA and 131%, 83% and 76% for cAMP, respectively. Infusions of anxiolytic-like peptides at highest concentrations significantly increased (NPY, 136%) or decreased (nociceptin, 71%; somatostatin, 86%) the NA levels, whereas neurotensin had no effect. The cAMP levels decreased to 86% (NPY, neurotensin), 78% (nociceptin), somatostatin infusion was without effect. The present findings confirmed a close correlation between the stress-induced increases in prefrontal cortical NA and cAMP levels, as well as, concurrent changes in NA and cAMP levels following infusions of galanin and CCK-8 (increased levels) and nociceptin/orphanin FQ (decreased levels). Infusions of other neuropeptides showed a more complex pattern of NA and cAMP responses.     

Improvement of daytime rapid eye movement parameters following a hot bath in night-shift workers

Sleep and Biological Rhythms - The sleep-promoting effect of a hot bath on daytime sleep after night-shift work was assessed by polysomnography. Having an unlimited daytime sleep opportunity,...     

Cohesin mediates chromatin interactions that regulate mammalian β-globin expression

The β-globin locus undergoes dynamic chromatin interaction changes in differentiating erythroid cells that are thought to be important for proper globin gene expression. However, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. The CCCTC-binding factor, CTCF, binds to the insulator elements at the 5' and 3' boundaries of the locus, but these sites were shown to be dispensable for globin gene activation. We found that, upon induction of differentiation, cohesin and the cohesin loading factor Nipped-B-like (Nipbl) bind to the locus control region (LCR) at the CTCF insulator and distal enhancer regions as well as at the specific target globin gene that undergoes activation upon differentiation. Nipbl-dependent cohesin binding is critical for long-range chromatin interactions, both between the CTCF insulator elements and between the LCR distal enhancer and the target gene. We show that the latter interaction is important for globin gene expression in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, the results indicate that such cohesin-mediated chromatin interactions associated with gene regulation are sensitive to the partial reduction of Nipbl caused by heterozygous mutation. This provides the first direct evidence that Nipbl haploinsufficiency affects cohesin-mediated chromatin interactions and gene expression. Our results reveal that dynamic Nipbl/cohesin binding is critical for developmental chromatin organization and the gene activation function of the LCR in mammalian cells.     

HLF/HIF-2alpha is a key factor in retinopathy of prematurity in association with erythropoietin

An HLF (HIF-1alpha-like factor)/HIF-2alpha-knockout mouse is embryonic lethal, preventing investigation of HLF function in adult mice. To investigate the role of HLF in adult pathological angiogenesis, we generated HLF-knockdown (HLF(kd/kd)) mice by inserting a neomycin gene sandwiched between two loxP sequences into exon 1 of the HLF gene. HLF(kd/kd) mice expressing 80-20% reduction, depending on the tissue, in wild-type HLF mRNA were fertile and apparently normal. Hyperoxia-normoxia treatment, used as a murine model of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), induced neovascularization in wild-type mice, but not in HLF(kd/kd) mice, whereas prolonged normoxia following hyperoxic treatment caused degeneration of retinal neural layers in HLF(kd/kd) mice due to poor vascularization. Cre-mediated removal of the inserted gene recovered normal HLF expression and retinal neovascularization in HLF(kd/kd) mice. Expression levels of various angiogenic factors revealed that only erythropoietin (Epo) gene expression was significantly affected, in parallel with HLF expression. Together with the results from intraperitoneal injection of Epo into HLF(kd/kd) mouse, this suggests that Epo is one of the target genes of HLF responsible for experimental ROP.     

A meiotic DNA polymerase from Coprinus cinereus: further purification and characterization

A meiotic DNA polymerase that is present at a high level of activity in meiotic cells of a basidiomycete, Coprinus cinereus, was purified to near homogeneity using synthetic RNA homopolymer [poly(C)] cellulose column chromatography. This report presents the first extensive purification and characterization of any eukaryotic DNA polymerase having a role in meiosis. This enzyme is a single polypeptide with a molecular mass of 65,000. Activity in this enzyme requires magnesium ions and occurs at an optimal pH of 7.5. It is strongly inhibited by dideoxythymidine triphosphate but is relatively insensitive to aphidicolin and N-ethylmaleimide and can use poly(C)/oligo(dG)_12–18 as a template-primer. Polymerase activity can be found only in cells at meiotic prophase, even though the enzyme has been identified in somatic cells in an inactive state using immunoblot analysis. Its distinctive distribution makes possible a genetic and biochemical analysis of functional role of a meiotic DNA polymerase in meiotic recombination, repair and synthesis.Abbreviations ddTTP 2,3-dideoxythymidine 5-triphosphate - NEM N-ethylmaleimide - PMSF phenylmethylsulfnylfluoride - BSA bovine serum albumin     

Fgf8 expression defines a morphogenetic center required for olfactory neurogenesis and nasal cavity development in the mouse

In vertebrate olfactory epithelium (OE), neurogenesis proceeds continuously, suggesting that endogenous signals support survival and proliferation of stem and progenitor cells. We used a genetic approach to test the hypothesis that Fgf8 plays such a role in developing OE. In young embryos, Fgf8 RNA is expressed in the rim of the invaginating nasal pit (NP), in a small domain of cells that overlaps partially with that of putative OE neural stem cells later in gestation. In mutant mice in which the Fgf8 gene is inactivated in anterior neural structures, FGF-mediated signaling is strongly downregulated in both OE proper and underlying mesenchyme by day 10 of gestation. Mutants survive gestation but die at birth, lacking OE, vomeronasal organ (VNO), nasal cavity, forebrain, lower jaw, eyelids and pinnae. Analysis of mutants indicates that although initial NP formation is grossly normal, cells in the Fgf8-expressing domain undergo high levels of apoptosis, resulting in cessation of nasal cavity invagination and loss of virtually all OE neuronal cell types. These findings demonstrate that Fgf8 is crucial for proper development of the OE, nasal cavity and VNO, as well as maintenance of OE neurogenesis during prenatal development. The data suggest a model in which Fgf8 expression defines an anterior morphogenetic center, which is required not only for the sustenance and continued production of primary olfactory (OE and VNO) neural stem and progenitor cells, but also for proper morphogenesis of the entire nasal cavity.     

Residents’ concerns about lake uses and environments: a comparative study of Lakes Kasumigaura,Suwa, and Biwa in Japan

Lakes are a common water resource. This study analyzed residents’ concerns regarding their lake environments to help solve lake environmental problems. The study area comprised three lakes in Japan—Kasumigaura, Suwa, and Biwa—which have different tendencies to change in water quality. A sample of 1200 respondents was evenly distributed among the three lake regions. A questionnaire survey asked about respondents’ proximity to the lake, their concerns about the lakes’ uses and environments, their evaluations of the lakes, and their opinions regarding environmental improvements. The number of options chosen in response to the multiple-answer questions was used to measure the extent of concern. The results found that knowledge of the water environment, general environmental concerns, the amount of travel time to the lake, and the visiting interval were significantly related to concerns about the lake environment. The results of logistic regression analysis found that high environmental concerns positively influenced attitudes toward lake use. Ways to increase concerns for lake environmental problems and the relationship between concerns and attitudes toward solving lake environmental problems are discussed.