Abstracts of the twenty-seventh annual meeting of the Japanese society of biometeorology

Prepared by T. Nakayama, President of Japanese Society of Biometeorology, Osaka University Medical School, Kita-ku, Osaka 530, Japan     

Prostaglandin D2 diminishes transmucosal potential difference in rat colonic mucosa in vitro in contrast to the increasing effect of prostaglandin E1

The effect of Prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) on ion transport was investigated in the rat colon in vitro. Ion transport across the intestinal mucosa was estimated by transmucosal potential difference (PD) and short circuit current (Isc) in the Ussing chamber. PGD2 added to the serosal reservoir induced a sustained reduction in PD and Isc at the concentration of higher than 10(-7)M, producing the maximal decrease at 10(-5)M. PGD2 at 10(-5)M completely blocked the increase in PD elicited by prostaglandin E1 (PGE1), theophylline, dibutyryl cAMP or serotonin. Adenylate cyclase activity was determined in the colonic mucosal homogenates after addition of PGD2 and PGE1. Treatment with PGD2 or PGE1 caused a significant increase in the enzyme activity. Combined treatment with both prostaglandins induced no more increase than that elicited by PGE1 alone. These results suggest that PGD2 has an anti-secretory effect on the rat colon and it may regulate the ion transport process through other mechanism than the modification of cyclic AMP concentration in mucosal cells.     

Seasonal variations in the responses of glycolytic intermediates of human erythrocytes to acute cold exposure

Seven male students were studied to observe the effects of acute cold exposure (at 10°C for 60 min) on erythrocyte concentrations of glycolytic intermediates in summer and in winter. The subjects shivered slightly but frankly in both experiments. Significant decreases were observed in the concentrations of pyruvate and lactate during body cooling in summer, but not in winter. The lactate concentration remained significantly reduced 15 min after cold exposure. After 60 min of cold exposure in summer, a negative crossover point appeared to exist between phosphoenolpyruvate and pyruvate and erythrocyte pyruvate kinase activity showed a significant decrease. No seasonal difference was observed in the initial control values of the intermediates measured. From these results and the fact that glucose, pyruvate and lactate are evenly distributed between erythrocytes and plasma, it is likely that erythrocytes and skeletal muscles need less fuel substrate, glucose during cold exposure in winter than in summer, suggesting that an increased economy of energy for homeostasis is achieved.     

Effect of food restriction on cold adaptability of rats

To determine the role of the nutritional state in nonshivering thermogenesis during cold adaptation, cold adaptability was compared between cold-adapted (5 degrees C for 4-5 weeks) rats fed ad libitum and cold-adapted rats pair fed with warm controls having the same food intake. Cold-adapted pair-fed rats suffered a significant loss in body weight during cold exposure. However, brown adipose tissue (BAT) in both cold-adapted ad libitum fed and cold-adapted pair-fed rats was enlarged to the same extent as compared with that in control rats. Fat-free dry matter in BAT also increased in cold-adapted ad libitum fed and cold-adapted pair-fed rats to the same extent. Cold tolerance as assessed by the change in the colonic temperature at -5 degrees C was improved relative to control rats and was the same for cold-adapted ad libitum fed and cold-adapted pair-fed rats. Nonshivering thermogenesis as estimated by the noradrenaline-induced increase in oxygen consumption was significantly greater in the cold-exposed rats and there was no significant difference between cold-adapted ad libitum fed and cold-adapted pair-fed rats. These results suggest that an improved cold tolerance by means of nonshivering thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue is closely related to the low temperature itself but not the increased food intake which occurred in the cold.     

False positive reaction for carcinoembryonic antigen in paget cells

Virchows Archiv B Cell Pathology - Paget cells from cases of mammary and extramammary Paget’s disease were examined for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CEA-related antigens by the...     

The role of β- and α-adrenoreceptors on blood flow and temperature of brown adipose tissue and involvement of nitric oxide in their effects

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2. 1. Isoproterenol increased interscapular brown adipose tissue (BAT) blood flow and temperature.

3. 2. Phenylephrine increased BAT temperature, but did not affect blood flow. The effect was completely suppressed by N^ω-nitro- -arginine methyl ester ( -NAME), an inhibitor of endogenous NO synthesis.

4. 3. Isoproterenol plus phenylephrine increased BAT blood flow and temperature earlier than isoproterenol alone.

5. 4. CL316,243 increased BAT blood flow and temperature. These effects were also inhibited by -NAME.

6. 5. These data suggest that BAT blood flow as well as thermogenesis is regulated mainly by β-adrenoreceptors and partly by α₁-adrenoreceptors, and NO may be a common mediator for their regulations.

     

Immunohistochemical characteristics of the constituents of senile plaques and amyloid angiopathy in aged cynomolgus monkeys

Abstract: In this study, we immunohistochemically examined the several constituents of senile plaques (SPs) and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) in aged cynomolgus monkeys. Apolipoprotein E (apoE) deposited in all mature plaques and CAA, and in half of the diffuse plaques. Alpha-1-antichymotripsin (αACT) deposited in half of the mature plaques and in one third of the CAA. Amyloid precursor protein (APP), ubiquitin (Ub), and microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) accumulated in the swollen neurites of mature plaques. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was detected in the astrocytes and their processes surrounding the mature plaques. Tau was detected in neither the SPs nor CAA. Therefore, mature plaques involved extracellular Aβ, apoE, and αACT, and also astrocytes and swollen neurites. However, diffuse plaques involved only extracellular Aβ and apoE. Since these features, except for tau, were consistent with those in humans, this animal model will be useful for studying the pathogenesis of cerebral amyloid deposition.     

Structure of the Gene for an Auxin-Binding Protein and a Gene for 7SL RNA from Arabidopsis thaliana

A genomic clone encoding an auxin-binding protein (ABP) fromthe endoplasmic reticulum was isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana.The ABP gene consisted of 5 exons and 4 introns and encodeda polypeptide of 198 residues. A gene encoding the 7SL RNA ofthe signal recognition particle was located downstream of theABP gene. ⁴Recipient of a scholarship from the National Education Commission,People's Republic of China.