Isolation and characterization of highly purified mosquito oostatic hormone

Oostatic hormone, the hormone that inhibits vitellogenesis in mosquitoes, was purified 7,000-fold with a recovery of 70% from the ovaries of the mosquito Aedes aegypti. The purification procedure included heat treatment and chromatography on ion exchange and gel filtration columns. The hormone is a small peptidelike molecule of molecular weight 2,200 at pH 4.5, which aggregates into larger molecular species of trimer and octamer at pH 7.0 as determined by gel filtration. The hormone is positively charged at pH 7.8 and has a low Rf at pH 9.4 on disc gel electrophoresis. Injection of purified oostatic hormone (9 ng) into female mosquitoes inhibited yolk deposition and vitellogenin synthesis. Activity of the oostatic hormone in the mosquito ovary increased rapidly following blood feeding and reached a maximum after 48 h. Oostatic hormone of A. aegypti injected into autogenous Aedes taeniorhynchus inhibited egg development. Repeated injections of dilute oostatic hormone at 24 h intervals partially arrested egg development, resulting in 60% reduction in the number of eggs laid. This hormone does not block release of egg development neurosecretory hormone (EDNH) from the mosquito brain but rather appears to act on the ovary.     

Modulation of Bradykinin-Induced Inositol Trisphosphate Release in a Novel Neuroblastoma X Dorsal Root Ganglion Sensory Neuron Cell Line (F-11)

In the mouse neuroblastoma x dorsal root ganglion hybrid cell line F-11, bradykinin receptor stimulation induced the release of inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) and inositol-1,4-bisphosphate (IP2). Maximal stimulation of [2-3H]IP3 and [2-3H]IP2 release by bradykinin in the absence of LiCl occurred at 7 (or less) and 15 s, respectively, with average levels of 5.7-(IP3) and 3.4-(IP2) fold of control values. The EC50 for bradykinin was 33 +/- 5 nM. IP3 and IP2 concentrations returned to basal levels approximately 1 min after bradykinin addition. Bradykinin-induced IP3 release was blocked by several novel bradykinin analogues. In particular, [D-Arg0]-Hyp3-Thi5,8-[D-Phe7]-bradykinin [Hyp, hydroxyproline; Thi, beta-(2-thienyl)-L-alanine] blocked IP3 production in a dose-dependent fashion. Several of these analogues alone showed little or no agonist activity. The bradykinin receptor may be coupled to phospholipase C via a GTP-sensitive protein (Gi or Go), as preincubation for 18-20 h with pertussis toxin decreased IP3 concentrations by 45%. Bradykinin is also known to modulate the concentrations of other second messengers in neurons, increasing the concentrations of Ca2+, diacylglycerol (DG), and cyclic GMP and decreasing the concentration of cyclic AMP. These second messengers modulated bradykinin-dependent IP3 release to varying degrees. A23187, a Ca2+ ionophore, produced a 37% decrease in IP3 concentration. 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, which mimics the effects of DG and activates protein kinase C, inhibited IP3 release by 80%. Dibutyryl cyclic GMP produced little or no inhibition of IP3. [D-Ala2,D-Leu5]Enkephalin (DADLE), an opioid peptide that decreases cyclic AMP concentrations, likewise had no effect.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Control of respiratory motor pattern by sensory neurons in spinal cord of lamprey

Summary Extracellular stimulation over the dorsal funiculus in the spinal cord of lampreys was found to selectively activate prolonged episodes of fictive arousal respiration (Figs. 1, 3). The induced episodes showed comparable increases in cycle frequency and motoneuron burst duration to the spontaneous arousal pattern observed in isolated brain preparations (Fig. 2). Intracellular stimulation of primary sensory neurons with axons in the dorsal funiculus, called dorsal cells, also elicited the arousal pattern (Fig. 4). Mechanoreceptive dorsal cells respond to cutaneous stimulation. When mechanical stimuli were applied to the skin of intact lampreys (Fig. 6) or to lampreys with ipsilateral vagotomy, arousal respiration was induced (Figs. 7, 8). Bilateral, but not unilateral, trigeminal lesion blocked dorsal cell induction of the arousal response (Fig. 5). Spontaneous arousal respiration was recorded from intact, unrestrained lampreys (Fig. 9). These results suggest that fictive arousal respiration is the in vitro correlate of natural arousal respiration in lampreys, and that one mechanism leading to arousal respiration may be the activity of sensory dorsal cells. A model for respiratory motor pattern switching in lamprey is proposed. The model suggests that the normal and arousal patterns are produced by separately engaging rostral or caudal pattern generators in the medulla, rather than by modifying one pattern generator (Fig. 10).     

Interactions of chiral molecules with an (r)-n-(3,5-dinitrobenzoyl) phenylglycine HPLC stationary phase

Forty different chiral molecules were studied by liquid chromatography with a Pirkle-type, (R)-N-(3,5-dinitrobenzoyl) phenylglycine (DNBPG), chiral stationary phase column. The dramatic effect of a small molecular change on chiral recognition was demonstrated using DL-amino acid derivatives. The inductive effect on chiral recognition was also studied using trifluoro-, trichloro-, dichloro-, monochloroacetyl, and acetyl derivatives of four different chiral amines. The study of the enantiomer separation of 11 different crown ethers of 2,2′-binaphthyldiyl showed that the rigidity of the chiral center can be an additional parameter in chiral recognition for the DNBPG phase but not for a β-cyclodextrin bonded chiral phase. It is apparent from this study that steric effects, inductive effects, and molecular rigidity play important roles in chiral recognition with DNBPG chiral stationary phases.     

CGRP immunoreactivity and NADPH-diaphorase in afferent nerves of the rat penis

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-immunoreactive afferent nerve fibers are abundant in the rat penis. In addition, NADPH-diaphorase, which stains for nitric oxide synthase, has been localized within both autonomic and sensory dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and may be part of an important biochemical pathway involved in penile tumescence. The purpose of this study was: 1) to examine the circuitry of afferent nerves that are CGRP immunoreactive from the L6 DRG, 2) to examine the possibility that there are NADPH-diaphorase-positive afferent fibers from the L6 DRG to the rat penis, and 3) to examine the localization and colocalization of CGRP and NADPH-diaphorase within L6 DRG afferent perikarya. Calcitonin gene-related peptide immunostaining in the penis was eliminated following a bilateral transection of the pudendal nerves, but was unchanged following a bilateral transection of the pelvic splanchnic or hypogastric nerves. The NADPH-diaphorase staining was not altered by any of the nerve transections. Injection of the retrograde axonal tracer fluorogold (FG) into the dorsum penis labeled perikarya in the L6 DRG. Although the majority of FG-labeled perikarya contained neither CGRP nor NADPH-diaphorase, small subpopulations of perikarya contained either CGRP immunoreactivity, NADPH-diaphorase, or both. A unilateral pudendal nerve transection virtually eliminated (>99%) FG labeling in the ipsilateral L6 DRG. These data suggest that NADPH-diaphorase and CGRP are present, either together or separately, within a subpopulation of penile afferent perikarya. In addition, CGRP-immunoreactive afferent nerve fibers reach the penis primarily via the pudendal nerves. Finally, NADPH-diaphorase-positive penile afferents may be another important source of nitric oxide (NO) for penile tumescence.     

Quantitative autoradiographic analysis of [I]-human CGRP binding sites in the dorsal horn of rat following chronic constriction injury or dorsal rhizotomy

Quantitative receptor autoradiography was used to examine the binding of [¹²⁵I]-human CGRP in the dorsal horn of the L4 spinal segment of rats with a chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve or unilateral dorsal rhizotomies of spinal segments L1–L6. At the times selected for study, we found no change in the amount of CGRP binding in any areas examined following CCI. In contrast, our results showed a temporally related increase in the amount of CGRP binding in areas within laminae I–II and in lateral lamina V of the dorsal horn ipsilateral to the rhizotomies. These results indicate that CGRP binding sites are regulated, most likely, by changes in the release of CGRP. Further, our results suggest that the release of CGRP from primary afferent neurons is unchanged in animals with a CCI.     

Neurofilament protein triplet immunoreactivity in the dorsal root ganglia of the guinea-pig

Summary Immunoreactivity for the neurofilament protein triplet was investigated in neurons of the dorsal root ganglia of the guinea-pig by using a battery of antibodies. In unfixed tissue, nearly all neurons in these ganglia demonstrated some degree of neurofilament protein triplet immunoreactivity. Large neurons generally displayed intense immunoreactivity, whereas most small to medium-sized neurons showed faint to moderate immunoreactivity. Double-labelling immunofluorescence demonstrated that most antibodies to the individual subunits of the neurofilament protein triplet had the same distribution and intensity of labelling in sensory neurons. Increasing durations of tissue fixation in aldehyde solutions selectively diminished neurofilament protein triplet immunoreactivity in small to medium-sized neurons. Double-labelling with neurofilament protein triplet antibodies in combination with antibodies to other neuronal markers, such as neuron-specific enolase, substance P and tyrosine hydroxylase, showed that tissue processing conditions affect the degree of co-localization of immunoreactivity to the neurofilament protein triplet and to these other neuronal markers. These results indicate that, with a judicious manipulation of the duration of tissue fixation, neurofilament protein triplet immunoreactivity can be used in combination with other neuronal markers to distinguish groups of neurons according to their size and chemical coding.     

Pharmacological and biochemical characteristics of partially purified GABAB receptor

Pharmacological and biochemical characteristics of the partially purified -aminobutyric acid (GABA)_B receptor using baclofen affinity column chromatography have been examined. The Scatchard analysis of [³H]GABA binding to the purified GABA_B receptor showed a linear relationship and the K_D and B_max values were 60 nM and 118 pmol/mg of protein, respectively. Although GTP and Mg²⁺ did not affect on the GABA_B receptor binding, Ca²⁺ significantly increased [³H]GABA binding to the purified GABA_B receptor in a dose-dependent manner and showed its maximum effect at 2 mM. The enhancement of the binding by Ca²⁺ was found to be due to the increase of Bmax by the Scatchard analysis. The treatments with pronase and trypsin significantly decreased the binding of [³H]GABA, but phospholipase A₂ had no significant effect on the binding. In addition, treatment with glycosidases such as glycopeptidase A and -galactosidase significantly decreased the binding of [³H]GABA to the purified GABA_B receptor. These results suggest that purification of the solubilized GABA_B receptor by the affinity column chromatography may result in the functional uncoupling of GABA_B receptor with GTP-binding protein. Furthermore, the present results suggest that cerebral GABA_B receptor may be a glycoprotein and membrane phospholipids susceptible to phospholipase A₂ treatment may not be involved in the exhibition of the binding activity.Special issue dedicated to Dr. Eugene Roberts.     

躯体传入冲动抑制中枢性心肌缺血的脊髓机制

本工作在58只尿酯-氯醛糖麻醉,三碘季铵酚制动,人工呼吸,切断迷走神经的兔上进行。结果显示:电刺激正中神经(MN)和腓深神经(DPN)均能抑制或部分抑制下丘脑背内侧核(DMH)诱发的缺血性心电 ST 段偏移,以刺激 MN 的抑制作用更为明显。蛛网膜下腔注射(ith)吗啡(40μg)也能抑制这种缺血性心电变化。ith 纳洛酮(20μg)则可阻断刺激 MN 对中枢性心肌缺血的抑制作用。完整兔在刺激左侧 MN 或 DPN 后,用放射免疫技术测得胸 2—5(T_2-5)节段两侧中间外侧柱(IML)中亮氨酸脑啡肽(LENK)含量明显增加。在颈1(C_1)水平横断脊髓,以同样参数刺激左侧 MN,同侧胸髓 IML 中 LENK 含量明显增加,而对侧胸髓 IML 中 LENK 含量无明显改变;刺激一侧 DPN,T_(2-5)的两侧 IML 中 LENK 含量均无明显变化。上述结果表明,刺激 MN 与 DPN 均能抑制 DMH 诱发的中枢性心肌缺血,但以MN 作用较明显。我们推测这种抑制作用可能与通过脊上机制双侧性增加 IML 中 LENK 含量有关,MN 的抑制作用可能尚包括直接激活胸髓内的脑啡肽系统,增加同侧 IML 中 LENK含量,加强了对交感输出活动的抑制作用。     

Fine structural and enzyme histochemical observations on the dorsal tail tubercle of Mertensiella caucasica (Urodela,Amphibia)

Summary Dorsal tubercle and skin of Mertensiella caucasica have been investigated with the electron microscope and enzyme histochemical methods. The epidermis of the tubercle consists of 8–9 cell layers, that of normal dorsal skin of 5–6. The tubercle is filled with large mucous glands which are surrounded by an almost complete layer of smooth muscle cells (myoepithelial cells). Their glandular cells undergo cyclical changes and are characterized by specific secretory granules, which differ from those of the relatively small mucous glands of the normal dorsal skin.In the connective tissue of the tubercle a relatively rich supply of nerve fibres has been found, which in part contain synaptic and dense core vesicles or accumulations of mitochondria. In the normal dorsal skin nerve fibres occur less frequently.The following enzymes have been demonstrated in the mucous glands of the tubercle: SDH, acid phosphatase, unspecific esterases, E 600 resistant esterase.The tubercle seems to stimulate the female cloaca chemically and mechanically.