Effect of ethanol on toxicity and metabolism of amphetamine in the mouse.

Ethanol, 3 g/kg i.p., did not significantly alter the acute toxicity of amphetamine in the mouse. However, the urinary metabolite pattern was changed, suggesting that ethanol suppressed metabolism of the stimulant during the initial 6 h period. After 24 h, the mouse metabolized the same fraction of a given dose of amphetamine, whether it was given as amphetamine alone or amphetamine mixed with 2,3 or 4 g/kg ethanol.     

Interaction of extrinsic fluorescent probes with E. coli glutamine synthetase.

Binding of 2-p-toluidinylnaphthalene-6-sulfonate (TNS) to adenylylated (E--11) glutamine synthetase is cooperative and time-dependent, with 3 dye sites per subunit. In fluorescence polarization experiments TNS and pyrene butyrate give normalized Perrin plots that indicate a symmetrical arrangement of dye excited state dipoles, relative to the rotational axis of the oblate ellipsoid of the dodecameric native enzyme.     

Presence of presumptive interdigitating cells in the spleen of the natterjack,Bufo calamita

Summary The periphery of splenic lymphoid follicles, an area rich in reticulum fibers, contains presumptive interdigitating cells characterized by low electron density, scantiness of cytoplasmic organelles, abundant surface foldings and, sometimes, electrondense granules of unknown significance.     

Depressor effects of muscarinic and non-muscarinic mediation induced by lateral hypothalamic stimulation in the rat

Summary Transient sympathetically-mediated depressor effects were induced by stimulation of a small locus in the lateral hypothalamic peri-fornical region, medial to the fields of Forel. The ganglionic blocking agent, atropine methyl nitrate (ATMN), was used to show that muscarinic as well as non-muscarinic sympathetic ganglion receptor neurotransmission was involved. Evidence is presented that stimulation of this LH site co-activates a number of mechanisms and that depending on which of these are activated, the ganglionic blocking agent ATMN may either block, reverse or potentiate the depressor effect.     

Alternative splicing directs the expression of two D2 dopamine receptor isoforms

Dopamine receptors are classified into D1 and D2 subtypes on the basis of their pharmacological properties and the intracellular responses they mediate. The cerebral D2 dopamine receptor is the target of drugs used to alleviate the main symptoms of schizophrenia. Although it is considered to be a single molecular entity, there is evidence that multiple D2-receptor subtypes exist. A complementary DNA encoding a D2 receptor has recently been cloned and the deduced 415-amino-acid sequence indicates that it belongs to the large superfamily of receptors coupled to G proteins, and that its topology consists of seven transmembrane domains. In this family, the genes are frequently without introns and each is believed to encode a unique polypeptide product. Here we show that the gene for the D2 receptor produces two receptor isoforms by alternative messenger RNA splicing, providing a route to receptor diversity in this family. One isoform corresponds to the D2(415) receptor, but the second contains an additional sequence encoding a 29-amino-acid fragment, defining a novel D2(444) receptor isoform. Expression of the two isoforms is tissue-specific, and both are regulated by guanyl nucleotides. As the extra sequence is located within a putative cytoplasmic loop that binds to G proteins, the two isoforms might interact with different G proteins and thereby initiate distinct intracellular signals.