Effect of body weight on free fatty acid release by adipose tissuein vitro

Zusammenfassung Die Absonderung freier Fettsäuren aus dem Fettgewebe wurde bei verschieden alten Ratten (1. Gruppe unter 100 g, 2. Gruppe 180–300 g und 3. Gruppe 380–500 g)in vitro ermittelt. Für das Fettgewebe der Nebenhoden ergab sich in der 1. Gruppe die stärkste Absonderung freier Fettsäuren und deren wirksamste Förderung durch Epinephrin. Hingegen war der Gehalt an 3-Glyceriden in der 1. Gruppe am niedrigsten, in der 3. Gruppe am höchsten.

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Supported in part by grant G-13084 from the National Science Foundation.     

‘Insulin-like’ action of an oxytocin analogue lacking a disulphide group,and of a cystathionine peptide related to a sequence of insulin,on rat epididymal adipose tissue in vitro

Zusammenfassung Es wird mittels synthetischer Peptide (Ib, II) bewiesen, dass eine Disulphidgruppe für die « insulinähnliche » Wirkung von mit dem Oxytocin verwandten Peptiden am Fettgewebe der Rattenepididymis nicht notwendig ist. Somit wird ein von Disulphidaustausch abhängiger Wirkungsmechanismus ausgeschlossen.     

Changes of X-prolyl dipeptidyl-aminopeptidase activity in developing rat brain

Summary We found X-prolyl dipeptidyl-aminopeptidase activity in rat brain and examined the developmental changes at various ages. The total enzyme activity per brain increased until 4 weeks of age, and then decreased during maturation. Specific activity in young rat brain was higher than that in adult rat brain. The properties of the brain enzyme were different from those of pituitary and other tissues.     

Changes in serum proteins due to lesion or resection of the olfactory bulbs of the rat

Resumen La sección y extirpación bilateral de los bulbos olfactorios, en ratas de ambos sexos, producen disminución de las proteínas séricas totales, albumina y globulinas y, sin modificaciones de la globulina. Esa disminución se hace significativa 21 días después de las operaciones.     

Changes in transglutaminase activity in carbon tetrachloride-damaged rat liver

Summary A significant decrease in transglutaminase (TGase) activity was observed in the cytosol and nuclear fractions of carbon tetrachloride-damaged rat liver. The degree of decrease in TGase activity in the cytosol fraction was closely related to the serum transaminase level. Gel filtration studies revealed that TGase activity in 80 kDa fractions significantly decreased, but that in 160 kDa fractions slightly increased after carbon tetrachloride treatment.     

Changes of X-prolyl dipeptidyl-aminopeptidase activity in developing rat brain.

We found X-prolyl dipeptidyl-aminopeptidase activity in rat brain and examined the developmental changes at various ages. The total enzyme activity per brain increased until 4 weeks of age, and then decreased during maturation. Specific activity in young rat brain was higher than that in adult rat brain. The properties of the brain enzyme were different from those of pituitary and other tissues.     

Tannic acid inhibits insulin-stimulated lipogenesis in rat adipose tissue and insulin receptor function in vitro

Tannins occur naturally in relatively abundant amounts in fruits, herbal medicines and common beverages. Thus an understanding of how these polyphenols affect peptide hormone action is of importance. We report here that tannic acid (a hydrolysable tannin) inhibits insulin-stimulated lipogenesis in rat adipose tissue in vitro, with an IC₅₀ estimated to be about 350 M. However, its monomer, gallic acid, did not show a similar inhibitory effect at concentrations up to 1 mM. The inhibition by tannic acid was less evident with higher concentrations of bovine serum albumin in the incubation buffer. This was attributed to the formation of a tannin-protein complex between bovine serum albumin and tannic acid. In a binding assay, it was observed that the specific binding of insulin to its receptor was not inhibited by tannic acid in the concentration range 0–200 M. However, insulin-stimulated autophosphorylation of the insulin receptor, and receptor-associated tyrosine kinase phosphorylation of RR-SRC peptide, were inhibited by tannic acid at concentrations as low as 25 M. Our data do not support the current speculation that tannins affect the activity of peptide hormones by binding to them. Therefore, our finding opens up a new perspective in the understanding of the mode of action of tannins on such hormones.     

Changes in transglutaminase activity in carbon tetrachloride-damaged rat liver.

A significant decrease in transglutaminase (TGase) activity was observed in the cytosol and nuclear fractions of carbon tetrachloride-damaged rat liver. The degree of decrease in TGase activity in the cytosol fraction was closely related to the serum transaminase level. Gel filtration studies revealed that TGase activity in 80 kDa fractions significantly decreased, but that in 160 kDa fractions slightly increased after carbon tetrachloride treatment.     

Selective effect of noradrenaline on superoxide dismutase activity in the brown adipose tissue and liver of the rat

Summary Noradrenaline treatment results in a significant increase of superoxide dismutase activity in the intrascapular brown adipose tissue but not in the liver.     

Mitotic activity in the rat palatal shelves during their fusion in vitro]

Rat palatal shelves explanted on gestational day 15 or 16 are cultivated with their medial-edge epithelial surface in contact. Observations of histological sections showed that, before and during the fusion of the processes, mitotic activity is always lower in the epithelium of the expected fusion zone (EFZ) than in the oral epithelium and progressively decreases during the processus of the fusion.     

Effect of feeding cereal-legume diets to rats on in vitro absorption of45Ca

Summary The in vitro absorption of calcium from the duodenum was significantly less in a group of rats fed on a wheat diet than in a group fed a wheat and Bengal gram (7030) diet.     

Changes in the ultrastructure of erythrocyte membrane subjected to UV-irradiation in vitro

Résumé Nous avons étudié l'effet des rayons UV sur l'ultrastructure des globules rouges des mammifères. L'examen électronoscopique montre qu'après ce rayonnement la membrane des globules rouges devient moins granulaire et moins épaisse. La répartition de ses plis ressemble à celle que présentent les globules plus vieux ou atteints de défauts enzymatiques (p. ex. le manque de G-6-PD).

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Acknowledgments. The authors with to express their gratitude to Prof.M. Olszewska for her advice in interpretation of electron microscope photograms.     

Effect of feeding benzpyrene on reproduction in the rat

Résumé Lorsque des rats sont soumis à une diète riche en benzopyrène, leurs embryons peuvent dégénerer et être résorbés. Le placenta et les membranes fétales ont une fluorescence bleue. Normalement, ces mêmes tissus ont une fluorescence rouge.

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This study was aided by PHS grant CA-01469-12 from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda (Maryland).