Coxsackievirus B4 infection of spinal sympathetic ganglion

Summary Coxsackievirus B₄ infection of a spinal sympathetic ganglion of a squirrel monkey is described. Chromatolysis and neuronophagia were extensive. It is suggested that such viral sympathetic ganglial infections may be responsible for dysfunction of organ systems.Supported by the Cardiovascular Research Fund, the Rowell A. Billups Fund for Research in Heart Disease, the Feazel Laboratory and grant No. RR-00164-17 from the Animal Resources Branch, Division of Research Resources of NIH.     

Mechanisms of sympathetic regulation of arterial smooth muscle

Zusammenfassung Der Wirkungsbereich der Querschnittsregulation der A. dorsalis pedis durch den Sympathikus bei Hunden wurde erfasst und die Relation Reizerfolg-Reizfrequenz durch eine Hyperbel charakterisiert. Mittels Fluoreszenzmethode gewonnene Befunde weisen darauf hin, dass die durch Sympathikusreizung freigesetzen Monoamine zu den nervenfreien Mediaschichten diffundieren.

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For the supply of Nialamide we are indebted to Pfizer Corporation, Eastern Europe Division.     

Activation of sustained sympathetic vasodilatation in dog by spinal cord stimulation

Summary Electrical stimulation in lateral sites of the upper cervical spinal cord evoked vasodilatation after adrenergic blockade. Sympathetic fibres mediating sustained vasodilatation were shown to be separate from adrenergic sympathetic fibres since the adrenergic vasoconstrictor response in the paw evoked by vasomotor stimulation in the medulla was not reversed to vasodilatation after bretylium.Supported by USPHS Grant No. HL 08570 and part of thesis work by Dr.Rolewicz.     

Activation of sustained sympathetic vasodilatation in dog by spinal cord stimulation.

Electrical stimulation in lateral sites of the upper cervical spinal cord evoked vasodilatation after adrenergic blockade. Sympathetic fibres mediating sustained vasodilatation were shown to be separate from adrenergic sympathetic fibres since the adrenergic vasoconstrictor response in the paw evoked by vasomotor stimulation in the medulla was not reversed to vasodilatation after bretylium.     

The human selenoproteome: recent insights into functions and regulation

Selenium (Se) is a nutritional trace mineral essential for various aspects of human health that exerts its effects mainly through its incorporation into selenoproteins as the amino acid, selenocysteine. Twenty-five selenoprotein genes have been identified in humans and several selenoproteins are broadly classified as antioxidant enzymes. As progress is made on characterizing the individual members of this protein family, however, it is becoming clear that their properties and functions are quite diverse. This review summarizes recent insights into properties of individual selenoproteins such as tissue distribution, subcellular localization, and regulation of expression. Also discussed are potential roles the different selenoproteins play in human health and disease.     

Extrapineal melatonin: sources,regulation, and potential functions

Endogenous melatonin is synthesized from tryptophan via 5-hydroxytryptamine. It is considered an indoleamine from a biochemical point of view because the melatonin molecule contains a substituted indolic ring with an amino group. The circadian production of melatonin by the pineal gland explains its chronobiotic influence on organismal activity, including the endocrine and non-endocrine rhythms. Other functions of melatonin, including its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, its genomic effects, and its capacity to modulate mitochondrial homeostasis, are linked to the redox status of cells and tissues. With the aid of specific melatonin antibodies, the presence of melatonin has been detected in multiple extrapineal tissues including the brain, retina, lens, cochlea, Harderian gland, airway epithelium, skin, gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidney, thyroid, pancreas, thymus, spleen, immune system cells, carotid body, reproductive tract, and endothelial cells. In most of these tissues, the melatonin-synthesizing enzymes have been identified. Melatonin is present in essentially all biological fluids including cerebrospinal fluid, saliva, bile, synovial fluid, amniotic fluid, and breast milk. In several of these fluids, melatonin concentrations exceed those in the blood. The importance of the continual availability of melatonin at the cellular level is important for its physiological regulation of cell homeostasis, and may be relevant to its therapeutic applications. Because of this, it is essential to compile information related to its peripheral production and regulation of this ubiquitously acting indoleamine. Thus, this review emphasizes the presence of melatonin in extrapineal organs, tissues, and fluids of mammals including humans.     

Non-uniformity of regional vasomotor activity indicating the existence of 2 different systems in the sympathetic cardiovascular outflow

Summary In rabbits, 2 populations of sympathetic postganlionic fibres innervating the skin, heart, muscle and kidney could be classified by their different spike heights and their different susceptibility to noradrenaline and angiotensin amide. The ability of the 2 populations to respond to physiological stimuli in a highly differentiated manner leads to the assumption that 2 different systems in the cardiovascular sympathetic outflow exist.     

Role of noncoding RNAs in regulation of cardiac cell death and cardiovascular diseases

Loss of functional cardiomyocytes is a major underlying mechanism for myocardial remodeling and heart diseases, due to the limited regenerative capacity of adult myocardium. Apoptosis, programmed necrosis, and autophagy contribute to loss of cardiac myocytes that control the balance of cardiac cell death and cell survival through multiple intricate signaling pathways. In recent years, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have received much attention to uncover their roles in cell death of cardiovascular diseases, such as myocardial infarction, cardiac hypertrophy, and heart failure. In addition, based on the view that mitochondrial morphology is linked to three types of cell death, ncRNAs are able to regulate mitochondrial fission/fusion of cardiomyocytes by targeting genes involved in cell death pathways. This review focuses on recent progress regarding the complex relationship between apoptosis/necrosis/autophagy and ncRNAs in the context of myocardial cell death in response to stress. This review also provides insight into the treatment for heart diseases that will guide novel therapies in the future.     

Hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins in plant reproductive tissues: structure, functions and regulation

The plant reproductive process of pollination involves a series of interactions between the male gametophyte (the pollen grain or pollen tube) and extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules secreted by different cell types along the pollen tube growth pathway in the female organ, the pistil. These interactions are believed to signal and regulate the pollen tube growth process to effect successful delivery of the sperm cells to the ovules where fertilization takes place. Hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins secreted by plant cells are believed to play a broad range of functions, ranging from providing structural integrity to mediating cell-cell interactions and communication. The pistil and pollen tube ECM is enriched in these highly glycosylated proteins. Our discussions here will focus on a number of these proteins for which most information has been available, from Nicotiana tabacum, its self-incompatible relative N. alata, and Zea mays. In addition, the regulation of the synthesis and glyco-modification of one of these proteins, TTS (transmitting tissue-specific) protein from N. tabacum will be discussed in the light of how differential glycosylation may be used to regulate molecular interactions within the ECM.     

Melanocortin receptors: their functions and regulation by physiological agonists and antagonists

The melanocortins are a family of bioactive peptides derived from proopiomelanocortin, and share significant structural similarity. Those peptides are best known for their stimulatory effects on pigmentation and steroidogenesis. Melanocortins are synthesized in various sites in the central nervous system and in peripheral tissues, and participate in regulating multiple physiological functions. Research during the past decade has provided evidence that melanocortins elicit their diverse biological effects by binding to a distinct family of G protein-coupled receptors with seven transmembrane domains. To date, five melanocortin receptor genes have been cloned and characterized. Those receptors differ in their tissue distribution and in their ability to recognize the various melanocortins and the physiological antagonists, agouti signaling protein and agouti-related protein. These advances have opened new horizons for exploring the significance of melanocortins, their antagonists, and their receptors in a variety of important physiological functions. Received 5 October 2000; accepted 10 November 2000     

Interaction of spinal and hypothalamic thermodetectors in body temperature regulation of the conscious dog

Zusammenfassung An wachen Hunden wurden kombinierte thermische Reizungen von Rückenmark und Hypothalamus bei verschiedenen Lufttemperaturen durchgeführt. Die Untersuchungen führten zu dem Ergebnis, dass die thermischen Afferenzen aus Rückenmark, Hypothalamus und Haut in einem gemeinsamen Zentrum zu einer koordinierten effektorischen Leistung des temperaturregulierenden Systems verarbeitet werden. Die Funktion der hypothalamischen und der spinalen thermosensiblen Strukturen erwies sich dabei als völlig gleichartig.     

Evidence for a hypocalcemic factor in the hypothalamus

Zusammenfassung Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass ein Hypothalamus-Extrakt von Meerschweinchen an hypophysektomierten Raten eine deutliche Senkung des Plasmakalziums bewirkte.     

Evidence for the existence of an outflow of noradrenaline nerve fibres in the ventral roots of the rat spinal cord

Zusammenfassung Mit histochemischer Fluoreszenzmethode und Axotomie wird die Ansicht gestützt, dass eine bestimmte Zahl von Nervenfasern, die von CA-Nervenzellen der supraspinalen Zentren stammen und entweder im Funiculus lateralis oder im Funiculus anterior des Rückenmarkes absteigen, das Rückenmark über ventrale Wurzeln verlassen und die Spinalganglien ohne Unterbrechung passieren.