Effect of prolactin on human red cell sodium transport

Incubation of red cells with higher concentrations of prolactin in vitro enhanced the cellular sodium level and produced a significant reduction in erythrocyte membrane adenosine triphosphatase activity. This effect was dose and time-dependent. It is the result of an inhibition of the active sodium pump similar to that produced by ouabain, suggesting altered red cell function and electrolyte balance in hyperprolactinemic states.     

DNA synthesis in the pituitary gland of the rat: Effect of sulpiride and clomiphene

Summary Sulpiride administration to rats releases prolactin and increases DNA replication in the anterior pituitary gland. Clomiphene prevents the stimulation of DNA synthesis produced by sulpiride, but does not affect prolactin release from the gland. These findings suggest that the intracellular prolactin content of the anterior pituitary gland plays a role in the regulation of DNA synthesis through a mechanism mediated by oestrogens.This work was supported by PLAMIRH 99.178.1.78, by the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas and by the Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (Argentina). We are grateful to Dr P. Scacchi for performing the radioimmunoassay and to Prof. C. J. Gómez for the opportunity to perform this work.     

Comparative effects of ouabain, natriuretic factor and ammonium chloride in the toad urinary bladder

Electrical changes and direct effects on Na-K ATPase activity induced by an endogenous digitalis-like natriuretic factor (NF), NH4Cl and ouabain were studied in toad bladders. NF inhibited the SCC and the Na-K ATPase activity in a similar manner to ouabain, but induced a greater increase in calculated direct current resistance (R) (p less than 0.05). NH4Cl was a weak inhibitor of Na-K ATPase activity, although it produced steeper SCC inhibition slopes than those observed with ouabain or NF (p less than 0.01). The data suggested the same mechanism of action of NF and ouabain on the sodium pump, with an additional effect of the former on apical sodium permeability of the cells and/or closure of paracellular routes leading to an increased tissue resistance. In contrast, the effects of NH4Cl were mostly compatible with intracellular inhibition of apical sodium entry into the cell.     

Die Wirkung von Spirolactonen und von Herzglykosiden auf den Natrium- und Kaliumtransport an Erythrocyten

Summary Experiments made on human red cells showed that spirolactones (SC 5233 and SC 9420) added to the sample as dry powder (10^–3 g/ml) exert an inhibitory action on the active transport of sodium and potassium across the cell membrane. Spirolactone at its saturation concentration in serum (1.5×10^–5 g/ml), however, was ineffective.The inhibitory action was not affected by aldosterone or hydrocortisone.Experiments involving exposure of red cells to spirolactone and a cardiac glycoside simultaneously led to the conclusion that these substances do not have the same mechanism of action. The inhibition caused by spirolactone added to the inhibition due to a supramaximal concentration of ouabain (5 × 10^–4).

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Diese Arbeit wurde unterstützt durch ein Stipendium der CIBA für naturwissenschaftliche, medizinische und technische Forschung.     

Cell proliferation in the rat pituitary gland: A mechanism of control in prolactin cells

Summary We investigated the relationship between prolactin content and DNA replication in the anterior pituitary gland. Thymidine incorporation in pregnant rats is significantly lower than in virgin controls. This is accompanied by a decreased activity of DNA polymerase. Sulpiride administration to pregnant rats enhances thymidine incorporation to levels similar to virgin controls. The results indicate a negative feedback between prolactin content and DNA synthesis in the rat anterior pituitary gland.We are grateful to Prof. Carlos J. Gómez for the opportunity to perform this work. These studies were supported by PLA-MIRH 99.178.1.78, by the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas and by the Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (Argentina).     

Optic lobe neurosecretory cells of an Indian spiderCryptophora sp. (Areinidae)

Summary In all the 3 pairs of optic lobes ofCryptophora sp. there are small groups of monopolar PF^– neurosecretory cells which take on a green colour by PF technique and red by Azan. Their function is unknown, but they may be involved with photoperiodically controlled activity rhythms.We wish to express our thanks to Prof. U.S. Srivastava for providing working facilities and valuable suggestions.     

Differential binding of vitamin E to sarcoplasmic reticulum from fast and slow muscles of the rabbit

Summary The distribution of [³H]-tocopherol between the intracellular membranes of fast white and slow red muscles was studied in vivo. In vitro experiments confirmed a higher incorporation of the vitamin into the reconstructed sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes from slow muscle.This work was supported by funds from the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche to the C.S. Biologia e Fisiopatologia Muscolare and to the Istituto di Patologia Generale, Università di Bologna, and in part by a grant from the Muscular Dystrophy Association to Prof. Aloisi.     

Inhibitory effect of some heteropolyanions on potato virus X

Summary Heteropolyanions like 12-tungstozincic acid (i.i.), potassium 13-vanadomanganate (i.v.), potassium 13-vanadonickelate (i.v.) and sodium tungstoborate produced an inhibitory effect on potato virus X. Amongst these, tungstozincic acid was found to be the most potent.The authors are thankful to Prof. R. P. Rastogi, Head of the Chemistry Department, University of Gorakhpur for providing necessary facilities. The financial support by Council of Science and Technology, U.P., Lucknow is gratefully acknowledged.     

Bromocriptine-induced removal of endoplasmic membranes from prolactinoma cells

Summary Adenomatous prolactin cells lose 39% of their cytoplasm volume within 7 days after the beginning of bromocriptine treatment. A simultaneous reduction of the rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus occurs. Their membranes are removed by rapid transport along the secretory pathway to the cell surface and to lysosomal destruction.We thank Prof. E. del Pozo, Sandoz Ltd, Basle, for the generous gift of injectable bromocriptine, Prof. E.R. Weibel, Dept. of Anatomy, University of Bern, for his technical advice, Dr U. Helfenstein, Institute of Biostatistics, University of Zürich, for his help in the statistical evaluation of the results and the EMDO-Foundation, Zürich, for financial support.     

Inhibition of potassium (86Rb) influx in Ehrlich ascites cells by bilirubin and ouabain

Summary Bilirubin inhibited influx of potassium into Ehrlich ascites cells without altering efflux. The data showed that compared with ouabain, net potassium influx components were impaired in a higher degree by bilirubin. The reversal of this effect was shown, in our experimental conditions, only for ouabain.Acknowledgments. This work was supported by a grant from the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Técnicas, República Argentina. The authors wish to thank Miss Marta S. Göthje for techical assistance.     

Production of underweight embryos in rats treated with barbiturates during pregnancy

Summary The effect of administering barbital sodium, phenobarbitone or butobartitone during pregnancy was investigated in rats. The study shows that these bartiturates affect the litter-size and retard the foetal growth markedly. The embryos produced are significantly undersized.Acknowledgments. The authors wish to express their gratitude to Prof. M. R. Rajasekar Setty for the encouragement received and CSIR, India, for the award of a Research Fellowship to A. V. Champakamalini.     

Neutron activation analysis of saliva from the tickAmblyomma variegatum

Summary The hygroscopic saliva produced by fastingAmblyomma variegatum adults during prolonged exposure to dry air was found to contain sodium, potassium and chlorine in molar proportions of 1.1–1.7–3.8 respectively, or proportions by dry weight of 8, 21 and 41%. These values are quite different from those reported previously for saliva from recently fed ixodid ticks. TheA. variegatum saliva contained, by dry weight, less than 5% sulphur and less than 1.5% each of phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and iron.Acknowledgments. I wish to thank Prof. W. Knülle for extending to me support granted by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, and Dr D. Rudolph for providing the saliva solids.     

Inhibitory effect of ouabain on in vitro and in vivo gastric acid secretion in the frog and the rat

Summary The in vitro and in vivo effects of ouabain on gastric acid secretion in the frog and the rat, the 2 species known to have different sensitivity to ouabain, were studied. It was found that ouabain was a potent inhibitor of histamine-stimulated acid secretion in the isolated frog gastric mucosa. Ouabain administered i.v. at dose levels far below the lethal range also produced a marked and significant reduction of histamine-stimulated gastric acid secretion in the anesthetized frogs and rats. It is considered that the inhibitory effect of ouabain on acid secretion could be partly related to ist specific antagonizing action on the Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase in the gastric mucosa.     

C-band positive W chromosome in the female Indian frog

Summary In the female Indian frog,Rana tigrina (2n=26; NF=52), the female is heterogametic. The heterochromosomes (ZW) are morphologically indistinguishable, but the W chromosome proves by C-banding analysis to be entierly heterochromatic.Acknowledgment. S.C. is grateful to Prof. G.K. Manna, Zoology Department, Kalyani University, Prof. Archana Sharma, Botany Department, Calcutta University and to Prof. T. Sharma, Zoology Department, Banarus Hindu University for encouragements. He is also thankful to Prof. D.K. Choudhuri, Burdwan University for support.     

Rhythmicity of aminotransferase in the cockroach,Periplaneta americana

Summary Aspartate (AAT) and alanine aminotransferase (AIAT) activities in nervous system and coxal leg muscle of the cockroach showed circadian variations with maximal activity around midnight, alternating with minimal activity at 12.00 noon of the solar day. The enhanced activity levels of the enzymes observed during night dark hours may be related to higher energy requirements during increased locomotor activity of the animals.We thank Prof. K. S. Swami, for providing facilities. The financial help rendered by UGC and CSIR, in the form of Junior (to SV) and Senior (to TPK) Research Fellowships is acknowledged.     

Proestrous gonadotropin levels in thyroparathyroidectomized female rats

Summary Intact and TPTx animals showed the expected afternoon increase in serum LH, FSH and prolactin levels. But the afternoon increase in serum LH levels in TPTx rats was less than that observed for intact animals (p<0.01). Neither serum prolactin nor FSH levels were altered by TPTx.The excellent technical and secretarial assistance ofS. Hemelt andD. Landman is gratefully acknowledged.     

A molecular recognition hypothesis for nonpeptides: Na+ K+ ATPase and endogenous digitalis-like peptides

The molecular recognition hypothesis for peptides is that binding sites of ligands and their receptors are encoded by short, complementary segments of DNA. A corollary hypothesis for nonpeptide ligands posited here is that peptide replicas may be encoded by the DNA segment complementary to the receptor binding sites for nonpeptides. This corollary was tested for digitalis, a family of cardiotonic and natriuretic steroids including ouabain. A hexapeptide (ouabain-like peptide, OLP) complementary to a ouabain binding site on sodium/potassium dependent adenosine triphosphatase (Na⁺ K⁺ ATPase) exhibited activity in a digitalis bioassay. Antisera to the complementary peptide (OLP) stained the neurohypophysis in an immunocytochemical procedure. The complementary peptide was found to share an identical 4-amino acid region with the 39-amino acid glycopeptide moiety of the vasopressin-neurophysin precursor. This glycopeptide was isolated from pituitary extracts; it exhibited digitalis-like activity in the submicromolar range and cross-reacted with complementary peptide antibodies. Another digitalis-like substance with high activity also was detected in the extracts. These results demonstrate that the vasopressin-neurophysin glycopeptide has digitalis-like activity. Moreover, the findings are consistent with the hypothesis that peptide mimetics of nonpeptides are encoded in the genome. Received 23 November 1998; received after revision 18 January 1999; accepted 19 February 1999     

Experiments on the mechanism of the inhibition of mitochondrial Ca2+ transport by La3+ and ruthenium red

Summary The effects of La³⁺ and ruthenium red on the energy-linked uptake of Ca²⁺ mediated by a synthetic neutral Ca²⁺ ionophore have been investigated in rat liver mitochondria. The results indicate that unspecific surface charge effects do not play a major role in the mechanism of inhibition of mitochondrial Ca²⁺ transport by La³⁺ and ruthenium red.Acknowledgments. The authors are indebted to Prof. W. Simon, ETH Zurich, for having provided samples of the synthetic neutral Ca²⁺ ligand, and to M. Mattenberger for the valuable technical assistence. The work was supported by a grant of the Swiss Nationalfonds (grant No. 3.1720.75).     

Resilin in the cuticle of physogastric queen termites

Summary Resilin is present in the endocuticle of the flexible abdominal intersegmental cuticle of the, physogastric queen of the termite,Odontotermes obesus (Rambur). Resilin seems to assist in the extension of abdomen of the queen termites during physogastry.Acknowledgments. I am grateful to Dr S. O. Anderson for examining the cuticle in the fluorescent microscope. I thank Prof. R. G. Michael for interest in this work, Prof. P. S. Ramakrishnan for providing UV Lamp (Toshnival) for the examination of chromatograms and Mr Sudip Dey for valuable discussions.Previously called A. Sannasi.     

Novel synthesis of 2,4-diphenylpyrimido [4,5-b] quinoline

Summary Reaction of n-butyllithium in ether with 2-ethoxyquinoline and further reaction with benzonitrile gives 2,4-diphenylpyrimido [4,5-b] quinoline (I). With the use of lithium di-isopropylamide, compoundI is obtained in better yield without side products.We thank Prof. N. S. Narasimhan and Prof. V. K. Phansalkar for their interest in this work. We are also grateful to the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, West Germany, and Walcot Gibbs Foundation, U.S.A.