Effect of cortisone or triiodothyronine administration to pregnant rats on lysosomal hydrolases in fetal forebrain and cerebellum

Summary Triiodothyronine injected daily to pregnant rats for the last week of gestation (50 g/100 g b.wt) increased the specific activities of 5 acid glycosidases in the fetal forebrain and cerebellum. Cortisone (50 mg/100 g b.wt) administered in the same period had no effect on cerebellum acid hydrolases, but decreased their activity in the forebrain.Supported by grant No. HD 08536 from the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.     

Placental and fetal contraindications of dexamethasone administration to pregnant rats

Summary Dexamethasone (DEXA) given to pregnant rats for either the last 3 or 6 days of gestation lowered placental, fetal body and adrenal weights. Histologically, DEXA-treated placentas appeared smaller than controls and showed signs of necrosis and pyknosis. Treated animals that were permitted to carry their litters to term did not deliver naturally, and most of their fetuses were dead when excised 1 day postmaturely.     

Effect of administration of estrogen to pregnant rabbits on the lipid content and composition of the fetal brain

Summary Intramuscular injection of 17 -estradiol to pregnant rabbits did not produce any significant change in the phospholipid, neutral lipid and cholesterol content of the fetal brains, nor did it cause any significant difference in their wet and dry weights. It may be inferred that use of estrogen in the gestational period to enhance surfactant production and lung maturation in the fetus would not produce adverse effects on the fetal brain lipids.     

Effect of hypophysectomy or hysterectomy on the luteal 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in pregnant rats

Riassunto Sono stati studiati con metodi enzimoistochimici alcuni meccanismi che controllano la comparsa della 20-idrossi-steroide-deidrogenasi (20-HSD) in ratte gravide o pseudogravide dopo ipofisectomia o isterectomia. I risultati dimostrano che nel primo periodo della gravidanza e in pseudogravidanza, l'ipofisi è necessaria per mantenere i corpi lutei privi di attività 20-HSD.     

Effect of acute administration of triiodothyronine in chicken. Liver glycogen depletion and amino acid incorporation to proteins

Summary Single injections of thyroid hormone (T₃) produce liver glycogen depletion in chickens. This effect cannot be suppressed by protein synthesis inhibitors and is previous to the hormone-induced increase in protein synthesis.     

Vitamin A consumption in pregnant and non pregnant rats, and in castrated rats receiving or not receiving estradiol or pregnenolone; relation to tocopherol and cytochrome P-450]

Consumption of vitamin A and cytochrome P 450 by pregnant Rat is more important than in non pregnant and ovariectomised Rat. Estradiol implant in ovariectomised female has some, but slighter, influence only on retinol. These physiological situations have no action on the hepatic levels of tocopherols (total and alpha). These results are discussed.     

Effects of insulin on plasma fibrinogen levels in rats submitted to tissue injury or ACTH administration

Summary Insulin is necessary to produce an increase of plasma fibrinogen in rats submitted to tissue injury or ACTH administration. This increase is more significant when endogenous or exogeneous excess of insulin is present, while in uninjured rats the absence or excess of insulin does not modify plasma fibrinogen.     

Effects of insulin on plasma fibrinogen levels in rats submitted to tissue injury or ACTH administration.

Insulin is necessary to produce an increase of plasma fibrinogen in rats submitted to tissue injury or ACTH administration. This increase is more significant when endogenous or exogenous excess of insulin is present, while in uninjured rats the absence or excess insulin does not modify plasma fibrinogen.     

Changes in the activities of protein kinase modulators in the cerebellum of mice due to ethanol,caffeine, or phenobarbital administration

Summary Decreased activities of both the inhibitory modulator of adenosine 35-monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase (A-PK) as well as the stimulatory modulator of guanosine 35-monophosphate (cGMP)-dependent protein kinase (G-PK) from the mouse cerebellum were noted due to the administration of excessive doses of ethanol, caffeine, and phenobarbital for up to 28 days. The dose-dependence of the inhibition of A-PK or the stimulation of G-PK was observed as a function of the amount of protein kinase modulators in the cerebellum of mice receiving different doses of ethanol.Acknowledgments. This work was supported by a grant (RR 08119-06-PK modulator project) from NIH, USA. J.L. Williams, T. Floyd-Jones, C.F. Duggans, D.L. Boone, and S.O. Smith were prebaccalaureate trainees of MBS program. Authors thank Dr J.F. Kuo of Emory University for encouragement in this project.     

Vitamin D3 sulfoconjugate distribution and evolution in pregnant or lactating rats]

24 hrs after intravenous injection of vitamin D3 35S sulfoconjugate the radioactivity in kidney is about twice as much in pregnant Rats as in lactating Rats. It decreases from 24 to 48 hrs in pregnant but increases in lactating Rats kidneys. Hydrolysis of vitamin 3H D3 sulfate is detected in kidney and liver extracts, the ratio of free vitamin D3 on vitamin D3 sulfate is higher in pregnant than in lactating animals. Mammary glands of lactating Rats contain mainly the unchanged vitamin D3 sulfate which can be hydrolysed by new born suckling pups.     

Changes in the activities of protein kinase modulators in the cerebellum of mice due to ethanol, caffeine, or phenobarbital administration.

Decreased activities of both the inhibitory modulator of adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase (A-PK) as well as the stimulatory modulator of guanosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cGMP)-dependent protein kinase (G-PK) from the mouse cerebellum were noted due to the administration of excessive doses of ethanol, caffeine, and phenobarbital for up to 28 days. The dose-dependent of the inhibition of A-PK or the stimulation of G-PK was observed as a function of the amount of protein kinase modulators in the cerebellum of mice receiving different doses of ethanol.     

Effect of ergocornine on the luteal 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in pseudopregnant and pregnant rats

Riassunto Trattando ratte gravide o pseudogravide con ergocornina si può osservare la comparsa dell'attivitá 20-idrossisteroide-deidrogenasica nei corpi lutei rispettivamente gravidici o pseudogravidici nei quali tale attività normalmente manca. Perché questo effetto si manifesti sono necessari 2–3 giorni di trattamento. Si constata che l'ergocornina causa la comparsa dell'attività enzimatica sopra indicata in qualsiasi periodo della pseudogravidanza, e nel periodo della gravidanza precedente l'impianto dell'uovo. L'ergocornina quindi agirebbe tramite l'ipofisi dalla cui regolazione dipende l'attività 20-idrossisteroide-deidrogenasica dell'ovaio.     

Effect of fluoride administration on renal glucose-6-phosphatase activity in rats

Renal glucose-6-phosphatase activity was found to be significantly elevated by fluoride administration (NaF 35 mg/kg, i.p.). The elevation of the enzyme activity was markedly suppressed by adrenalectomy.     

Reaching-related potentials in caudate nucleus and cerebellum of rats

Summary Electrical correlates of the lateralized reaching reaction were studied in rats with implanted electrodes. Averaged event-related potentials (ERPs) in the cerebellar dentate nucleus consisted of a negative wave coinciding with reach onset and followed 70 msec later by a positive deflection. The most prominent component of the more variable caudate ERPs was a negative wave culminating 60–120 msec after reach onset. The positive and negative ERP deflections corresponded to inhibitory and excitatory reactions respectively, at the single neuron level.     

Effect of fluoride administration on renal glucose-6-phosphatase activity in rats

Summary Renal glucose-6-phosphatase activity was found to be significantly elevated by fluoride administration (NaF 35 mg/kg, i.p.). The elevation of the enzyme activity was markedly suppressed by adrenalectomy.This work was supported in part by the Scientific Research Foundation (Grant 7014-267337) from the Education and Culture Ministry of Japan.     

The influence of peripheral or central administration of ondansetron on stress-induced gastric ulceration in rats

Ondansetron (0.08, 0.15 or 0.3 mg/kg) injected s.c., every 12h with the fourth dose given 0.5 h before experiments, dose-dependently lessened gastric glandular mucosal ulceration produced by cold-restraint stress for 2h. When given intracerebrally (i.c.) (0.1, 0.5 or 1g), using the same treatment regimen, infusion of ondansetron 1 g into the nucleus amygdaloideus centralis decreased stress-evoked ulcers; in contrast, injection of the same dose into the nucleus accumbens intensified these lesions. The associated stress-induced stomach wall mast cell degranulation was unaffected by all s.c. or i.c. doses of ondansetron. Pretreatment with disodium cromoglycate i.p. alone, or concurrently with ondansetron s.c., prevented not only ulceration but also mast cell degranulation. 5-Hydroxytryptamine₃ receptor antagonism appears to inhibit stress-evoked ulcers mainly by blocking the peripheral effects of the amine after its release from the gastric mucosal mast cells.     

Effect of chronic administration of acetylsalicylic acid on lipid metabolism in growing rats

Résumé L'administration prolongée d'acide acétylsalicylique à de jeunes rats (0.3 mg/g) a provoqué des augmentations temporaires d'acide palmitique dans les phospholipides du cerveau et du foie. Des augmentations temporaires d'acide stéarique et des diminutions d'acide arachidonique ont été aussi observées dans les phospholipides du foie. Les changements observés dans les phospholipides du foie permettent de supposer que l'acide acétylsalicylique affecte peut-être les enzymes désaturisant les acides gras.

---

---

This work was supported in part by Illinois Mental Health Fund and Public Health Service Grant No. AM-07184 to Dr.M. K. Horwitt from the National Institute of Arthritis and metabolic Diseases.